Good restaurant trade in the past two months, and finally a good number of international tourists visiting Cape Town is leading to new restaurants having opened and planned to open in Cape Town and the Winelands, despite it being on the eve of Winter.

The biggest planned opening is that by Chef Liam Tomlin, who in April will open The Bailey, a three storey Brasserie, Bakery, and two Bars across the road from Heritage Square, apparently leaving all his restaurants on the other side of the road behind! Restaurant Artizian will open on Bree Street in April too.

Most recent and planned restaurant openings

CAPE TOWN

#. MiCaffé in Bree Street with more restaurants about to open in The Barracks

#.  A most disappointing Shoreditch House restaurant at The Winchester Hotel has opened

Restaurant Review : New Shoreditch House restaurant at the refurbished The Winchester Boutique Hotel is not yet ready to receive diners!

#. Beach House in Camps Bay

#.  Gibson’s Gourmet Burgers & Ribs Summer Pop-Up Food Truck in Camps Bay

#.  Marcel’s Frozen Yoghurt in Camps Bay

#.  The Pottery in Camps Bay

#  Bo-Vine in Camps Bay

#. Cause & Effect in Camps Bay

#   How Bao Now has opened in the old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock.

#  Lello’s Deli by Scarpetta  has opened in De Waterkant

#   PIER and Waterside have opened in the Waterfront, both belonging to the La Colombe Group

#   Cucina at Goodman has opened in Green Point

#   Kanéla Café has opened in a shared space with The Greek Fisherman on a Regent Road in Sea Point

#   The Bailey will open on Bree Street in April, a three-storey eating and drinking establishment of Chef Liam Tomlin

#   Artizian Restaurant will open on Bree Street in April

#   One Park has opened on Park Street

#   Blondie has opened on 71 Kloof Street

#   Cabo Beach Club has opened in the Waterfront, ex Shimmy’s

Restaurant Review: Cabo Beach Club schizophrenic mass dining, with second Violet Restaurant, better than Shimmy !

#   TANG is opening a Cape Town branch of the successful Sandton restaurant in the Waterfront, where Belthazar used to be, later this year.

#   The Roasted Dad pop-up restaurant by MasterChef SA Season 4 winner  Shawn Godfrey is to open on 27 April.

WINELANDS

#   Rykaarts Stellenbosch

#   Post & Pepper is opening in Stellenbosch

#   Stoep at Laborie in Paarl has opened

#   La Sienna Café Bistrot has opened in Stellenbosch

#   Chef George Jardine is leaving Jordan Restaurant in Stellenbosch, and Chef Marthinus Ferreira will take over the restaurant from mid-April, to be called Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira.

#   Cheverells Farm Deli in Elgin

#   Qbar has opened on Church Street in Stellenbosch, serving Quion Rock wines and food inspired by Gåte Restaurant

#   Clara’s Barn has opened at Vergenoegd-Löw in Stellenbosch.

#   Stefan’s Restaurant has opened at Erinvale in Somerset West.

#.  Greenlands Farm Table has opened in Bonnievale

Most recent restaurant closures

#.  Créme da la Créme has closed down in Camps Bay.

#   Greenhouse closed down

#   Cowboys & Cooks has closed down in De Waterkant.

#.  Haas on Buitenkant Street has closed down.

#   Peppertree Cafe has closed down after the sad passing of its owner Bernard Munnik.

#   Dahlia on Regent has closed down for the second time, on 9 January 2022

#   Cucina by Chef Michael Broughton has closed down in Stellenbosch

Restaurant Openings (Since the start of Lockdown 27 March 2020)

#   Regent Burger Bar has opened where Craft Burger Bar was on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#  Chef Liam Tomlin has opened Local at Heritage Square, a retail collection of local food products, fresh and packaged, in the former HQ space. (Tomlin recently walked away from this development).

#   Chef Liam Tomlin has opened Mazza upstairs in the former HQ, as a Middle Eastern eating bar. (Tomlin is no longer involved in this restaurant)

#   Ciao Pizza, Long Street.

#   Firefly Café in Camps Bay

#   Chef Chen Sushi Bar pop-up, The Point Mall, Sea Point.

#   Floozies (now renamed The Wolf House) has opened on Kloof Street.

#   Flower Café has opened in Woodstock.

#   Jooma has opened in Sea Point

#   Starbucks has opened in Camps Bay

#   Starbucks has opened at Canal Walk

#   Starbucks has opened at Cavendish Square

#   Yama Sushi Emporium has opened in Franschhoek

#   Oku has opened in Franschhoek

#   Blue Coriander Indian restaurant has opened in Place Vendome in Franschhoek, the owner being a former chef at Marigold

#   Fat Harry’s in Wynberg has reopened, with new owners, an interior makeover, and new menu and staff.

#   Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic has opened

#   Barstaurant has opened at Glencairn Hotel in Simonstown, by the Tintswalo Group.

#   Bo-Kaap Deli has opened in Bo-Kaap.

#   Restaurateur Stuart Bailey has opened De Vleispaleis Grillroom & Bar,  a meat restaurant in the Black Horse Centre on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch.

#   Curry Cave has opened on New Church Street

#   Ideas Cartel Bar has opened at Casa Labia, Muizenberg

#   Mexicola Locale has opened in Hout Bay, another new Chef Cheyne Morrisby restaurant

#  FreeBird has opened in Kloof Street Village.

#   Sharon’s Cafë has opened at The Palms

#   Clay Café has opened on Bree Street.

#   The Poké Co Claremont has opened

#   Rosetta has opened on Bree Street

#    Forneria Italia Beachfront has opened in Table View

#    I Sapori has opened in Table View

#   Seed & Circus has opened in Zonnebloem/District Six

#   The Manor at Nederburg has opened, in Paarl

#   Culture Wine Bar has opened on Bree Street, a joint venture between Chef Matt Manning and wine fundi  Chris Groenewald

#   Royale Eatery has opened on Vineyard Road in Claremont.

#   Salushi Express has opened in Cavendish Street, Claremont

#   Vadas Pasteis de Nata & Café has opened in Stellenbosch

#.  OK JA has opened in Camps Bay (former Maison J)

#   Bokeh Creative Studio has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#   Ernie Els Wines Restaurant has opened in Stellenbosch

#   Kleine Zalze Restaurant has opened, with Chef Nic van Wyk

#   Drum has opened in the Black Horse Centre in Stellenbosch

#   Old Town Italy is opening a flagship restaurant in the V& A Waterfront

#   Old Town Italy has opened in Durbanville

#   Old Town Italy has opened in Constantia

#  Lime Tree Café has opened a Deli.

#  Chef Judi Fourie has opened Fideli’s on Parliament Street, where Kleinsky’s used to be

#  La Petite Maison has opened in Langebaan.

#  Chef Peter Tempelhoff has opened Beyond at Buitenverwachting in Constantia, with Nicholas Walker as Manager, and Chef Julia du Toit heading up the kitchen.

#   Chef Kevin Grobler has opened The Restaurant at Grande Roche in Paarl.

#  Beach House has opened on Victoria Road in Camps Bay, where Sunset Sessions used to be.(now closed)

#   My Sugar has opened in Cavendish Square and in Canal Walk.

#   Schoon has opened at Kloof Street Village

#   KOFI has opened at Kloof Street Village

#   Kopi has opened in Bo-Kaap

#   Nü has opened at Kloof Street Village

#   Lexi’s Healthy Eatery Vegan restaurant has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#   ëlgr has opened on Kloof Street, where Janse & Co operated previously.  The restaurant with the most difficult name in Cape Town.

#  The Botanicum Restaurant has opened at Morgenster

#   Crème de la Crème has opened in Camps Bay.(now closed)

#   Schoon has opened in The Point Mall in Sea Point

#   Schoon has opened on Main Road, Sea Point.

#   Kauai has opened in The Point Mall

#   Noah Café has opened in Tamboerskloof

#    Chef Cheyne Morrisby has opened Himitsu restaurant at Camps Bay Retreat.

#   Michael Townsend’s Grand Pavilion has opened on Beach Road in Sea Point

#.  Michael Townsend has opened Fancy Franks in Somerset West.

#.  Makers Landing has opened in the Cruise Terminal in the Waterfront, a collection of small food operators.

#  The Monk’s Kitchen has opened in Green Point.

#   The Test Kitchen Fledgelings has opened in the former The Shortmarket Club space, only open on Fridays.

#   Cucina has been opened by Chef Michael Broughton in Stellenbosch, and he plans to open Ember, The Stud Burger, and a Wine and tapas bar, all in Stellenbosch.

#   Brother and sister Jason and Mel Laing have taken over Roots Café and Kitchen in Wembley Square.

#   Sundoo South Indian Bistro & Tapas has opened in Newlands.

#   Harvest Culture Eaterie has opened at Tyger Falls Waterfront, owned by Dale Schreuder, of former Dale’s Black Angus.

#    Zest Restaurant has opened in the newkings boutique hotel in Piazza da Luz in Sea Point, owned by Utopia Executive Chef and co-owner Pavel Dimitrov. (Photograph)

#   Homespun by Matt at The Andros in Claremont

#   The Greek Fisherman has opened in Sea Point, where La Mouette used to be.

#    The Office has opened in Sea Point.

#    Café Euphoria has opened in Woodstock.

#.  Ember by Chef Michael Broughton has opened in Stellenbosch

#   Rust en Vrede Wine Bar has opened in Stellenbosch town.

#   Pizza Connection has opened in Woodstock

#   Egghead Diner has opened on Kloof Street

#   The Royal Oyster Bar opened on Bree Street

Restaurant Closures since Lockdown:

#   The Shortmarket Club

#    La Bottega in Woodstock.

#    Empire Café in Muizenberg – has been revamped and reopened by Chef Clayton Bell (ex Villa 47)

#    SMAK Delicatessen and Eatery.

#    Buitenverwachting Restaurant in Constantia.

#    The Deli Coffee Co in the V & A Waterfront

#    Under Oaks, Paarl

#    Craft Burger Bar, Sea Point

#.  The Butcher, Camps Bay

#   La Franca, Gardens

#   Go Go, Bree Street

#   The Butcher, Sea Point

#.  Cold Gold Artisanal ice-cream

#   StarGarden Café, Fish Hoek

#   Oven Baked, Muizenberg

#   Noordhoek Café & Deli

#.  Kalk Bay Theatre – is now housed at Brass Bell, using the Bikini Deck (open for performance nights only)

#   The Kitchen, Woodstock

#   Bay Expresso

#  Mugg & Bean, Constantia

#   Jessy’s Waffles, Camps Bay

#   Chi Cha in Sea Point

#   Ocean Blue in Camps Bay

#   The Trumpet Tree, Stellenbosch

#   Tolhuis Bistro, Ceres

#   Maker’s Mark, Tulbagh

#   Thai Food Sushi, Sea Point

#   Meraki, Stellenbosch

#   All Things Good, Stellenbosch

#   Mama Cucina, Riebeeck-Kasteel

#   Brownies & Downies, City Centre

#   The Larder, Claremont

#  Café Blouberg,  Bloubergstrand

#   Jason’s, Bree Street Branch

#  Blasters Family Restaurant, Cape Gate.

#  Fláva, Wilderness

#  The Fat Greek, Table View

#   Myoga, Vineyard Hotel, Newlands

#   Schwarma Express, Sea Point Branch

#  The Stack, Gardens

#   Two and Sixpence Tavern, Simon’s Town, after 21 years

#   Fire Monkey, Claremont

#   Cattle Baron Tokai

#   Masala Dosa Restaurant, Long Street

#   Vicious Virgin Bar, Wale Street

#   Exhibit A, Bree Street

#  Frankie Fenner, Durbanville

#   Dale’s Black Angus, The Paddocks, Milnerton

#  TableThirteen, Green Point

#  Ton Khoon, Tyger Waterfront

#   Terroir, Stellenbosch.

#   Daniela’s Deliciously Decadent, Cape Quarter.

#   Batavia Café, Bo-Kaap

#   Addis in Cape Ethopian Restaurant

#   Fork on Long Street

#   Yumcious Café, Durbanville

#   Aces & Spades, City centre.

#  Guilio’s Café, Loop Street

#  De Wijnhuis, Stellenbosch

#  Café Mozart, Church Street (now Mozart on Church)

#  Active Sushi, Hudson Street

#  Amore, Kenilworth

#.  Primi Muizenberg

#   Primi Eden on the Bay

#   Primi Willowbridge

#   Mink & Trout, Bree Street

#   Lou Lou’s, Cape Quarter

#   Knead, The Point Centre

#   Pastis, Constantia

#   Viande at Grande Roche, Paarl.

#   95 Keerom Street, Cape Town

#   95 at Morgenster, Somerset West

#   Tintswalo Kitchen at Tintswalo Atlantic

#   Will’s Café and Deli, Oranjezicht

#  Jerry’s Burger Bar, Stellenbosch

#   Maison J in Camps Bay

#   Beluga in Green Point

#   Goloso in Sea Point

#   Restaurant Seven in Somerset West, owned by Chef George Jardine

#   Baker Brothers in Green Point

#   Bodega at Dornier, Stellenbosch

#   Doppio Zero, Stellenbosch

#   Restaurant at Waterkloof closed on 22 November

#  The Slick Restaurant Group’s Balducci’s and Belthazar Restaurants have closed down in the Waterfront.

#   La Tête on Bree Street

#   La Mouette in Sea Point

#   Bones in Woodstock

#.  Fork in Franschhoek

#   Upper Bloem in Green Point

#   SHIO, De Waterkant

#  Lee’s Chinese Kitchen

#   Entree in Franschhoek

#   Foliage closed in Franschhoek on 27 April

#   Rhodes Memorial Restaurant burnt down in the devastating fire on 18 April.

#   Neapolitana Pizzeria in Sea Point

#  Dapper Coffee Co on Bree Street

#   Oxalis Eatery on Wale Street has closed down

#   Firefish in the Waterfront has closed temporarily, only planning to open in September, if at all.

#   Shimmy Beach Club has closed down

#   Mzoli’s has closed down in Gugulethu.

#   The Raptor Room has closed down

#   Mykonos in Camps Bay has closed down

#   The Shop in Sea Point has closed down.

#   The Test Kitchen has closed down.

#   San Marco, V & A Waterfront

#   Tasca, V & A Waterfront

#   Ocean Blue in Camps Bay has closed down, for a second time.

#   The Beach House (ex Sunset Sessions) in Camps Bay has closed down

#   Créme da la Créme has closed down in Camps Bay.

#  Tigers Milk on Long Street

#  Barstaurant in Glencairn

#  Eats Restaurant at Springfontein in Stanford has closed down.

#   Chefs Warehouse & Canteen Winebar & Pinchos on Bree Street has closed down, eight years after opening.

Chefs Warehouse on Bree Street closes down, no presence in Heritage Square anymore!

The Restaurant Closure and Opening Lists are updated continuously throughout the month.

For a list of Restaurants currently open for Food Delivery and Collection as well as Sit-Down Service, see the Facebook Group I created at the beginning of May 2022: https://www.facebook.com/groups/261165661682371/?ref=share

Restaurant News

1. Chef Calvyn Metior is the new Executive Chef at Monneaux Restaurant, previously Head Chef at La Motte.
2. Chef Kayla-Ann Osborn has left The Chef’s Table in Umhlanga, now heading up the kitchen at Delaire Graff.
3. Chef Scott Armstrong has rejoined JAN Restaurant in Nice as Sous Chef.
4. Chef Nico Vorster has left La Paris Bistro outside Franschhoek, and has bought The Good Food Co in Franschhoek.
5. Bossa Stellenbosch and Die Strandloper suffered extensive fire damage during Lockdown.
6. Chef Bell McCleod has left Bones in Woodstock, now heading up the Hemel & Aarde Brewery.
7. Chef Henry and Mari Vigar have left La Mouette, now solely owned by Gerrit Bruwer, and have moved to take over their restaurant Upper Bloem in Green Point.
8.  Chef Neill Anthony Vaughn has been appointed as the Culinary Advisor to La Mouette.
9. Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg has left his restaurant Janse & Co, his next venture not yet known. He is working with his former Janse & Co team at Oxalis.
10. Stellenbosch has introduced an innovative community-supported incentive to restaurant diners to pay by SnapScan, offering them a 50% discount, with a maximum of R400, presented as a voucher.
11. Epice has moved to the space of Le Petite Colombe at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek.
12. Le Petite Colombe has opened at Leeu Estates.
13. The Foodbarn in Noordhoek has transformed into Foodbarn Café & Tapas.
14. The Test Kitchen has changed its offering and its name to The Test Kitchen Origins
15. De Vrije Burger has moved to 13 Drostdy Street in Stellenbosch.
16. Chefs Warehouse & Canteen on Bree Street has changed its name to Chefs Warehouse Winebar & Pinchos.
17. Eike has opened Snoepie tuck shop next to its Eike restaurant on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch.
18. Ruth and Alex Grahame, owners of SeaBreeze on Bree Street, have moved back to Scotland, with Manager Michaela Diedericks running the restaurant for them.
19. Chef Asher Isaacs sadly passed away in July 2021. He co-founded My Sugar, and had recently returned to cheffing, working for Cheyne Morrisby.
20. Chef Christina Semczyszyn of Tjing Tjing left at the end of September 2021, emigrating to Canada.
21. Yumcious Café co-owner David Morris sadly passed away.
22. Peppertree Café owner Bernard Munnik sadly passed away.

Details of new restaurants opening, and of restaurant closures, are highly appreciated. chrisvonulmenstein@gmail.com

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com 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