Photo via Adobe Stock
Hout Bay Harbour Market: Sustainability leads the way
Want to visit a market with good sustainability practices? Visit Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay – here’s why…
Photo via Adobe Stock
Hout Bay’s much-loved Bay Harbour Market has been running for six years.
Sustainability at Bay Harbour Market
The market has invested in its sustainability policies. It holds a three-star accreditation from Thrive and is completely plastic free.
Thrive Hout Bay, the local green advocate and non-profit organisation, launched it’s For the Good of our Hood campaign in November 2017.
Aligning local establishments with environmental sustainability, the campaign awards restaurants according to a green rating system, with three stars being the top accreditation a venue can receive. Amongst the list of criteria to qualify you will find sending waste for recycling, sending food waste for composting and buying locally or growing your own fresh produce.
“We are very proud of our local community when just a few months after the launch, 31 of the 65 restaurants in Hout Bay have already received accreditation,” says Thrive’s Nontsikelelo Martel, “and some restaurants have even gone beyond the call by introducing water-saving measures as well.”
Whilst Bay Harbour Market was one of the first destinations in the area to receive a three-star accreditation, its green journey started years ago. Today, walking around the market, it’s evident that the team is passionate about educating the 25 000 visitors a month about recycling and how it’s done. Furthermore, one would think that getting the 125 traders of the market to comply would be an impossible task − but it works!
“When we set out to create this awesome market, one of our key concerns was the impact on the local environment and the community surrounding us”, says market co-owner, Anthony Stroebel, “and throughout the years it’s been paramount to us that we have always instilled the same values in all that benefit from the space.”
“This is a mindset going back for years now and as a result, we today, are able to contribute in a huge way to safeguarding our breathtaking surroundings and environment,” he continues. “It makes any market experience so much more authentic when you know measures are in place and every individual is contributing to the greater good.”
Thrive mentors continue to visit the local Hout Bay restaurants and educate entrepreneurs on going green and recycling. In the coming months, they will be launching their map of all the awarded restaurants in Hout Bay, which will be shared with tourism boards and will also be made available electronically via their website and social media platforms.
Food stalls
Next time you visit Bay Harbour Market, try these three food stalls, known to offer some of the best food in Hout Bay:
- Tao’s Chinese Kitchen: Authentic Chinese cuisine, their menu offers homemade, traditional favourites such as sweet and sour chicken, chop suey and their popular dim sum, their food is simply delicious.
- Wild Thyme: A favourite among For a range that covers everything from breakfast omelettes to traditional South African meats including Springbok and Gemsbok. Served alongside is salads, veggie burgers and halloumi cheese options. Wild Thyme also offers an all-day ‘Build Your Own’ breakfast option, where you can get creative with your meal. If you’re a fan of the healthier alternatives, new salads on the menu this year include blueberry or strawberry with buffalo mozzarella as well as a pear and blue cheese option.
- Tunisian Delights: Tunisian style dishes that have been served up for 10 years. These dishes are a balance between Mediterranean and local dishes. From a panini with a basil pesto to falafel shawarmas and lamb curries, their menu has a wide range of options. As for their x factor, it’s their spices, imported from Chef Moncef’s homeland of Tunisia.
