A guide to East City’s hottest block, Harrington Street

From dazzling disco & whiskey dinners to live music

Last updated: 24 May 2024

The East City is in the process of a rebirth. And at the centre of it are four nightlife hubs under one roof. A Gatsby-esque lounge with whiskey dinners and dazzling disco parties; a live music venue with rock ‘n roll; rum cocktails at a Hemingway-inspired bar; and a dive bar with bunny chows. Here are ​​the dishes, cocktails and events to try when you’re at Harrington Street.

Each venue at Harringtons has its own dance floors and crowds. Image: Harrington Street

EAST CITY’S HARRINGTON STREET

It’s a tale of transformation. The Harrington Street building has been around since the ‘60s, and has gone from being a grungy-cool live music spot to a vibrant nightlife hub with four eclectic restaurants and bars under one roof.

There’s Surfa Rosa, the friendly neighbourhood dive bar with rock music and bunny chow; the high-tech live music venue and nightclub, District; and the Cuban-inspired Rum Runner balcony bar. 

Right next door is the namesake of the street, Harringtons Cocktail Lounge. It has lush velvet booths, a wrap-around bar and panoramic window that'll remind you of a scene from The Great Gatsby. 

Each venue at Harringtons has its own vibe and crowd. Image: Harrington Street

THE TALE OF THE CURIOUS COCKTAILS 

What happened when The V&T killed the G&T? You’ll find out at Harringtons Cocktail Lounge, where each cocktail has a curious name, like Sapphire People (gin, white vermouth, peach, fresh lime & basil) and Bittersweet Mexican (burnt honey and charred grapefruit with Avion Reposado, fresh lime and soda). 

You could also hangout on the balcony at Rum Runner, a bar inspired by Havana’s golden age of rum drinking. There’s rum cocktails like Spiced Old Fashion (Bacardi Carta Negra with vanilla & cinnamon) and Caribbean Nights (Bacardi 4YO with citrus, mango & chilli). 

And everyday from 4pm to 6pm there’s daily happy hour specials, from 50% off all classic cocktails to two Jack Black drafts for R90. 

There’s daily happy hours from 4pm - 6pm. Image: Harrington Street

FROM GATSBY-ESQUE TO DISCO DINING

Besides the classic art deco furnishings and unique cocktails, regulars keep coming back to Harrington’s Cocktail Lounge for their classy dinners and tapas to share.

Food faves vary from Korean fried chicken with gangjeong sauce to corn ribs with chipotle vegan mayo. For mains the flame-grilled rib-eye is highly recommended. There’s also burgers, flatbreads and sweet treats like a double chocolate brownie or affogato ice cream. 

Harringtons has a variety of tapas to share with friends. Image: Harrington Street

Just underneath the snazzy lounge is the edgy dive bar Surfa Rosa, pumping with rock music, beers and punk graffiti. And it serves a Durban-style mutton or butter bean bunny chow every Wednesday, perfect for a pre-party meal. There’s also pizza and burgers. 

Surfa Rosa also has a snack menu with light bites. Image: Harrington Street

FRIDAY APERITIVO & JAMESON DINNERS

Harrington's Cocktail Lounge is the place to kickstart your weekend. Every Friday night it hosts a Jameson Whiskey Dinner Disco: A curated three-course dinner and whiskey cocktail pairing (R450pp). 

Dishes range from goat cheese bon bons paired with Jameson Select Reserve (honey, almond, apricot and orange bitters) to crispy pork belly with Jameson IPA Edition (pomegranate, apple and rosemary). 

There’s also complementary aperitivo served on Fridays during happy hours. You can expect dishes like pani puri with masala roasted chickpeas, spiced potato and hari chutney. The aperitivo changes every month, check their Instagram for each monthly dish. 

All this is followed by a little disco under the mirror ball with the resident DJs. Image: Harrington Street

LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEEK

After dinner, the different venues transform into a hub of live music. District nightclub is the place to be for mosh pits, stage dives and electronic dance parties with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems.

Some nights are an intimate jol (think hip-hop, electronic, or hyper-pop); and others are rock and punk with bands like Springbok Nude Girls, Desmond and the Tutus and Elle E. 

And right next door is a glittering dance party at Harringtons Cocktail Lounge. Thursdays have a vibe all on their own with East City Sessions, inspired by the music of District Six. Bands like Nomadic Orchestra or Sonik Citizen and Cape Tone have performed in the past. 

After 10pm the DJ hits the decks with sounds of techno. Image: Harrington Street

TECHNO & FUNK FIRST THURSDAYS

Funk nights and disco parties set the scene for First Thursdays at Harringtons Cocktail Lounge. It’s the sound of indie and house, cocktails at hand, complemented by shimmering decor and disco balls. And the party stretches onto Rum Runner’s balcony. 

You can book a booth for dinner before the shindig, it’s free entry until 9pm. Later in the evening, the DJ fires up the dancefloor. 

Around the corner at District, regular First Thursdays lineups include popular DJs Kyle Cassim, Timo ODV and Chunda Munki.  Find out more about First Thursdays at Harrington Street.

District hosts a variety of events throughout the month. Image: Harrington Street

HOSTING GRAND AFFAIRS (BIRTHDAYS & EVENTS)

Birthdays, corporate functions or special occasions are what Harrington Street is made for. You can book out one (or all) of the venues for a soiree. There’s special menus and canapes, DJs and live bands, plus they decorate the space for you. It can even take up to 400 people. Find out more about venue booking at Harrington Street. 

Host a stellar birthday party or corporate function venue. Image: Harrington Street

This four-in-one nightlife spot is a hub of local music, curious cocktails and dazzling parties for any and every occasion. 

VISIT HARRINGTON STREET

Harringtons Cocktail Lounge: Wed & Thur, 4pm - late; Fri & Sat, 3pm - 4am

Surfa Rosa: Tue, Wed & Sat, 12pm - 12am; Thur & Fri, 12am - 4am

Find it 61b Harrington Street | District Six | Cape Town

Book: Via Dineplan
Contact on: 078 916 7903, bookings@harringtonstreet.co.za, @harringtonsct

By Lara van Zyl

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