The alternative city guide to Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Contents1
Overview
2
Music and nightlife
3
Where to eat
4
Arts scene
5
The great outdoors – on a bike
6
Photography tour
7
Readers’ tips and Instagram shots
Overview
by Amy Shelver, a writer and director of Numb City Productions, a creative youth-owned multimedia production company in the Nelson Mandela Bay inner city district
A ripple of rejuvenation is running through Port Elizabeth (PE), an upswing that, in part, has been cultivated by the city’s youth who have renewed hope in PE’s potential, reinventing South Africa’s hidden gem as a post-industrial cross-cultural hotspot.
Experience the city by heading south along the 5km-long beachfront promenade crossing the Humewood and Summerstrand neighbourhoods. Take a dip at the best swimming locations in South Africa: Kings Beach, Hobie Beach, and the slightly wilder Pollock Beach. As with California’s Venice Beach this strip is a hive of activity, with runners, ironmen, cyclists and ocean-lovers all comfortably staking their claim on the stretch of ample strand.
The area known as Central is the museum and gallery district, the public art epicentre, and high-traffic Afro-cosmopolitan creative zone. Neighbouring Richmond Hill is a gastronome’s delight.
To the east are Port Elizabeth’s townships with their vibrant music, street life and shisa nyamas (Zulu for “burnt meat”/ barbecues). They feature a thumping underground music scene, which originally nurtured jazz greats such as Feya Faku and legends The Genuines Band. It’s best to visit these areas with a trusted local by your side.
Always a migrant city, its fortunes and failures have been tied to industry, maritime and motor, and the people who flowed in and out. In the absence of any defining landmarks, it is the city’s people who shape its contours.
Human resources … Port Elizabeth has moved into a post-industrial phase of its development
Some of South Africa’s greatest and most gruesome moments played out in or near PE: the game-changing arrival of the 1820 British settlers who founded the town; the launch of the 1950s defiance campaign in New Brighton; apartheid; the first-ever black rugby clubs; and industrial revolutions.
It’s like a washed-out, weird kaleidoscope full of heyday and hope
Port Elizabeth is a blue-collar town with white-collar aspirations. For a while there was boom, through the middle decades of the 20th century when the motor industry, in Ford and Volkswagen, drove development. But global corporates eventually reacted to pressure over apartheid and when Ford pulled out in the 1980s, the city stumbled, becoming the “Ghost on the Coast”.
The historical inner city was abandoned, as residents fled to a sprawling suburbia and leaving behind urban decay. Then, in 2007, the Mandela Bay Development Agency’s revitalisation strategy saw the city claw back its former glory, building-by-building, street-by-street.
Full of beans … enjoying a coffee at UrbanEspress, Walmer
Now PE is the place to meet people to collaborate with, and to test, incubate and play with ideas. It lives up to its nickname, the “friendly city”. Everything’s on tap: beaches, bars, music, art, wacky people, photographic spaces and places, bush and nature, an outdoor lifestyle to revel in – and a perpetual but not uneasy clash of culture. It’s like a washed-out, weird kaleidoscope full of heyday and hope.
Music and nightlife
By Siyabonga Radu and Siphamandla Fete of Umle
Siphamandla Fete (left, guitar) and Siyabonga Radu (vocals) of Umle.
PE is a cradle for creativity. Experiences here are actually unmediated; they come in their raw format. PE has recording studios, indie bands, an energetic township music scene, and a deep musical history. Some of South Africa’s best artists are from PE – such as Zonke, Heavy K and Zolani from world-renowned Freshlyground. They were all nurtured here.
One of the hottest outings is the Unplugged Backyard Hangout (UBH) sessions: a nomadic all-night gathering, from 6pm to 6am, with a long lineup of the city’s musicians, live art, spoken word, and performances in the Kwazakhele neighbourhood. It’s a symbol of the subterranean nature of much of the music scene in the city. In a similar vein, the bi-monthly Cookhouse Poetry sessions are shaping the collaborative spirit of the underground.
The Colonial Kitchen is a popular bar/live music venue/restaurant in the Baakens Valley. Photograph: Ross Charnock
And there are bigger stages for the city’s musicians, such as the indie favourites Roof Garden Bar and the Chapel Street Studios, in a building managed by production company Fly Piggy Fly.
Then there is the Music Kitchen in Newton Park, which also hosts comedy nights, and the riverside shabby-chic eatery and stage, the Colonial Kitchen in Baakens Valley.
In the townships, the best jams can be found in Zwide at Gqalane Tavern and Kwa-Lunga, which is famous for honing local jazz talent and offering a kazi (slang for location) stage to global stars. Billionaires in KwaDwesi is the safe space for experimental DJs to sharpen their needles before becoming bigger brands. These trendy township spaces have regular gigs, jam sessions and open-mic nights.
In addition to all this there’s a growing festival scene merging art and music. In March the city’s irie sub-culture converges at the One Blood festival at the Grand and in June there is the Richmond Hill Festival, which takes over the streets of the suburb.
No matter what you want, there are lots of scenes to tap into. Our townships are vibrant with art, music and dancers. There are so many supremely talented creative people here waiting to be discovered.
Umle on Twitter
Where to eat
By Vanessa Marx, chef at Savages Fine Food and co-owner of The Culture Kitchen, an events and festival pop-up kitchen
Vanessa Marx
PE has never been a food capital but it’s an exciting place to be right now. We’re seeing restaurants push the boundaries and, for the first time, PE is experiencing a foodie culture of food trucks, pop-up diners and local markets, such as the monthly Valley Market: an alfresco celebration of food, artisanal crafts and a great place to meet genuine PE people. It is unexplored foodie territory and there is a hunger here, excuse the pun, for the more diverse offerings that we see in bigger cities, such as Cape Town.
A perfect PE dining day would include a starter at De Kelder – I love the wild oysters; straight out of the ocean on to your plate, they’re the best I’ve ever had. Grab a main at the laid-back Natti’s Thai Kitchen, with Thai goddess Natti cooking up authentic delights, the spicy tom yum is, well yum, just don’t order it hot, or you will cry. Natti and her crew often make trips to Thailand for some stash of secret ingredients, and she grows some produce in her back garden. It has a bring-your-own booze policy, which I love.
A foodie culture is developing fast in Port Elizabeth with a desire for more diverse types of dish
For dessert, there is no place better than Ginger overlooking Hobie Beach and Shark Rock pier, where crêpes suzette are served the old-fashioned way flambéed at your table. Savages is a French-style cafe and deli across the road from the historic cricket ground St Georges Park in Central (which, in 1889, staged the first test match between South Africa and England). It serves breakfast, burgers, brunch, coffee and soul food.
Fushin, which has branches in Richmond Hill and in Bay West Mall (western suburbs), offers a creative union of Asian and other cuisines, and about the best sushi in South Africa. Its leading light is Mark Oosthuizen, a star chef who returned to PE to raise his family. He has just launched Fushin’s snazzy food truck. A must is the roasted bone marrow with black truffle and bruschetta (about £4).
Fancy that … Savages, a French-style cafe
Fernando’s is a hole-in-the-wall no-frills Portuguese restaurant, just off Russell Road in Richmond Hill, with juicy chicken and prawns served straight from the grill. Walmer-based Brioche is the perfect, laid-back daytime suburban spot, great for a coffee and breakfast. The 2 Fat Butchers in Walmer offers high-quality free-range meat and excellent pork pies and scotch eggs.
Masterton’s is Port Elizabeth’s oldest coffee roaster, churning out fresh brews from its giant old brass roaster every morning; its aromas permeating the suburb of Central. Mella’s Dim Sum is an intimate dumpling and noodle bar just off Stanley Street in Richmond Hill; it’s ideal for light bites and a cosy, delicious dine and dash.
Arts scene
By 4Blind Mice, a visual arts collective of Christo Booth, Ryan Allan, Monde Goniwe and Mawande Mase, who paint murals in the city
The 4BlindMice collective: (from left) Monde Goniwe, Christo Booth, Mawande Mase, Ryan Allan
There’s no shortage of talent in PE. For decades it was defined by absence rather than abundance – until the launch of a pioneering public art programme, which saw city money pour into the waning creative industry. Investment spurred a full-on revival of the arts scene, a gallery district and a brimming outdoor gallery of street art in Central and Humewood.
Much appreciated … the Underculture Contemporary pop-up gallery
The starting point of the city’s creative rebirth is Route 67 – a collection of 67 public art works honouring the 67 years Nelson Mandela dedicated to achieving South Africa’s freedom. The greater city is also named after him, Nelson Mandela Bay. There are some iconic pieces, such as the Voting Line by Anthony Harris and Konrad Geel, but we really revel in those parts that force people to go deeper into the city. On St Mary’s Terrace, you will find the powerful ’76 Youth piece, a statement about the lost generation who fought oppression. This piece, our mural at the bus terminal and Mkhonto Gawzela’s frieze at the Campanile memorial, compels you to connect with the less sanitised areas of the city.
Art trail … Route 67 is a collection of art works honouring Nelson Mandela
As part of the greater Nelson Mandela Bay Arts Journey, we recommend these galleries: ArtEC is a community-centred gallery and studio space profiling up-and-coming artists, such as young printmakers Pulp Press. The Athenaeum’s permanent collection includes the 67 Beaded Quotes – 67 beaded works of art representing a year and a quote by Nelson Mandela – alongside workshop spaces and the colourful Little Theatre. Check out the unusual Ron Belling Military Aviation Collection at the Gutsche Family Investments Art Gallery, but the gallery is also an art deco nugget, designed by Gertruida Brinkman, who in 1932 became the first woman to qualify as an architect in South Africa. And the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Museum houses the city’s permanent regional collection of art, craft and design produced in the Eastern Cape.
We are continually inspired by the younger creatives, these kids are braver. The scene is still growing, through moments of boom and bust. There are great formal venues, but also informal collaborative ones emerging such as 469, art-meets-music gigs at Chapel Street Studios, and Underculture Contemporary’s new incarnation as a pop-up gallery.
Very palatable … an art workshop at the Athenaeum
The city is our canvas, especially the clash of cultures in the city centre. If you just pause and talk to people, you are going to hear and see some cool stuff. It is real here – full of personality. We dig the pigeons. I once watched a guy stop his car for a pigeon crossing the road. That’s PE, the rough edges make it.
The great outdoors – on a bike
By Dameon van Antwerpen, owner of Donkin Bicycle Co
Dameon van Antwerpen
There are three things I love: food, coffee, and bicycles. In PE I’ve had forays into each of these industries but, so far, the best has been bicycles.
Donkin Bike Co is right in the thick of things in Central, the transit corridor. You see the world differently from the seat of a bike. It’s all about being able to stop and engage. You get to witness life in slow motion, with people, taxis, cars all whizzing by as you hold centre among it all. I like to break conventions using my bike.
PE is easygoing. Anywhere is 15 minutes away, the outdoor lifestyle is absurdly beautiful, the beaches are amazing and fairly quiet. A lot of the city remains untapped and under-explored and discovery is on your doorstep. To experience the city’s many faces try these routes:
Donkin Reserve to North End Lake (6km). For a proper urban route, start on the Donkin Reserve, cruising down the Voting Line pathway, the site of the annual Donkin Downhill Dash longboard event, and the public art Route 67. Continue down onto Govan Mbeki Street, past vendors plying their trade, colossal highways and underpasses, all the while weaving past cars and taxis rushing to get people to and from work. Coast through the back streets of North End, this weird suburb where industrial meets lower-middle-income suburbia. End with a braai (barbecue) at the North End Lake boat house, next to the impressive Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Dameon at North End Lake
Port Elizabeth harbour to Cape Recife lighthouse (15km). Start at the PE harbour and watch tugboats hauling in car carriers and cruise ships. Pass through the old railway yard heading down towards King’s Beach, circling its wide parking lot. Take a spin around the skate park and along the promenade under the palms.
Stop for a quick dip at Denvil’s Beach, then open up for a long cruise toward the iconic Shark Rock Pier for an ice-cream at the Red Windmill. After another two kilometres down the boulevard is the Something Good roadhouse for a tasty burger and shake to-go. Tackle the Humpback Dolphin trail and watch the surfers crest waves at Pollock Beach.
The route becomes untamed towards Pine Lodge, perfect for a live music jam at Ziggy’s, and the gravelly trip out to the Cape Recife point and lighthouse is surely worth the journey. Re-route with a stopover at surfers’ retreat Beer Shack.
The Downhill Donkin Dash longboard track
Mount Pleasant to Seaview (20km). Port Elizabeth is home to Africa’s only ironman triathlon, with this route offering a gruelling experience. Start at the park at Boundary Lane and cruise down Seaview Road, stopping at the antique store Second Time Around. For a free bike safari, pedal parallel to Royalston Private game reserve.
Join us at Donkin Bike Co for a regular night ride, too, to see the city by dusk. After a long stretch in the saddle, there is no better place to grab a beer than Café Rouge in Richmond Hill.
Photography tour
By Rushay Booysen, photographer and hip-hop aficionado
Rushay Booysen
Port Elizabeth, where there’s a lot of tension between people and spaces, is an explorer and photographer’s dream. I love the melancholy of the forgotten areas in Central, those that haven’t been gentrified, especially the abandoned buildings behind Donkin Row. Cities tend to reveal themselves in the areas that are kind of out of sight, sitting uneasily next to the cool new zones, such as the Donkin Village.
The standout pockets of architectural heritage are historically and photographically intriguing – check out the Port Elizabeth Library, City Hall and Opera House. And then there are houses – Richmond Hill and Central are full of character homes: settler, Victorian and art deco architecture on every corner. Joe’s Garage, a tiny eclectic record and bookshop on Westbourne Road, is a place to meet random characters and to flip through vinyls.
In a flap … disturbing PE’s ubiquitous pigeons at the City Hall
The industrial hinterland shows the real contrasts. Starting in North End and pushing flush against the well-known New Brighton and Kwazakhele townships, you encounter old rusted shells, dilapidated mill houses, and the megalithic Goodyear, Eveready and PPC (cement) factories. Red Location Museum and New Brighton are vibrant, and best seen with someone who knows the beat of the area.
The beachfront shifts between Santa Barbara-esque venues and industrial wasteland, with manganese mountains meeting the endless golden King’s Beach – making for great photography. Shooting here is excellent – and people are friendly and may well invite you into their lives freely. There are regular Instawalks to explore with curious locals. Port Elizabeth remains somewhat off the beaten track, yet elicits the vertigo of being on the edge of something great – especially at the Donkin Reserve.
Readers’ tips and Instagram shots
There’s no better guide to a city than word-of-mouth recommendations: from people who live there and people who have visited. We asked our readers to share Instagram pictures and some favourite experiences in Port Elizabeth. These are just a few with more here.
Allow Instagram content?
This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.
Allow and continue
Allow Instagram content?
This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.
Allow and continue
Sardinia Bay
While the Friendly City is happy to open its arms to visitors both local and foreign, there is one area they like to keep to themselves. A15-minute drive from the airport, lies the tranquil village of Sardinia Bay, with its quaint pub, The Old Cash Store, a nature reserve (also the game reserve) and one of the world’s best beaches. While tourists sun themselves on the more popular Kings and Hobie beaches, locals like to retreat to the beauty of this area, where you will often have the beach more or less to yourself. For a base while you explore this stunning area, an excellent place to stay is the Loerie Lodge (£18.55pp a night, room only, Lovemore Park). At the lodge there is varied accommodation, including a pet-friendly unit, and the Coach House, an authentic 1966 South African railway coach, which has been carefully restored. Relaxing after a hard day’s snorkelling with a glass of wine in hand, and staying amid countryside close to the beating heart of the city is wonderful.
Helen Crooks
Pollock beach
The tidal pool on this beach attracts a lot of people, especially those couples with younger children who are not proficient swimmers.
Joe Rotheray