Venues

Urban Playground: A Hidden Gem in Cape Town

If you’re looking for an edgy street art eatery to satisfy your taste buds and outdoor cravings, look no further than Urban Playground. Nestled within a Maitland business park in Cape Town, this hidden gem impresses visitors with its energetic, relaxed vibe filling the courtyard. The wooden benches, bamboo shades, and plants create a laid-back atmosphere that invites you to unwind and relax.

Global Street Food with a Twist

Urban Playground is a street-smart eatery that offers a range of global street food with a twist. You won’t find typical burgers and chicken wings on this menu. Instead, expect to find dishes that will make your taste buds sing. From Polish kielbasa and Portuguese espetada to masala steak, Asian pork belly, and Fishbein, there’s plenty to choose from. Additionally, the restaurant offers fantastic vegan and vegetarian dishes, such as the vegan jaffle that envelops a whole grilled brown mushroom.

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Beautifully Presented and Delicious Food

The food at Urban Playground is presented beautifully and tastes even better. The hand-stretched artisanal pizzas and Lebanese flatbreads are perfectly cooked in the wood-fired oven. Try the divine chicken spring roll with kimchi dip, as it’s a must-try!

A Learning Space and Community Hub

Urban Playground is not just a restaurant but also a learning space. The Sense of Taste Chef School is located upstairs, and the downstairs premises have been turned into a chef’s playground for students to gain practical experience. The Ayub family, the brains behind Urban Playground, are passionate about giving back to their community. They run a four-year internship program that upskills three young people from the local area. They also have a feeding program that feeds 1,500 people a week, which started during the pandemic.

Friendly and Attentive Staff

The staff at Urban Playground are friendly, efficient, and attentive. This street-smart eatery has everything you need for a fantastic night out. The music is excellent, the atmosphere is vibrant, and the vibe is contagious. So whether you want to have a quiet dinner or a night out with friends, Urban Playground is the perfect spot.

Booking and Parking Information

If you’re planning on visiting Urban Playground, it’s best to book in advance as there are only 34 seats that fill up quickly. There’s plenty of street parking during the day; alternatively, you can park inside the complex in the evenings and on weekends. Urban Playground is fully licensed, but you can still BYOB with no corkage charge.

Contact Information

  • Address: Corner Coronation Road + Van Wyk Street, Maitland, Cape Town, 7405, South Africa.
  • Working time: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 10 pm.
  • Website: www.urbanplayground.capetown
  • Phone number: +27 66 493 4453.

Urban Playground is a gem putting Maitland on the foodie map. It’s a street-smart eatery with bundles of energy and flavor, a real community hub worth visiting.

Chloe de Kock

Chloe de Kock is a Cape Town-born journalist who chronicles the city’s evolving food culture, from township braai joints to Constantia vineyards, for the Mail & Guardian and Eat Out. When she’s not interviewing grandmothers about secret bobotie recipes or tracking the impact of drought on winemakers, you’ll find her surfing the mellow breaks at Muizenberg—wetsuit zipped, notebook tucked into her backpack in case the next story floats by.

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