After a quiet August as far as restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands are concerned, September is seeing a number of new restaurants opening between now and the end of the month.
We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.
Restaurant Openings
# Roast & Co has opened alongside HQ, in the former Bizerca Bistro space, in Heritage Square (photograph)
Chicken or Beef? Chicken only at new Roast & Co. restaurant on Heritage Square!
# The Hard Rock Café is opening in The Promenade in Camps Bay this month.
# Villa 47 is relaunching its Stuzzico and Restaurant restaurants, as Seta and Pierino Penati, respectively, this month. The latter restaurant is opening in conjunction with Italian Michelin star restaurant owner Chef Theo Penati.
# Swirl has opened at Stellenbosch Vineyards, formerly the space of Bistro 13.
# Davy Croquettes has opened in Gardens.
# Chef Sheldon Raju has announced the opening of an African restaurant in Camps Bay this summer.
# Bootlegger Café & Grill is to open in Constantia in conjunction with Chef Eric Bulpitt of FABER, next door to Foxcroft, in the former Greens.
# Chef Darren Badenhorst’s Le Coin Français fine-dining restaurant is opening in Franschhoek shortly. He continues as Executive Chef at Grande Provence.
Le coin Français By Darren Badenhorst to coin it with French fine dining cuisine!
# The Franschhoek Beer Co is one ☝️ its eatery shortly.
# 5th Avenue Restaurant & Tapas Bar has opened in Tygervalley
# Marrow has opened in Loop Street.
#. La Petite Colombe has opened at Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek, with Head Chef John Norris Rogers
# SeaBreeze Fish & Shell has opened on Bree Street, open for Lunch and Dinner on Mondays to Saturdays.
# Reuben’s Franschhoek has re-opened just off the main road, after a twelve month closure for renovations.
# 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.
# Tiger’s Milk has opened in the SanClare Building in Claremont, in Century City, in Bryanston, in Stellenbosch, and in Pretoria.
# Harbour House is to open in Johannesburg
# Jamie’s Italian is to open 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 is the new Chef Patron of the Bertus Basson @ Ritz Hotel Revolving Restaurant in Sea Point.
# Terra Madre has opened in Elgin, for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, owned by Nicole Precoudis.
# Cabana will open in The Ritz
# The Vine Bistro at Glenelly has opened, with Chef Christophe Dehosse.
# Solo Restaurant has opened on Loop Street.
# El Burro has opened in Newlands
# 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.
# Yuzu Kitchen & Bar has opened on Kloof Street, but is said to be for sale.
# 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
# Chef Brad Ball’s The Rib Shack has opened at Mojo Market 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 has opened in the Protea Hotel in Franschhoek.
# Cábron Taco Bar has opened
# The Hungry Herbivore has opened
# Unframed artisanal ice cream has opened a second branch, in the V&A Food Market
# Jason’s Bakery is to open on Main Road in Green Point.
# SCHOON De Companje has opened in Somerset West, after its closure in Stellenbosch and handing over its space to Boschendal.
# A Steakhouse is said to be opening in McGregor.
# An Italian restaurant is being built at Delaire Graff.
# Nonna Linna Sea Point is to open in October.
# Vigour & Verve has opened at the new Sunsquare in the Cape Town CBD.
# Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen has opened MARIA in Nice, as an event dining venue.
South African focus continues to grow at JAN Restaurant in Nice, soon to be joined by MARIA!
Restaurant Closures
# Borage Bistro has closed down, with no word as to it reopening at a new site.
# Palma has closed on Bree Street.
# 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.
# 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.
# Little Saint has closed down on Bree Street.
# Easy Tiger on Bree Street has closed down.
# Plant on Buiten Street has closed down.
# Flora’s Eatery in McGregor has closed down.
# Mangata in Simon’s Town has closed down.
# Marc’s Table in Green Point has closed down due to the sale of the Sugar Hotel, but is looking for new premises.
Restaurant changes
# OYO at V&A Hotel has re-opened after a complete renovation, and is now called Ginja, with the Native coffee bar
# 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 in November 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# Bootlegger has opened in Bakoven, where Baked Bistro used to operate.
# 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.
# The Classic Car Bar pop-up restaurant in the V&A Waterfront has closed down, with new Kove Collection restaurant Firefish having opened in the space.
# Zenzero in Camps Bay has reopened, after an extensive renovation.
# The Italian owners of La Sosta in Swellendam have sold the restaurant. It is 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.
# Café Des Arts in Franschhoek has been sold.
# Slug & Lettuce has re-opened on Kloof Street.
# Panama Jack is moving to the Cruise Liner Terminal in the Cape Town Harbour at the end of November.
# Boston Burgers on Buitengracht Street has changed its name to Craft Burger Bar.
Chef and Restaurant staff changes
# Chef Angelo Scirocco is said to be opening his own restaurant in Pretoria.
# Chef Jochen Heathcote has left The Restaurant at Villa 47, and joined Source Food.
# Oskar Kotze has sold Sevruga, and his restaurants in Johanneburg, Pretoria, and Durban. He retains Beluga in Cape Town.
# 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 was freelancing in Johannesburg, but has now moved to Woolworths. The new Executive Chef of Open Door 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, to join De Grendel. Chef Phil Alcock has taken his place at SeaBreeze.
# Chef Brad Ball has left Peddlars on the Bend, and is now Executive Chef at the Harbour House Group. Chef Martin Senekal has left the Group.
Chef Brad Ball appointed as Group Executive Chef of the Harbour House Group!
# Chef Laurent Deslandes has joined Cape Town Club.
# Chef Wessels van Vuuren has taken over the management of Café Blu in Hermanus.
# The management of Mon Desir in Hermanus has been taken over by Chef Warwick Taylor of SOURCE, 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 Zimbali Lodge & Resort as Executive Chef.
# Chef Jason Kosmas has joined The Stack, from the Chef’s Warehouse.
# Chef Marco van Rooyen is heading up the restaurant at Rivendell, near Kleinmond and Bot River.
# Chef Martin Senekal is the new Group Pastry Chef at the Leeu Collection in Franschhoek.
# Chef Michael Deg of Delaire Graff is moving to Equus at Cavalli Estate.
# Sidwell Yarrow has been appointed as Executive Chef at La Petite Ferme.
# Chef Guy Bennett is said to be joining Grande Provence.
# Chef Kieran Whyte is leaving Charango.
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
