WhaleTales Blog

Every winter is a tough time for the restaurant industry. With the dip in Tourism due to the water shortage, and the early heavy winter rains, the restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands are feeling the pinch, and many have closed down, even some on the iconic restaurant Bree Street, as well as in the Waterfront!  (more…)

New restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands appear to still be on the slow side. Former JAN Head Chef Kevin Grobler has returned to the Cape. Very sad is the recent tragic passing of Aimee Josten, an important half of the award-winning Karoux restaurant in McGregor. De Volkskombuis has reopened in Stellenbosch after an extensive renovation, while The Big Easy is no longer operating in the town. Eric Bulpitt is the new Executive Chef at Pierneef à La Motte.

We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.

Restaurant Openings

#   Bootlegger Café & Grill has opened in Constantia in conjunction with Chef Eric Bulpitt, in the former Greens (photograph)

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New restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands appear to still be on the slow side. Chef Oliver Cattermole’s Bovine Restaurant has opened. Chef Piet Huysentruyt of one Michelin Star Likoké restaurant in France has a pop-up at The Conservatory in Franschhoek, running until 15 March. Top chefs John van Zyl and Constantijn Hahndiek have left Thali and Hartford House, respectively. 

We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.

Restaurant Openings

#.  Janse & Co has opened in the former Yuzu space on Kloof Street, owned by Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg of The Kitchen at Maison, with Liezl Odendaal. (photograph) (more…)

A Facebook post shared yesterday by leading hotels in Cape Town informs tourists about the water shortage in Cape Town and surrounding towns, and reassures them that they are welcome in the Cape and can still enjoy their holiday, despite a potential Day Zero scenario.  (more…)

I was invited to the newly opened Coco Safar a few days ahead of its opening in the newly refurbished Artem centre, previously the Adelphi Centre in Main Road in Sea Point. A week ago I invited a young chef intern to join me for Brunch at Coco Safar, on a Sunday morning.  (more…)

I was recently asked if I would be leaving the country on Day Zero, projected to be 16 April currently, something that had never crossed my mind! It appears that a large number of locals are making plans to leave Cape Town, and reside elsewhere in our country or internationally, where they will have access to water! Quite frankly, I wouldn’t miss Day Zero for anything, as Cape Town will be making world history in being the first city in the world to run out of water!  (more…)

Yesterday I attended a moving StreetSmart South Africa function at the Salesian Institute,  at which R540000 of the annual monies raised in Cape Town restaurants was presented to six organizations working with street children. In total StreetSmart raised R1,1 million nationally in the past year.  (more…)

The explosion of restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands in the last two months is a concern to many, both as restaurant lovers, in that one cannot keep up, and as restaurant owners, as there is not enough business for everyone.

Last month saw the opening of Seta at Villa 47, Le coin Français by Darren Badenhorst in Franschhoek, The Bistro and Deli at La Paris outside Franschhoek, Chef Duncan Doherty’s Eatery at Colmant in Franschhoek, and Boschendal at Oude Bank in Stellenbosch, amongst others.

We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.

Restaurant Openings

#  Villa 47 has relaunched its Stuzzico and Restaurant restaurants, as SETA and Pierino Penati, respectively. The latter restaurant (photograph) has opened in conjunction with Italian Michelin star restaurant owner Chef Theo Penati. (more…)

I had not been to Camps Bay, other than to drive through it on my way to and back from dancing at Constantia Nek on Sunday evenings, in many months. As the weather forecast for yesterday showed that it would be the warmest day for Spring/Summer to date, I drove to Camps Bay on a 30C day, to update my restaurant information for the suburb. (more…)

Earlier this week I visited the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine in Hilton, and I was delighted to meet the School’s second intake of twelve chef students, and to see how Chef Jackie Cameron and her School is flourishing. (more…)