SeaBreeze Fish & Shell, The Sunnyside Grill, and the Crazy Horse Gastropub are three new restaurants which opened in Cape Town during June. Two Hout Bay restaurants have closed down as the Winter chill sets in! Über creative Pastry Chef André Steyn has joined La Colombe.
We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.
Restaurant Openings
# SeaBreeze Fish & Shell has opened on Bree Street, open for Lunch and Dinner Mondays to Saturdays (photograph)
# Reuben’s Franschhoek has re-opened just off the main road, after a twelve month closure for renovations.
# Ben Wei Fusion, Sushi, and Asian has opened in Wembley Square
# The Granary Café has opened in The Silo Hotel in the V&A Waterfront.
#. The Silo Rooftop is a new rooftop bar and light meal eatery in The Silo Hotel.
# Primal Eatery #meatery has opened where Charcoal was located previously, with owner Brynn Felix and Chef Phil de Villiers, focusing on open-fire cooking of all dishes.
# Marigold has opened in Franschhoek, part of the Leeu Collection
# Tiger’s Milk has opened in the SanClare Building in Claremont, in Century City, in Bryanston, and in Stellenbosch.
# Harbour House is to open in Johannesburg
# The Hard Rock Café is opening in The Promenade in Camps Bay.
# Jamie’s Italian is to open in Cape Town.
#. Dunkin’ Donuts will open 250 outlets in our country, the first outlet having opened at N1 City in Cape Town.
# Cheyne’s is opening a cocktail sake bar, to be called Fire Monkey.
# Chef Garth Almazan, previously of Catharina’s at Steenberg, has opened Leeto restaurant in Paternoster.
# Chef Bertus Basson has opened new restaurant Spek & Bone off Dorp Street in Stellenbosch.
# Chef Bertus Basson is the new Chef Patron of the Bertus Basson @ Ritz Hotel Revolving Restaurant in Sea Point.
# Baconville has opened in Willowbridge, a second (franchised) restaurant by Richard Bosman.
# Terra Madre has opened in Elgin, for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays from 10h00 – 16hoo, owned by Nicole Precoudis.
# Mangata has opened in Simon’s Town.
# Cabana will open in The Ritz
# The Vine Bistro at Glenelly has opened, with Chef Christophe Dehosse.
# Solo Restaurant has opened on Loop Street.
#. De Villiers Chocolate Cafë has opened in Franschhoek.
# El Burro has opened in Newlands
# Stepbrothers Deli, Locanda, and Bar has opened in De Waterkant.
# La Colombe will open the new restaurant Le Petite Colombe in Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek on 1 August.
# Vista Marina is to open next to the Two Oceans Aquarium.
# J’Something of Mi Casa has opened Something’s Cooking by J at the new Sun International Times Square in Pretoria.
# Bosjes Kombuis has opened at BOSJES, with guidance from Chefs Pete Goffe-Wood, and Chef Kim Cox.
#. Hokey Poké has opened in the city centre, offering Hawaiian cuisine.
# The Sorrows Bar and Eatery has opened on Kloof Nek Road.
#. Osteria Tarantino has opened in De Waterkant.
# Chef Bertus Basson has opened The Deck at Hidden Valley.
# Yuzu Kitchen & Bar has opened on Kloof Street.
# Woolworths has opened a health restaurant NowNow on Longmarket Street.
# A truly Italian restaurant has opened in Parklands, called Ital Emporio & The Green Life, a joint co-operation between Davide Ostuni of Puglia Cheese and The Green Life.
# Col’Cacchio Concept Store has opened in the V & A Waterfront.
# Terbodore has opened The Big Dog restaurant and coffee shop in Franschhoek.
# Chef Margot Janse is rumored to be opening a restaurant on Môreson wine estate outside Franschhoek, with Susan Huxter.
# J Something of Mi Casa is to open a restaurant in Cape Town, in addition to a Pretoria restaurant he opened in March.
# The Rib Shack is to open in Sea Point.
# Oumeul Bakery & Cafë has opened in Simondium, outside Franschhoek.
# Lou Lou’s Bar has opened in the Cape Quarter.
# The Crazy Horse Gastropub has opened on Bree Street.
# Melissa’s is opening in Hermanus in November.
# Hussar Grill is opening in the Protea Hotel in Franschhoek.
# Cábron Taco Bar has opened
# The Hungry Herbivore has opened
# Restaurant Closures
# Borage Bistro has closed down, with no word as to it reopening at a new site.
# Palma has closed on Bree Street.
# Bootlegger in Bantry Bay has closed down.
# Searle’s in Greyton has stopped operating, and is for sale.
# Showroom in Stellenbosch has closed down.
# Bistro13 has closed down at Stellenbosch Vineyards.
# Baked at Bistro on Long Street and at Regent Road in Sea Point have closed down.
# Love, Revenge, and Cappuccino has closed down in the V & A Waterfront.
# Bistrot Bizerca has closed down.
# The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français has closed down.
# Blues restaurant has closed down in Camps Bay, after 30 years of operating.
# Mezepoli has closed down in Camps Bay.
# Raya Kitchen, belonging to Kitima, has closed down on Wale Street.
# Rivendell Restaurant near Kleinmond and Bot River has closed down.
# Ragafellows in Hout Bay has closed down.
# Grill under the Milkwood in Hout Bay has closed down.
# Bon Appétit Keam Restaurant has closed down in Grabouw.
Restaurant changes
# OYO at V&A Hotel has re-opened after a complete renovation, and is now called Ginja.
# Tiger’s Milk Smokehouse is opening where Emily’s used to be on Kloof Street.
# The Long Table Restaurant and Café at Haskell Vineyards closed last year, and will re-open after an extensive renovation, upgrade, and general maintenance, to be run by the winery itself when it re-opens.
# Adam Whitehead of The Power & Glory has taken over the Rafiki space to create a new eatery The Sunnyside Grill.
# Chef Kobus Van Der Merwe has moved out of his Oep ve Koep venue in Paternoster, and reopened as Wolfgat.
# Chefs Nik van Wyk and Westley Muller have taken over the restaurant at Haute Cabriere, retaining the name of the restaurant.
# Origins at The Marine has taken over the Seafood Pavilion space at The Marine Hotel in Hermanus.
# Life Grand Café has opened where the Hildebrandt used to operate in the Waterfront.
# The former Alba Lounge in the Waterfront has re-opened as a Portuguese restaurant MAReSOL
# Ile de Pain has reopened in Knysna, after a devastating fire in 2015.
# Hail Pizza has opened in the courtyard at Clarke’s on Bree Street.
# Reuben’s is no longer operating at The Robertson Small Hotel. The hotel is now running its own restaurant.
# Bootlegger has opened in Bakoven, where Baked Bistro used to operate.
# SCHOON (de Companje) has handed over the running of its restaurant and business to Boschendal until the end of July. SCHOON will re-open elsewhere at an as yet unknown venue and at an unknown date. Boschendal will close the Church Street eatery from August onwards, renovate, and reopen with a new brand.
# Richard’s Supper Stage has relocated from Sea Point to The Rockwell Dinner Theatre in Green Point. The downstairs Bistro has closed down..
# Healey’s Cheesery & Deli is now based at Waterkloof Winery
# Karoux in McGregor has reopened in a new building, next door to the previous restaurant space.
# HQ has taken over the Bistrot Bizerca space, to become an international concept restaurant.
# The Classic Car Bar pop-up restaurant in the V&A Waterfront has closed down, with new Kove Collection restaurant Firefish opening in the space.
# Zenzero in Camps Bay is undergoing a major renovation.
# The third floor cosmopolitan restaurant at Villa 47 is said to be changing into an Italian restaurant, and to have appointed a Michelin star chef, in September.
# The Italian owners of La Sosta in Swellendam have sold the restaurant. It will be operated under the same name by the new owner.
# Chef Giorgio Nava has converted his Carné Constantia into 95 at Parks Restaurant, Bar & Lounge.
# Aromatish Café and Bakery has opened where Yvette’s used to be in Hermanus.
# Harbour Rock restaurant has taken over the operation of the Spookfontein restaurant in the Hemel & Aarde Valley.
# Fusion Café in Hermanus has new owners.
# Paradiso in Hermanus has new owners.
# Eats11 has opened at Villa Exner in Grabow.
Chef and Restaurant staff changes
# Chef Angelo Scirocco has left Urbanologi in Johannesburg as its Head Chef. He is said to be opening his own restaurant in Pretoria.
# Chef Jochen Heathcote is the Head Chef at The Restaurant at Villa 47, formerly at Myoga and Open Door.
# Chef John van Zyl has left Urbanologi, to return to Liam Tomlin as Head Chef of his Indian restaurant Thali
# Chef Germaine Esau has joined Dash at the Queen Victoria Hotel in the Waterfront
# Ian Smith is the GM of the new Melissa’s-owned Mantra Café in Camps Bay.
# Oskar Kotze has sold Sevruga, and his restaurants in Johanneburg, Pretoria, and Durban. He retains Beluga in Cape Town.
# Chef Veronica Canha-Hibbert is the new Executive Chef at The Silo Hotel.
# Chef Sheldon Raju is no longer with Chefs Warehouse nor is he involved with Chef Liam’s new Indian restaurant Thali. He is a consultant chef.
# Chef Chris Papayannes is the new Executive Chef and F & B Manager at The Thatch House Luxury Villas in Hermanus. He was previously at Chalk & Cork.
# Chef Annemarie Robertson has left Open Door and is freelancing in Johannesburg. The new Executive Chef is Evan Coosner.
# Chef Guy Clark has been appointed as the Executive Chef at Tintswalo Atlantic.
# Tracy-Leigh Genricks is now the sole owner of Four & Twenty Café.
# Chef Warwick King has left The Stack and joined Delaire Graff
# Chef Guy Bennett of Delaire Graff has moved to Bertus Basson at The Ritz.
# Chef Conrad van den Heever has left Seabreeze Fish & Shell, with Chef Phil Alcock taking his place.
# Chef John Norris Rogers has been appointed as Head Chef of La Petite Colombe in Franschhoek, opening in August.
# Chef Brad Ball has left Peddlars on the Bend, and is now Consultant Chef By Brad Ball.
# Chef Laurent Deslandes has joined Cape Town Club.
# Chef Wessels van Vuuren has taken over the management of Café Blu in Hermanus.
# Mon Desir in Hermanus will be run by new management from August onwards, serving Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Mondays to Sundays.
# Pastry Chef André Steyn has moved from Delaire Graff to La Colombe.
# Tony Knocke has left the Beverly Hills hotel and joined Fairmont Zimbalu Lodge & Resort as Executive Chef.
Restaurant Winter Closures
#.The Kitchen at Maison: closed until 4 July
# Waterkloof Restaurant: Closed from 19 June – 19 July
# Haute Cabrière: Closed from 26 June – 7 August
# FABER, Avondale, Paarl: 22 -30 May, 26 June – 11 July.
# Pot Luck Club, Old Biscuit Mill: 26 June – 9 July
# Terroir: 3 – 25 July.
# Bistro Sixteen82: 24 July – 10 August
# Primal Eatery: 1 – 15 August
#. Karoux in McGregor: 11 – 13 August
# Benguela on Main, Somerset West: 13 August – 13 September.
# Source in Hermanus is not doing dinners until August.
We welcome all restaurant news: chrisvonulmenstein [at] gmail.com
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein
