The Restaurant industry is one of the hardest hit due to the Corina Virus in South Africa, having had to endure five weeks of complete closure, then restricted to Food Deliveries in May, allowed to offer Alcohol Sales and Food Collections during June, and now allowed to offer Sit-Down Service without on-site alcohol consumption since Monday 29 June.  As an industry employing an estimated 800000 employees, the UIF and TERS problems it has had to endure in receiving (or not) staff payment has exacerbated the state of the restaurant industry, described by Chefs Warehouse Chef Liam Tomlin earlier this week as being reduced to nothing more than one of Coffee shops!

Many restaurants have decided to not open for Sit-Down Service currently, until they can offer on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages, and will continue to offer the Delivery and Collection of Food and Alcohol.

Restaurants allowed to reopen for Sit-Down Service from today, but do they really want to? Many will wait for Alcohol Sales to be allowed and/or for Summer!

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

The tight controls over the Restaurant industry is taking its toll, the first restaurants closing down completely. On my latest list I have more than 40 Restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands which have closed down (see below).

A shock closure announced by Chef Luke Dale Roberts during Lockdown Level 5 was that of The Shortmarket Club. SMAK Delicatessen and Eatery on Bree Street, Myoga at the Vineyard Hotel, La Bottega in Woodstock, Empire Cafe in Muizenberg, Buitenverwachting Restaurant (under the guidance of Chef Edgar Osojnik for the past 20 years), and The Kitchen of Karen Dudley and many more have also thrown in the towel, with many others (see below)

Chef Luke Dale Roberts’ The Shortmarket Club restaurant the first Corona Virus victim, in closing for good!

New restaurant openings seem unlikely in the next few months, with winter lying ahead, and restaurant cash flows depleted due to the Corona Lockdown. Chef Peter Tempelhoff announced the opening of a new ‘funky’ restaurant in Cape Town on Kfm a few months ago, but no further details of its name, location, or opening date are known.

PLEASE NOTE:  The List of Restaurant closures below is the property of WhaleTales Blog, and may only be used and shared with our permission:

 

Restaurant Closures since Lockdown:

 

#   The Shortmarket Club has closed down

#    La Bottega in Woodstock has closed down.

#    Empire Café in Muizenberg has closed down.

#    SMAK Delicatessen and Eatery has closed down.

#    Buitenverwachting Restaurant has closed down 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 (reopened as a pop-up on 18 July)

#   StarGarden Café, Fish Hoek

#   Oven Baked, Muizenberg

#   Noordhoek Café & Deli

#.  Kalk Bay Theatre

#   The Kitchen, Woodstock

#   Bay Expresso

#  Mugg & Bean, Constantia

#   Jessy’s Waffles, Camps Bay

#  Chi Cha in Sea Point

#   Ocean Blue in Camps Bay (reopened 18 July)

#   Black Horse, Stellenbosch

#   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

#   Dahlia on Regent, Sea Point

#   The Larder, Claremont

#  Café Blouberg,  Bloubergstrand

#   Jason’s, Bree Street Branch

#   Koffi Terapi, Durbanville

#  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)

#   Perseverance, Gardens (oldest pub in Cape Town)

#   Fire Monkey, Claremont

#   Cattle Baron, Tokai

#  Clarke’s, Bree Street

#   Masala Dosa Restaurant, Long Street

#   Vicious Virgin Bar, Wale Street

#   Exhibit A, Bree Street

Exhibit A in Cape Town the first Fine-Dining Restaurant to close down due to the Corona Lockdown!

#  Den Anker, V&A Waterfront (temporarily)

#  Frankie Fenner, Durbanville

#   Dale’s Black Angus, The Paddocks, Milnerton

 

Restaurant closures before Lockdown

 

#   Reuben’s at the One&Only has closed down

#   Café Roux in the city centre has closed down..

#   Del Mar in Camps Bay has closed.

#   Macau has closed down.

#   HQ and Roast Chicken have closed down.

#   The Commissary has closed.

#.  Riverine Rabbit has closed down, with Chef Ash Heeger having moved to the UK.

 

Cape Town restaurant openings (pre-Lockdown)

 

#  Ochre has opened at the One&Only Cape Town, in the place of Reuben’s

#  Tryn has opened at Steenberg, under the stewardship of Chef Kerry Kilpin, also heading up Bistro Sixteen82, previously Catharina’s.

#  Blockhouse Kitchen has opened at Constantia Uitsig, in the former Open Door space, headed up by Chef Brad Ball.

#  Patina Steak & Fine Wine is to open at D’Aria wine estate in Durbanville.

#  Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen has opened in the Waterfront, next to Mitchell’s.

#  KONG has opened as a bar and grill in De Waterkant.

#  Big Dog Café has opened on Kloof Street, sister restaurant to the Terbodore-owned restaurant with the same name in Franschhoek.

#  Mozambik Portuguese restaurant has opened in the Waterfront, where Seelan’s used to be.

#  Syrup has opened on Bree Street

#  SurfShack has opened in Camps Bay, where Umi used to be, belonging to the Kove Collection.

#  Boudha Lounge has opened on Buiten Street

#  The Korner has opened in Mandela Rhodes House, belonging to Giles Blanc, the owner of The 41 restaurant in Camps Bay,

#   Cowboys and Cooks has opened in De Waterkant, and is opening on Kloof/Rheede Street

#   Plant Café vegan restaurant has opened in Camps Bay

#   Mykonos Taverna has opened in Camps Bay, in the former Dizzy’s Bar/pool area. It has also opened in Newlands.

#  Sloppy Sam is said to be reopening in a new unannounced venue.

#  Arthur’s Mini Super has opened in Sea Point

#  The Kind Kitchen vegan restaurant has opened at Constantia Uitsig.

#   Harvest Café has opened in Muizenberg

#. Stellski Coffee Bar has opened on Loop Street

#  Yu Asian Tapas & Bar has opened in the Onyx Hotel in the city centre

#   Iron Steak and Bar has opened on Bree Street, where Charango used to be.

#   117Kloof has opened on Kloof Street, belonging to Yours Truly Café

#  GoodFood has opened as a multi food and beverage offering under one roof, in Woodstock.

#  Unfiltered has opened as a taproom with a beer and food offering, in conjunction with the chefs of Woodlands Eatery.

#   Shakespeare’s Restaurant has opened in Durbanville.

#   Punjab has opened in Kenilworth

#  The Jagger Lounge has opened where Café Roux used to be, on Shortmarket Street.

#  EatStanbul Turkish restaurant has opened on Kloof Street.

#  I love the Dough has opened on Bree Street.

#  Chef Seelan Sundoo has opened Three Wise Monkeys on Kloof Street.

#  Step Brothers has opened in Bantry Bay

#  BrewzKrew has opened in Rondebosch

#   DipnDip Chocolate Café has opened in the Waterfront.

#   Chef Peter Tempelhoff is to open a new ‘funky’ restaurant. No further details are known.

#  Quince Restaurant at Little Orchard Nursery has opened in Diep River, by Chef Graham Isaacson.

#  Tindlovu has opened in Camps Bay, as a restaurant offering South African cuisine.

#  Infusions on Long has opened in the city centre,

#  Fire Monkey has opened in Claremont, the newest restaurant owned by Chef Cheyne Morrisby.

#. Maaya has opened as a Peruvian/Japanese restaurant on Loop Street.

#   ERTH Eatery has opened in Green Point, a ‘nutricosmetic eatery’.

#.  Old Town Italy is said to open in Cape Town.

#   Vicious Virgin rum bar has opened in Wale Street, serving light meals too.

#   Chef Jan-Hendrik’s new KLEIN JAN restaurant in the Kalahari Desert is set to open in November 2020.

Chef Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen’s new KLEIN JAN Restaurant at Tswalu Kalahari opens its doors for a first peek inside!

#.  The Crypt Jazz Club, restaurant, and cocktail bar has reopened on Wale Street.

#   Moro Gelato has opened on Regent Road, Sea Point

 

Restaurant Openings (During Lockdown)

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

#  Chef Liam Tomlin is said to be working on the former HQ space, either to establish a new restaurant there, or to expand his Chefs Warehouse Canteen on Bree Street, being in the same building.

#   Ciao Pizza, Long Street.

#   Tintswalo Kitchen, Hout Bay

Tintswalo Kitchen Restaurant opens to local diners, for lunch and dinner, kitchen headed up by former Shortmarket Club chef!

 

Winelands Restaurant openings (pre-Lockdown)

#  La Chêne has opened at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek, its owner Chef Darren Badenhorst of Le Coin Français taking over all food and beverage operations in the hotel.

#  Arkeste has opened where Racine used to be, on Chamonix wine estate, operated by Chef Richard Carstens of RiffelCarstens.

#.  Le Petite Colombe was to move into a separate building at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek in May 2020.

#  Marilyn’s Sushi restaurant has opened in Franschhoek, a third restaurant with the two Rocas in the village.

#  Café Furlough has opened on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch

#  Schoon Bread Café has opened in Franschhoek, where De Villiers Café used to be,

#  Chef Chris Erasmus and Haut Espoir are planning an eatery in the Franschhoek wine estate.

#  The Table at De Meye outside Stellenbosch has reopened, with new owners Brendan Thorncroft and Leigh Williamson.

#  The Farmer’s Café has opened at Spier. A Deli has opened where Eight was at Spier.

#   Fritz Schoon has opened where Vida e Caffe was on the corner of Church and Bird Street in Stellenbosch.

#  Ernie Els is said to be converting his Tasting Centre in Stellenbosch into a fine dining restaurant.

#  Chef Jess van Dyk is the new Head Chef of Protégé Restaurant  in Franschhoek, having moved across from La Colombe.

#.  Epice has opened in Franschhoek, where Marigold was located, with Head Chef Charné Sampson.

#  The Four Square Club has opened at Môreson outside Franschhoek, owned by Chef Chris Erasmus of Foliage.

#.  Char’d Hermanus has opened.

 

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.
3. Chef Scott Armstrong has rejoined JAN Restaurant in Nice as Sous Chef.
4. Chef Nico Vorster has left La Paris Bistro outside Franschhoek.
5. Bossa Stellenbosch and Die Strandloper suffered extensive fire damage.
6. Chef Bell McCleod has left Bones in Woodstock.
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 Kayla-Ann Osborne has been appointed as Head Chef of Delaire Graff Restaurant.

 

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

 

Photo Credit: Salsify at the Roundhouse Chef Ryan Cole, a side dish offered for his Personal Food Delivery Service Essentials by Ryan Cole. 

 

About Chris von Ulmenstein

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein