Harbour Bay Market Discovery in Hout Bay

I love to spend at least one day of my weekend discovering new markets, restaurants or gardens that are making a difference in our lives. This past weekend, I had the chance to visit a relatively new spot called the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay.

Hout Bay residents (a suburb of Cape Town) have always considered themselves members of their own Republic, far from the Cape Town mentality. Located on the shores of the “almost Indian Ocean”, access is limited by the junction of three single lane roads and the rough seas. The wind howls in between the craggy peaks where sand blows up into the dunes and often over the converging roads near the sprawling beach.

…back to the Market, where clients are enticed into enjoying local crafts, tantalizing  good food and foot stomping live music. There is a homey feeling to this market where long picnic tables are available to sit at to share conversation and a truly spectacular selection of food from a variety of cultures. Samosas, burgers, smoothies, curries and home baked sweets are all available to enjoy in the moment or as take away.

After a meander through the craft, clothing and home décor stalls, we decided to quench our thirst with a fresh green drink followed by some tastings of homemade soups. I am a bit of a soup queen so this was my domain. Zoop has a large selection of cauldrons bubbling away with a wide variety of vegetarian and meaty options. After tasting an array of soups, freebies are offered willingly, I decided on the Vietnamese chicken soup. It was soooo yummy, with quite the kick to keep you wanting more. We loved it so much that I brought home a one liter tub that lasted a few days.

What I really loved about this market, besides the vibe, was the organizers desire to make this a sustainable and local market on all levels. When I probed the food vendors, they all agreed that recycling, eco containers and composting played a part in the ethos of this market. You can imagine how excited that made me!

The final hurray moment for me was when Zoop offered me a napkin with Smipes printed across it. I questioned the meaning of Smipes only to discover that this is a social initiative by the market. As I goggle the meaning this is what I found: “social initiative, as it goes to the heart of our business – creating happiness and smiling faces – in this instance honouring our stated intention to provide opportunities to  the less privileged families in the Hangberg Village.” (http://www.bayharbour.co.za/smipes.aspx)

Go Bay Harbour Market go…I will be back to support the market and all the good it is producing for the people, the environment and my stomach.