Category Archives: Hermanus

New Restaurants open in Cape Town and the Winelands: January 2023 update!

 

The Cape Town and the Winelands restaurant opening boom continues, with new openings late last year and new restaurants announced for 2023.

The biggest restaurant opening extravaganza is that of JAN Franschhoek, the third restaurant in the JAN Restaurant Collection, which opened n December at La Motte in Franschhoek. La Motte is undergoing a major renovation and changes at its wine estate, with a Bread-related Café & Deli opening  in the La Motte Manor House in February 2023. Chef Chris Erasmus is working with La Continue reading →

Platter’s by Diners Club Wine Guide 2023 Awards 5 stars to 196 wines!

 

The 43rd edition of Platter’s by Diners Club Wine Guide has announced its 2023 list of 196 wines in 28 categories that were awarded 5 stars this year. A total of 8000 wines by 900 producers was evaluated this year.

Red and White Blends as well as Chenin Blanc are the biggest 5 star classes, with 28, 27 and 28 individual labels, respectively. The Chardonnay, Shiraz/Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon wine categories also performed well, with 22, 16, and 12 brands, respectively.

The Top Performing Winery of the Year goes to the winery that achieves the most five-star ratings after the annual final tasting round, it being Mullineux this year, with 8 five-star wines. It is the Swartland- Continue reading →

September Restaurant Opening and Closing Update: Cape Town and Winelands

 

 

Despite it being Spring, few new restaurants are known to be opening, or planning to open, in Cape Town and the Winelands.

The biggest recent restaurant openings are Dusk in Stellenbosch, a joint venture by Chefs Darren Badenhorst and Callan Austen. Chef Peter Tempelhoff is to open a Japanese Street Food restaurant on the ground floor of Speakers Corner, the building in which FYN operates. TANG will create a big stir when it opens in the Waterfront, already being a socialite’s haven in Sandton. Paul’s Bakery and Tiger’s Milk are said to be Continue reading →

August 2022 Restaurant Opening and Closing Update: Cape Town & Winelands!

 

 

New restaurants are still opening, or planning to open, in Cape Town and the Winelands, despite it being Winter.

The biggest recent restaurant opening has been by Chef Liam Tomlin, who opened The Bailey, a three storey Brasserie, Bakery, and two Bars across the road from Heritage Square. He has closed down his Chefs Warehouse on Bree Street. Ouzeri also opened in June.

Restaurant Artizian will open on Bree Street this month. Chef Peter Tempelhoff is said to open a Japanese Street Food restaurant on the ground floor of Speakers Corner, the building in which FYN operates, in September. Continue reading →

Kfm announces its 2022 Best of the Cape category Finalists!

 

Yesterday Kfm spent all day to announce the five finalists in each of its 30 categories of its 2022 Best in the Cape Awards.

It’s more than 1 million listeners will vote in deciding the winner in each of its 30 categories.

Continue reading →

July 2022 Restaurant Update: Cape Town and Winelands, new re-openings!

 

New restaurants are still opening, or planning to open, in Cape Town and the Winelands, despite it being Winter.

The biggest recent restaurant opening has been by Chef Liam Tomlin, who opened The Bailey, a three storey Brasserie, Bakery, and two Bars across the road from Heritage Square. He has closed down his Chefs Warehouse on Bree Street. Ouzeri also opened last month.

Restaurant Artizian will open on Bree Street in August. Chef Peter Tempelhoff is said to open a Japanese Street Food restaurant on the ground floor of Speakers Corner, the building in which FYN operates, in September. TANG will create a big stir when it opens in the Waterfront in Spring, Continue reading →

SÜD-AFRIKA Magazin features WhaleTales Blog story on Restaurant Recovery since Lockdown!

 

Today SÜD-AFRIKa magazine launched its first newsletter of 2022, and included an article written in German,  summarising my Blogpost of earlier this month,  with the wonderful news that more Restaurants have opened than have closed in the past 22 months, a wonderful turn-around for the industry.

The article features the photograph alongside, which is of the view from the terrace at Zezt Restautant Sea Point, one of the more than 100 restaurants that have opened during Lockdown. Continue reading →

Camps Bay one of 51 Blue Flag Beaches in SA 2021/2022!

 

Camps Bay and Clifton 4th Beach have been announced as Blue Flag Status Beaches for the 2021/2022 season, two out of only ten Beaches 8n total in Cape Town, reports BusinessTech. 

According to The Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), Blue Flags will be flown at 51 beaches, five marinas and by four sustainable tourism boats around South Africa over the forthcoming 2021/22 Blue Flag season.

The Western Cape province has 36 Blue Flag Beaches, with five new beaches added, including Onrus, Struisbaai, and WIlderness. KZN has 8 Blue Flag Beaches, and the Eastern Cape has 7 such Beaches.  Continue reading →

SA Winners of 2022 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism and Ambassadors Awards announced!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The winners of the South African leg of the 2022 Great Wine Capitals have just been announced by Wesgro. Two wine estates won in two categories each.

Added to the local Awards are Tourism Ambassador Awards, not an official category in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network annual awards, but added to the South African awards only.

South Africa is one of 11 wine-producing regions of the Great Wine Capitals network. The regions are Adelaide in Australia, Bilbao and Rioja in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Cape Town and Cape Winelands in South Africa, Lausanne in Switzerland, Mainz and Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal, San Francisco and Napa Valley in the USA, Valparaiso and Casablanca Valley in Chile, and Verona in Italy.  Awards are presented annually in a number of categories pertaining to Best of Wine Tourism.

The 2022 winners of the South African Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism Awards are the following:

#   Accommodation: Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch – the accommodation offers opulence, views of the Banhoek Valley, a relaxing stay, a private patio, and a pillow menu.

#.  Wine Tourism Restaurants : Creation in Hermanus  – wine is paired to food, instead of the other way around at Creation, its latest pairing being a Canapé Pairing Menu. It also offers a Brunch Pairing, a Wine and Chocolate Pairing as well as an aromatic tea and food pairing.

#.  Architecture & Landscape: Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for its Octagonal Garden, the Camphor Forest, the Reflection Garden, the Sundial Garden, and the Fynbos Garden.

#.  Arts & Culture : La Motte in Franschhoek – recognised for its history and curated art shows, and Cape Dutch architecture.

#   Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences : Babylonstoren in Franschhoek – recognised for its wine tasting offered to visitors arriving with the Franschhoek Wine Tram, going on a cellar tour, and visit the new wine tunnel, representing centuries of wine making and storage.

#.  Wine Tourism Services : Creation in Hermanus – recognised for their Voormanhuis accommodation, local art, commitment to sustainability, and sourcing locally.

#   Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices : Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for the 20 year journey of its commitment to sustainability and rehabilitation, presented as an Environmental Tour to visitors. It is self-sufficient in water, and the meat and seafood used in its restaurants are locally sourced and ethically raised.

#   Ambassador Awards, celebrating ongoing Transformation:  AA Badenhorst, Paardenkloof Estate, and Dewetshof Estate.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

 

 

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 17 of Level 2, 29 September 2021

 

Wednesday 29 September 2021, Day 17 of Level 2😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a fabulous start to the day, winning 750 and 190 for my two Discovery Gameboard plays, so off I went to Woolies this afternoon to spend it 💙; for a smooth flowing working morning, before I headed to the dentist in the Waterfront, surviving what he described as surgery to fix my implant problem, he being vague about what exactly he did, perhaps better that I didnt know the detail, I trying to concentrate on the MTV music videos on his TV screen, always requesting that the Continue reading →