Finding meaningful friendships as an adult can be challenging, but Cape Town’s social clubs offer a variety of options designed to make meeting like-minded people easier. Whether you’re looking for casual chats over coffee, creative workshops, or a shared love of books, these clubs provide welcoming spaces to connect in a relaxed setting.
From women’s networking groups and art meetups to board game nights and swing dancing, each club on this list offers a unique way to socialize at your own pace. With a focus on genuine connections and shared interests, these social clubs make it easier to build lasting friendships while enjoying activities you love.
Silent Book Club
Silent Book Club’s Cape Town chapter provides a quiet, pressure-free space for book lovers to read alongside others without assigned books or required discussion. Meetings are held in public venues like cafés and bookstores, where attendees bring their own reading material—whether a novel, audiobook, or magazine—and enjoy uninterrupted reading time in a social setting.
Events are free to join, with attendees encouraged to support the venue by ordering food or drinks. Sessions start with optional conversation before shifting into an hour of silent reading, after which members can continue socializing or simply head home.
As part of a global network with over 1,500 chapters, Silent Book Club welcomes all readers, offering an easygoing way to connect with fellow book enthusiasts while making steady progress on personal reading lists.
Cost: Free
When: 2hrs long | Most weekends | Starts any time from 10am to 5pm
Where: various locations
Fanaticus Games
Fanaticus Games provides a dedicated space for board game enthusiasts to gather, play, and explore new games. The store hosts regular game days and themed game nights, where players can join open tables, bring their own games, or try out demo copies from the store’s collection.
An admission fee of R50 grants all-day access to the gaming space and library, with 50% of the fee converting into store credit. Additionally, anyone bringing a first-time visitor is granted free entry along with their friend, making it easy to introduce new players to the hobby.
Fanaticus also offers private bookings for team-building sessions and corporate events, tailoring the experience to suit different group dynamics. The store’s online shop provides a wide selection of board and role-playing games, shipping across South Africa.
Cost: R50
When: Tue & Fri 6pm to 10pm | Sat 9am to 3pm
Where: The Clubhouse, 3 Sonneblom St, Parow North
Lekker Chats
A social group designed for those who enjoy engaging in meaningful conversations, Lekker Chats hosts regular events that bring participants together in small groups to explore thought-provoking topics. With the help of light question prompts, they naturally foster open dialogue and facilitate the building of new connections.
Discussions are structured around two to three key questions, with groups of four to five people spending 30 to 40 minutes on each topic before reshuffling. Events occasionally feature collaborations, such as a past session with A StrangerKind, where volunteers shared personal stories and answered questions on diverse experiences of love.
With a focus on curiosity, openness, and personal growth, Lekker Chats offers a space for enriching discussions beyond small talk. Regular meetups provide an opportunity to connect with new people while reflecting on a wide range of themes.
Cost: R50
When: 2 to 3 hours in the afternoon | Roughly once per month
Where: The Outlore Base, 2nd Floor, 80 Hout St
Cape Town Swing
At Cape Town Swing, swing dancing in all its forms is taught through a structured approach that blends classes, workshops, and social events. Beginners start with one or more of four core courses—Lindy Hop FUNdamentals, Swing Out Foundations, Charleston Essentials, or Frankie’s Sixes—designed to be taken in any order. These classes lay the foundation for improver-level training, helping dancers refine technique and confidence over time.
Learning extends beyond the courses, with regular social dances, taster sessions, weekend workshops, and private lessons offering flexible ways to practice. Their Safer Spaces initiative along with the rotation of class partners, and dance roles not being gendered, all contribute to the building and maintenance of a more inclusive environment.
A membership plan grants access to unlimited weeknight classes and discounts on other offerings. Students are encouraged to take at least one class per week, attend social dances, and immerse themselves in swing music. Additional resources, such as open practice sessions and member-accessible recap videos, support ongoing improvement at every level.
Cost: Social dances: Free | Classes: R140 – R420 | Membership: R100 – R470 per month
When: Every Tues, Wed, Fri & Sun, & every 2nd Thurs | Starting times range from 1pm to 6pm
Where: Various venues, incl. De Waal Park in Gardens, & Cape Point Vineyards
Cape Town Craft Club
Cape Town Craft Club is a creative space where makers of all skill levels can gather to work on projects in a relaxed, supportive environment. Open to anyone, from seasoned artists to beginners, the club offers a flexible, commitment-free way to engage in creative activities.
Craft Night takes place on the first and second Wednesday of each month, usually at The Ladder on Bree Street. Attendees bring their own materials, from embroidery kits to sewing machines, and spend an evening crafting among like-minded individuals. Entrance includes a hot drink, and guests may bring their own snacks or drinks. The event is hosted by Andie Reeves, a textile artist and teacher.
The club also runs the Kind Craft Club initiative, using craft skills for community outreach. Members create handmade toys for children in need, contribute to winter relief efforts, and assemble blankets from donated knitted squares. The club collaborates with organizations like the Cape Town Silent Book Club to host repair circles, book swaps, and silent reading sessions.
Cost: R150
When: 1st & 2nd Wed of each month | 6pm to 9pm
Where: Usually at The Ladder, 136 Bree St
Read our interview with the founder of Cape Town Craft Club, Andie Reeves
Promenade Mondays
Promenade Mondays is a weekly social skate meetup held from October to April along the Sea Point Promenade, welcoming skaters, rollerbladers, cyclists and all other wheeled enthusiasts of all skill levels. Originally launched as a movement to destigmatize skateboarding, it has since become a well-established part of Cape Town’s skate culture, fostering community engagement and social awareness.
In addition to the Monday gatherings, the group organizes the Open Bree Street experiment every Sunday, transforming Bree Street into a car-free space for skating and social interaction. From 10am to 4 or 5pm, participants can enjoy obstacles set up for skateboarding challenges, while urban development advocates host discussions on the future of Bree Street as a skate-friendly area.
Promenade Mondays is dedicated to inclusivity and social solidarity, using skating as a platform for community engagement. The movement actively supports causes such as Skating for Palestine, encouraging participants to bring flags, posters, or other symbols of solidarity. Open to all, it remains focused on reclaiming space, celebrating diversity, and building the skate community.
Cost: Free
When: Every Monday, 6pm to sunset | Every Sunday 10am to 4/5pm
Where: Queen’s Beach, Sea Point | Wale to Strand St & Shortmarket St
Socially Gathering
Socially Gathering is a women-only community that provides a space to form friendships and professional connections through in-person events. It was created to offer a welcoming environment where women can connect beyond online interactions.
Regular events include a free monthly women’s walk in Johannesburg and Cape Town, open to all women over 18. A monthly girls’ dinner is also hosted in both cities, offering another opportunity to engage. Additional gatherings, such as paint-and-sip lunches, coffee dates, networking sessions, and business panels, are occasionally organised.
Socially Gathering welcomes women from all backgrounds, encouraging connection in a supportive environment. Event details are shared via social media and WhatsApp groups for those interested in joining.
Cost: Free – R400
When: Roughly one dinner and one walk per month in each city, with additional events in between
