The Table Bay hotel is renowned for its prime positioning at the bustling V&A Waterfront. The ultra stylish Union Bar, located next door to Camissa, the hotel’s restaurant, is the perfect meeting place for business and social gatherings alike.

The bar boasts an extensive menu of local wines, creative cocktails and tapas-style snacks and offers guests and locals an upmarket respite from the busy V&A. We recently visited Union Bar to experience this for ourselves.

A Grand Entrance

Entering the Table Bay hotel foyer requires a pause to fully appreciate it; the tall ceilings, golden tones and beautiful flower displays make for an impressive setting. A pianist’s gentle tunes provide background music which led us through to the Union Bar, where we were heading for Friday afternoon drinks.

The Union Bar Style

Much like most of the Table Bay hotel, the Union Bar borrows its style from Cape Town’s naval history; historical maps and paintings throughout the interior carry a strong maritime theme.

The bar has a snazzy Gentleman’s Club vibe, with warm wooden walls and cushioned banquettes wrapping around the space. The interior is dotted with round marble tables and high leather-studded bar stools line up along the bar’s long marble countertop.

We’ll Have Two Please

The staff displayed some of the friendliest and most accommodating service we’ve seen in some time. Our delightful waitress was quick to seat us, suggest options off the cocktail and beer menu and deliver our bar snacks to tide us over until the real deal arrived.

We first sampled the Table Bay’s very own craft beer Wild Legend, brewed in partnership with Darling Breweries, which was a crisp, light, German style Weiss.

Our ultra sleek and clued-up barman walked us through the cocktail menu, with notable mentions of their famous and signature beverages. We, of course, took heed of our master mixologist’s words and opted for his famous cocktail – the Elderflower Martini. One cocktail is never enough though, so we ordered the Passion Fruit Daiquiri too. For someone such as myself, who is not particularly fond of overly-sweet cocktails, these two were marvellous choices.

We’ll Have Three Please

Although the bar is not necessarily a restaurant, it does well to accommodate patrons with generously portioned bar snacks. We opted for three of the menu items because honestly, we hate leaving options out. We chose the Mini BBQ Beef Skewers with Fries, which were succulent and gorgeously sticky. We also indulged in the cheesy handmade Peppadew Poppers with coriander yoghurt and the Mini Pork Sliders with apple slaw and fries.

The staff at the Union Bar, much like the rest of the Table Bay hotel, are exceptionally accommodating and knowledgeable when it comes to the food and drinks on offer.

Wine, Whiskey and More

Apart from the fantastic cocktails, the Union Bar also has an impressive single malt whiskey selection and a wine selection that showcases some of the best in the Cape. So if you’re looking for a spot to unwind with a chilled cocktail or entertain clients and showcase one of the prime spots in the Mother City, the Union Bar is the spot to do it.

If you’re looking to partake in something equally as fancy, join the Table Bay for their high tea, they have one of the best in Cape Town.

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