On the corner where Bree Street and Orphan Street meet in Cape Town's city centre is Orphanage Cocktail Emporium, where masters of mixology create some of the best cocktails in town.
Dimly lit, candlesticks lined along the bar wall, the mood is inspired by the speakeasies of the Prohibition era in the US. There's a dark wood bar along the breadth of the room. Adjacent to striped lounge chairs is an array of coffee tables, ottomans and steel and leather stools.
If you look carefully there are interesting knick-knacks displayed at Orphanage - from customised cans that hold vegetables to quirky house rules decorated with occult images of skeletons and skulls. These all add to the eccentric and vintage aesthetic of the cocktail bar.
Orphanage has four sections. There's the parlour as you enter, the dining room downstairs, and in between is the smoking "sin bin" in a semi open-air space. The fourth section, the Orphanage Club, is opened periodically and it is somewhat of a luck to see the inside of those four walls. We were not lucky.
The atmosphere is relaxed, with a DJ rocking mood music, from deep house and lounge to dance music. Regulars attest to a more energetic vibe in the club.
Even when it is packed, bar service is swift. The mixologist pours each cocktail ingredient with absolute precision. Observing his process is like watching an artist create a masterpiece, but more entertaining. The mixologists wear crisp white shirts with classic suspenders, bunnets and matching beards, much like old school attire.
I tried their popular More Tea Vicar cocktail, served in an exquisite vintage teacup with floral and golden detail . It's a rich mixture of vanilla vodka, rooibos syrup, cranberry and lemon, with a small block of jelly placed on the saucer.
The bar specialises in artisan cocktails, but also offers wines and beers.
If you fancy a bite, the kitchen is open until midnight.
Orphanage is trendy and sophisticated, and for the progressively inclined patron.
- Orphanage Cocktail Emporium is open from 5pm to 2am Mondays to Thursdays and Saturdays. Fridays 3pm to 2am. For more information contact 021-424-2004
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
