Winter is almost over, and we are delighted to report that few restaurants have closed down in the past few cold months. By the same token, few new restaurants have opened. Heartbreaking was the fire which closed down The Stack one week after it opened last month in Leinster Hall in Gardens.  We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously.

Restaurant Openings

*   De Warenmarkt has opened in Stellenbosch, a mix of market, deli, bar, and pop-up restaurant (photograph)

*   Open Door has opened at Constantia Uitsig, the third restaurant to be opened by Neil Grant and his business partner Barry Engelbrecht (of Burrata and Bocca), previously the River Café.

*   Michael Townsend of the Harbour House Group is planning to open two new restaurants on the Muizenberg beachfront: a 160-seater Live Bait, and Howlin’ Wolf, a burger and beer quick service restaurant.

*   Bacon on Bree has opened at 217 Bree Street, a bacon-inspired restaurant by charcuterier Richard Bosman and his wife Justine Seymour.

*   Culture Club Cheese and wine shop has opened at 215 Bree Street, its owner previously having been the GM of La Fromagerie on Marylebone High Street in London!

*   Baked in the Wood is to open on Bree Street, offering craft beer and tapas, owned by Zahir Mohamed of Baked Bistro.

*   Blacksmith’s Kitchen has opened in Paarl.

*   Boschendal Farm Werf Restaurant has opened

*   Homespun has opened in Table View.

*   Inside and You’re Out Burgers has opened in the Cape Town city centre.

*   Max Bagels has opened on Bree Street.

*   MasterChef SA Season 3 winner Roxi Wardman is opening Spoonful Eatery in Windermere Centre in Durban.

*   Chef Cheyne Morrisby is to open Lucky Boa and Asian Shake Bar in Hout Bay.

*   Loaves on Long has opened on Long Street.

*   Imibala Restaurant has opened on Bright Street in Somerset West, with Chef Nicole Dupper at the helm.

*   Chef PJ Vadas is to open The Hog House on The Werf craft Bakery and Café at Spier in October.

*   Chef Luke Dale-Roberts is to open Naturalis, an ‘incubation hub’ and venue for occasional dinners and events.

*   Ou Meul Bakery has opened in Welgemoed.

*   Vida e Caffe is opening Torrador at Cape Gate.

*   Hudsons has opened a burger restaurant in Stellenbosch.

*   El Burro Taqueria has opened on the corner of New Union and Kloofnek Road in Tamboerskloof, taking the space of Peter’s House plus more.

*   Del Mar Mexican restaurant has opened in Camps Bay, with Chef Leopoldo Moreno

*   Melissa’s is opening in Franschhoek.

*   Charango Grill & Bar Peruvian restaurant has opened on Bree Street.

*   Café Royale has opened in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel

*   Reverie Social Table opens in Observatory in October.

*   Chateaubriand is opening in Franschhoek in September.

*   Lebanese restaurant Ranoush to open in V&A Waterfront

Restaurant Closures

*   Peter’s House opposite Power & Glory has closed down.

*   The restaurant on Top of The Ritz has closed down.

*   Mano A Mano has closed down.

*   Thornton Wines Gastro Bar has closed down.

*   Ile de Pain on Thesen Island in Knysna has burnt down.

*   The Grill Room in Franschhoek has closed down on the main road, to make way for new developments. It is said to be re-opening in the former Allora building.

*   The Banting Kitchen at Cape Royale Luxury Hotel has closed down.

*   The Stall in Franschhoek has closed down.

*   The new The Stack of Nigel Pace and Sarah Ord burnt down one week after opening in the former Leinster Hall.

*   Mejaune Interior, Lifestyle, and Eatery has closed down in Somerset West.

*   Il Cappero in Camps Bay has closed down.

*   KOI restaurant has closed down in The Ambassador.

*   Royal Bavarian Bakery has closed down in Portside FNB Building on Bree Street.

*   I Love my Laundry Bree Street has closed down.

Restaurant changes

*   Morgenster is still working on its new Café, Deli, and accommodation.

*   Pesce Azzurro has opened in the former Don Pedro in Woodstock.

*   La Parada and Harbour House are opening in the former Constantia Nek restaurant building.

*   Villa Mia has opened in the Cape Quarter.

*   Vicky Cristina’s tapas bar y restaurante espanol has opened in Camps Bay, where Café Sofia used to be.

*    The Lucky Fish on Long Street has been transformed into Tiger’s Milk.

*   Jerry’s Burgers has opened where Mano A Mano operated in Park Road.

*   The Creamery is expanding the size of its Newlands outlet and opening in Mouille Point.

*   Nineteen Sixty One Grill has opened where Salzburger Grill operated on St John’s Road in Sea Point.

*   Rustica has opened at Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, where The Banting Kitchen operated.

*   Tribakery in Canal Walk has a new owner, and its name is to be changed.

*   Chef Jason Whitehead has sold Frère’s Bistro to new owner Barry Owen, continuing to operate with the existing staff, and retaining its name.  Chef Jason will offer a Restaurant Consulting service.

*   Le Quartier Français and its The Tasting Room have been sold to The Leeu Collection.

*   The Salmon Bar is looking for new premises in Franschhoek.

*   Belsol Portuguese restaurant has closed down in Camps Bay.  Next-door restaurant Ocean Blue is moving into the Belsol space.  A steak house is likely to move into the Ocean Blue space.

*   The Deckhouse Crabshack has opened on Kloof Street, where Jackal & Hyde used to be.

*   Theo’s in Mouille Point has sold, and will be taken over by Hussar Grill at the end of August.

Chef and Restaurant staff changes

*   Chef Constantijn Hahndiek from OSA Restaurant at Fairmont Zimbali has moved to Hartford House.

*   Allée Bleue Bistro has appointed Beau du Toit as chef.

*   Chef Chris Papayannes has joined Chalk & Cork.

*   Chef Adrian Boll is the new Chef at Wild Peacock.

*   Pastry Chef Christine de Villiers from Le Quartier Français has moved to Open Door.

*   Lee-Ann du Plessis has been appointed as Head Chef of Dornier Bodega Restaurant.

*   Adele Grewar has been appointed as Head Chef at Overture.

*   Vicky Gurovich has been appointed as Senior Sous Chef (Pastry) at Pierneef à La Motte. She previously worked at the Belmond Mount Nelson.

*   Chef Kevin Grobler has joined Jan Restaurant in Nice, from Delaire Graff Restaurant.

*   Chef Julia Hattingh has left Holden Manz, and is said to be opening her own restaurant in Cape Town. Bird Gernot has taken over her position.

*   Tinashe Nyamudoka has been appointed as Beverage Manager and Sommelier at The Test Kitchen.

*   Joakim Blackadder is moving from Rust en Vrede to Hog House on the Werf at Spier as Sommelier, while Isabella Immenkamp will move across from Jardine at Jordan as Front of House, both on 1 September.

*   Chef Patrick Moreau, previous co-owner of Cassis, is opening Patachou Patisserie in Johannesburg.

*   The Kitchen has opened inside The Company’s Garden Restaurant.

We welcome all restaurant news: whalecot@iafrica.com

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Tel (021) 433-2100 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here