Geek Culture in Cape Town: Where to Get Your Geek On in the Mother City

Cape Town offers a growing number of geek-culture spaces, from board-game stores to gaming bars. These spaces promise a unique experience and create a sense of community among players who share a passion for their hobbies. Here are just a few recommendations in and around Cape Town.

Barcadia

Ready for a different kind of gaming experience? Consider a night out at Barcadia, where retro arcade games take centre stage. Located in the city centre, Barcadia offers a fantastic spot for an evening with friends. Plus, it’s a 21+ bar, so you can enjoy your gaming experience without worrying about kids hogging the machines. The best part is that all the games are free at Barcadia, eliminating the need to dig in the couch for change.

The entire place exudes a crazy 90’s nostalgic vibe, making it perfect for anyone who grew up spending their pocket money at arcades.

When: Tuesday – Friday | 6pm – 2am (Tue – Fri) | 1pm – 2am (Sat)
Where: 62 Hout St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town

Fanaticus Games

Founded post-lockdown, Fanaticus Games caters to a community that enjoys the traditional way of gathering and playing board games. With a vast collection available for play right in the store, ranging from Backgammon to King of Tokyo, there’s something for everyone.

Instead of regular hours, Fanaticus Games hosts a variety of geek culture events, including game nights and RPG nights, as well as other special occasions. The entire list of events can be found here.

Cost: R50 entry | Free with a first-time friend
Where: The Clubhouse, 3 Sonneblom Street, Parow North, Cape Town

Geekware Shop

One of the city’s few Dungeons & Dragons-focused locations, Geekware provides toys, merchandise, adventure books, dice, and more. Throughout the week, the store hosts various D&D sessions, offering many opportunities for new players to learn the intricacies of the game in a relaxed environment, as well as dedicated sessions for seasoned players who want a group to play with. Those newer to role-playing games can even hire one of Geekware’s experienced employees to act as a Dungeon Master for a campaign, which is ideal for birthdays and special events.

All Geekware events are listed on the website.

When: Tuesday – Sunday | 10am – 6pm
Where: Shop 14, The Village Square, Yudelmans Ln, Plumstead, Cape Town

Reader’s Den

Superhero fans and comic enthusiasts are sure to enjoy browsing Reader’s Den, a specialist bookstore that imports comics, graphic novels, comic supplies, and more from overseas and brings them to Cape Town. Their selection ranges from the latest issues for characters like Batman and Spider-Man to vintage stories that are extremely difficult to find in mainstream stores.

Anime fans can also look through their manga catalogue, including issues from fan-favourite franchises like Blue Lock, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Studio Ghibli films. Their selection of novelty products includes merchandise, board games, and limited-edition Pokémon trading card packs.

More information is available on the website.

When: Monday – Saturday | 10am – 5pm | 9am – 2pm (Sat only)
Where: 25 Barnstaple Rd, Wynberg, Cape Town | Shop 148B, Tygervalley Shopping Centre, Bill Bezuidenhout Ave, Bellville Park, Cape Town