Get lost in a chasm of creativity as artisans craft the essence of Woodstock

Sparks fly off metal. A spray can hisses. Skateboarders speed down the streets as chefs stir up their latest menu. Artisans and trendsetters convene in Woodstock. On the foothills of Devil’s Peak, this suburb is home to unconventional vintage stores, chic cafés, and one of the most famous markets in Cape Town. Here, ingenuity is the name of the game.

Once an industrial area, Woodstock has always attracted a bustling community. Colourlab Rooftop Venue transformed one warehouse into a bohemian scene fit for the soirée of dreams. Graffiti by artists such as Falko One and Bushywopp contrasts with the façades of the past, the cartoon faces watching as the neighbourhood’s dynamic culture unfolds.

Waves of change have passed through Woodstock over time, reflected in the antiques that fill the rooms of Delos. But one constant has remained in recent years – the skilled tradespeople at every corner. At Woodstock Cycleworks, second-hand bicycles are restored, shined, and suspended from the ceiling for display. Carpenters at Shabby Chic Woodstock carve up everything from shelves to cheese boards. The scent of sumptuous falafel from The Kitchen mingles with the traffic fumes outside, while patissiers at the Woodstock Bakery delicately shape croissants and brioches. 

Of all the charms you’ll find along Woodstock’s roads, The Old Biscuit Mill stands out as the culmination of the area’s entrepreneurial spirit. Every Saturday, traders bring this former factory to life, showing off wares from handcrafted leather bags to avant-garde artwork. But this urban bazaar isn’t the only one of its kind – The Woodstock Exchange buzzes with innovators bartering ideas and hipsters hungry for the latest craze. A trip here would be incomplete without sampling Honest Chocolate’s decadent truffles, or admiring the glittering African jewellery at Makemba boutique.

The creative energy of this neighbourhood never stops beating. With an endless influx of dreamers and visionaries, it expands to new avenues by the day. In Woodstock, imaginations become reality.