Atlas Trading Company

Atlas Trading Company is a long-running spice shop at 94 Wale Street in Bo-Kaap, the historic Cape Malay quarter of Cape Town, South Africa. Rather than a market or mall, it is a single specialist shop selling spices, masalas, dried fruits, nuts and curry blends by weight, many of them associated with Cape Malay cooking. Visitors can buy whole and ground spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, cumin and coriander, along with blends used in Cape Malay curries, biryani and bobotie. The goods are practical, authentic ingredients used by local households and cooks, not souvenirs, so the ratio of genuine product to tourist trinkets is high, and prices are modest, typically from about R30 to R200 for small purchases. Prices are fixed and bargaining is not customary in a shop of this type. Cash in rand is the most reliable payment method, and visitors should check whether cards are accepted, as small traditional shops may not take them. Spices are lightweight and travel well, though visitors flying home should check customs rules on food products and keep items sealed. The atmosphere is that of a busy neighbourhood store, with staff weighing goods from sacks and containers and customers asking for advice on blends, and the aroma is a large part of the experience. There is no food service on site, but Bo-Kaap has cafes and restaurants serving Cape Malay dishes within walking distance. The shop is open on weekdays and Saturday mornings, approximately 8:30AM to 5PM on weekdays and until about 1PM on Saturdays, and is closed on Sundays; visitors should confirm hours before going. It combines well with a walk through Bo-Kaap's brightly painted streets, the Bo-Kaap Museum and the nearby Cape Malay cooking classes offered in the area.