Woodstock Area Information

Woodstock at a glance

Situated nearby to Cape Town's bustling CBD and set against the slopes of Devil's Peak with magnificent harbour views, lies the vibrant, multicultural suburb of Woodstock, famed as being one of the oldest suburbs in Cape Town. With affordable, restored Victorian semi-detached homes that have stood the test of time surrounding the busy streets, life in Woodstock offers the perfect blend between inner-city living and friendly village-like atmosphere. Here you'll find an exciting mix of old-world charm, character and a strong sense of community with an eclectic blend of hipster cafés, craft breweries, veggie eateries, food markets and art galleries. Old factories have been converted to offer a sense of New York "loft-style living" and the old Victorian cottages have been updated. With so much happening in and around the suburb, there's no surprise as to why residential properties in the Woodstock area are highly sought-after.

Schools in the Area:

Schools in the area include: 

• Alpha School

Located along Victoria Walk in Woodstock, lies Alpha School, one of the forerunning private schools in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) research. They endeavour to provide academic education and training for learners with the ASD condition in the most affordable, effective and functional manner within an inclusive educational system. With approximately 40 staff members (professional staff and support staff) the school has educators, speech therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, class assistants, general assistants and more. Alpha School offers a holistic education programme that ranges from a comprehensive academic curriculum and psychological support services to a variety of essential therapies and co-curricular activities, ultimately focused on preparing learners to take their place among successful, contributing members in modern society. 
 

• Mountain Road Primary School

Set along the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain and located on the road that shares its name, lies the renowned Mountain Road Primary School, which seeks to instil in its students sound moral values and an ethos of lifelong learning. Mountain Road Primary is characterised by a warm, tight-knit community atmosphere where the staff are fully committed to their vocation and students are avid to learn and attend classes. Mountain Road Primary seeks to deliver a holistic education that is of the highest quality, in an environment that is both safe and supportive. The staff at Mountain Road Primary attend regular courses and workshops thereby staying abreast with current development and education trends, ensuring that learners are treated as individuals, with teaching methodologies that facilitate and support this ideology. Apart from a robust academic curriculum, Mountain Road Primary offers a wide range of extra and co-curricular activities designed to enrich the minds and bodies of its learners, catering to a variety of different interests. Mountain Road Primary School seeks to provide a secure and supportive environment that promotes positive values, fostering in its learners, a sense of belonging, acceptance and ultimately success in all spheres of life. 

• Chapel Street Primary School

Located just outside of Woodstock at number 101 Roger Street in Zonnebloem, lies Chapel Street Primary School, one of the oldest schools in South Africa. Chapel Street Primary is an English medium school that is comprised of two phases, including Foundation Phase (Grade R - Grade 3) and the combined Intermediate and Senior Phase (Grade 4 - 7) with each phase being run by a head of department, under whose leadership all academic activities are screened and organised. Chapel Street Primary follows and implements the national curriculum with the goal of developing each individual student to their maximum potential as a citizen of a democratic South Africa, creating students who are fully-literate, independent, confident and enthusiastic about lifelong learning. The school also follows an inclusive education policy, meaning that it is able and dedicated to supporting learners who may suffer from any learning difficulties, with teaching staff attending developmental workshops each week to stay abreast with new relevant information and developments relating to supporting struggling learners. Chapel Street Primary School is committed to providing a supportive and nurturing environment that fosters a sense of ambition, lifelong learning and individuality in its learners, ultimately preparing them to take their place among contributing, successful members in modern society.

• Queen's Park High School

Positioned along Balfour Street in Woodstock lies the well-known Queen's Park High School, a forward-thinking and pioneering school that is determined to provide the highest quality education and personal development opportunities for all its students. With enthusiastic and driven staff who are committed to their vocation and who go above and beyond to ensure their students are able to thrive in all spheres of life, both in and outside of the classroom. Queen's Park High School is a part of The Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust that aims to serve young people and to educate, enlighten and give them the expertise and confidence to succeed. Apart from a strong academic curriculum, Queen's Park High School also offers a highly extensive extra-curricular programme that seeks to enrich the school day by providing opportunities for students to discover new interests, develop new and existing skills and make new friends; Some of these activities include taekwondo, archery, rock band, robotics, rugby, tennis, fencing, coding and many more. At its core, Queen's Park High School is a highly regarded academic institution that is committed to excellence and strives to prepare its students to comfortably take their place in the modern society of today. 

Shopping Centres:

Woodstock is home to several popular shopping centres, including the popular Woodstock Exchange (Affectionately christened as WEX by the locals) which is located at number 66 - 68 Albert Road in Woodstock. WEX is home to some of Cape Town's prominent up-and-coming musicians, designers, photographers, filmmakers, illustrators and artists, all showcasing their unique talents. WEX has recently undergone a substantial urban regeneration initiative transforming it into an energetic hub of creative projects run by young professionals and lively markets filled with many wonderful places where you can enjoy food and drink. WEX is a revered shopping complex that celebrates the spice of variety in life and is an experience that will continue to exist in the minds of its patrons long after they have left. Another popular shopping centre located just outside of Woodstock, bordering the bustling city centre of Cape Town, lies the Gardens Shopping Centre which is located on Mill Street in Oranjezicht. Famed as the City Bowl's favourite shopping destination, the centre is situated just nearby the Company Gardens, from which it takes its name. It is also one of the city's most reputable shopping centres and is the ideal combination of cosmopolitan café society and a quiet shopping alternative and contrast to the expansive malls situated elsewhere in cape Town. The Gardens Shopping Centre offers up the perfect mix of daily necessities and life's little luxuries, with an array of food outlets, health & beauty stores, arts & crafts supplies and around 85 specialist vendors - with stores including Wordsworth Books, Oxford Stationery & Books, G.Couture, Old Khaki, Cassis Paris, Woolworths, Sorbet, @HOME and many more. The Gardens Shopping Centre is a blend of efficiency and absolute convenience and is the perfect retail destination for those either residing in the area or just passing through. Finally, for those looking to engage in some well-deserved retail therapy, there is no better place than The Palms, which is located at number 145 Sir Lowry Road in Woodstock. The Palms is an architectural marvel and was originally the site of one of the first bakeries in Cape Town, with the building dating back to the early 1900s when famous baker William Baumann made use of it as a factory for two of his projects, namely Dunes Bread and Baumann's Biscuits. The Palms has undergone significant change over the past decades, and has done so with grace and style; Today The Palms is celebrated as being a design and décor mecca that combines old-world charm with a contemporary edge. With a wide variety of stores offering décor accessories, antiques and trendy furniture, recycled aluminium bathroom products, luxurious carpets, African artwork, a chocolate museum and more. Stores include Xpress Digital & Design, Pursuit Clothing, Nautilus Film, Ark Industries, Migal Vanas Photography, F45 Fitness Woodstock and Seattle Coffee Co. So whether you're looking for that perfect next art piece, fuelling your creative juices, wanting to spruce up your living space, or just pass the time with a quality cup of coffee and a piece of cake, there is no better place to do so than The Palms.

Distance from Key Points: 

Woodstock is conveniently located in proximity to several key locations, including a brief 2km drive to the nearby Woodstock train station. The Cape Town International Airport is also only a 16km drive from Woodstock.

Restaurants/Entertainment: 

• The Test Kitchen

Located at number 375 Albert Road inside the renowned Old Biscuit Mill, lies The Test Kitchen, a massively popular restaurant that is the holder of multiple awards and accolades and owned by world-class chef Luke Dale-Roberts. First opened in November of 2010, now with over a decade of experience, The Test Kitchen, as its name implies, affords Luke the freedom to unleash his unbridled talent and ingenuity to push the boundaries of creativity in taste and flavour in the most delicious and divine ways, with the only constant being change. In continuation with its theme, the restaurant has recently been completely reinvented, with the new design consisting of a Light Room and a Dark Room and is only open for dinners with a maximum limit of 40 guests per evening; The Dark Room is where guests should lower their voices, breathe deeply and focus solely on food and conversation. The Light Room is where guests are able to enjoy the remainder of the gorgeous tasting menu in a far more formal setting. For those looking for the ultimate experimental premium dining experience, look no further than The Test Kitchen, however, be prepared to book well in advance for such an experience, as due to its immense popularity, the restaurant has a lengthy waiting list. 

• Pesce Azzuro Seafood Italian Bistro 

Located at number 113 Roodebloem Road in Woodstock, lies Pesce Azzuro, the widely renowned Italian seafood bistro, that offers up a double dose of Sicilian chic in a down-to-earth environment. By making use of the finest quality ingredients specific to traditional Mediterranean cuisine, including homemade sauces, the freshest fish straight from the harbour, chopped herbs and the spice of variety, Pesce Azzuro endeavours to serve up the most delicious Mediterranean tapas and fresh seafood. Menu favourites include the Swordfish Carpaccio, Octopus with Angry Potatoes, Bakala Polenta, Salmon Ceviche and many others along with a varied selection of imported Italian wine. No sitting at Pesce Azzuro would be complete without trying their beyond divine tiramisu and perhaps a palate-cleansing shot of Limoncello, an ice-cold and rather potent Italian lemon liquor. For those either residing in the area or just passing through, Pesce Azzuro is an Italian dining experience that will exist in the mind of its patrons long after they have left the restaurant. 

Special Attractions:

• HintHunt Unlimited (At The Old Biscuit Mill)

Positioned inside The Old Biscuit Mill at number 375 Albert Road in Woodstock, lies one of two of the most exciting escape room venues in Cape Town, hosted by HintHunt Unlimited, an internationally-acclaimed events company that hosts escape rooms all over the world. Following the traditional escape room format, players in groups of 2 - 6 people are locked in a themed room and must overcome various mental puzzles using hidden clues in order to escape the room before the 60-minute timer hits zero. The Old Biscuit Mill venue currently offers two exciting escape rooms to choose from, the first option is JM's Office - A crime scene investigation scenario where private detective James Murdock (JM) has discovered a dead body in his office and has been wrongly accused of first-degree murder. As a result, the police have sealed off the office, but the team of players have managed to gain access to the crime scene with only a single hour to locate the evidence, prove JM's innocence and escape the locked room. The second option is the Zen Room - A journey into the heart of Tokyo where the team of players alongside private investigator James Murdock have been contacted by Miss Miharu regarding a robbery that has occurred in one of her many properties; A vindictive and malicious uncle that has torn apart her family is at the centre of the mystery. Trapped inside, the team of players will have to pool together their collective brainpower and investigational skills to uncover the secrets, solve the crime and escape the locked room within a single hour.