Nestled at the foot of the Steenberg mountains, Tokai has pride of place in the history of the Constantia Valley.
In the 1700s, Tokai and it’s surrounding land was a collection of smallholdings and wine farms, with the original Tokai Manor House, supposedly designed by famous architect Louis Michel Thibault.
Originally a part of the land under Simon Van Der Stel’s governorship of the Cape, Tokai and Steenberg were a stop-off for travelers on their way from the port at Simon’s Town, a popular arrival alternative to the bustling ports at Cape Town. Travelers would spend the night at Tokai, dining with the residents of the Tokai Manor House before continuing on their journey. Along the route, owners of smallholdings in the area would sell their harvested crop of vegetables, fresh jams, and breads.
Today, Tokai is a semi-rural suburb, bordering the Bergvliet and Constantia suburbs. Tokai hosts a beautiful pine plantation, with streams and wildlife running through the suburb. The suburb plays host to several wine farms, popular restaurants and coffee shops, the Steenberg Wine Farm and Golf Estate, and the Norval Foundation art gallery and Skotnes Restaurant, alongside popular mountain biking trails.