New restaurant openings continue, many working behind the scenes, and not revealing information about their new establishments prior to opening. We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously.

Restaurant Openings

*   Giulio’s Café has opened where My Basaar was located (photograph).

*   My Sugar has opened in Sea Point.

*   Chef Julia Hattingh has opened her own restaurant Reverie Social Table in Observatory.

• 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
• Blacksmith’s Kitchen has opened in Paarl.
• Inside and You’re Out Burgers has opened in the Cape Town city centre
• Chef Cheyne Morrisby has opened Lucky Boa and Asian Shake Bar in Hout Bay.
• Chef PJ Vadas has opened The Hog House on The Werf Bakery and Café at Spier.
• Chef Luke Dale-Roberts is to open Naturalis, an ‘incubation hub’ and venue for occasional dinners and events.
• Chef Luke Dale-Roberts is opening a pop-up Luke-Dale Roberts at The Saxon in January 2016.
• El Burro Taqueria has opened on the corner of New Union and Kloofnek Road in Tamboerskloof.
• Del Mar Mexican restaurant has opened in Camps Bay, with former El Bulli Chef Leopoldo Moreno
• Melissa’s is opening in Franschhoek.
• Charango Grill & Bar Peruvian restaurant has opened on Bree Street. More branches of what is to become a franchise operation are to open.
• Lebanese restaurant Ranoush is to open in the V&A Waterfront
•  95@Morgenster 100-seater restaurant by Chef Giorgio Nava has opened in Somerset West
• David Higgs is leaving five hundred at The Saxon, to open his own 250-seater restaurant in Rosebank in Johannesburg in March, with an as yet undisclosed name. His  business partner in the venture is Gary Kyriakou. Chef Candice Philip will take over from David at five hundred in November.
• Sundoo Indian tapas bar is to open in Sea Point, by Seelan Sundoo.
• Tiger’s Milk is to open in the SanClare Building in Claremont, in Century City, in Stellenbosch, and in Johannesburg.
• Easy Tiger (fast food casual burger outlet) has opened on Bree Street (former Lucky Fish), in Kalk Bay in mid-November, in Sea Point (former Lucky Fish) in mid-November, and in Muizenberg in mid-December, all owned by Michael Townsend.
• La Belle has opened next to Pepenero in Mouille Point.
•  Mon Desir is opening in Hermanus.
• Betty Blue Bistro has opened in Hermanus.
• Junior has opened on Kloofnek Road, opposite Hallelujah
• Tre Eatery Bakery Bar has opened in Somerset West
• Springfontein Barn has opened outside Stanford, serving German bar food.
• Bread & Butter Co has opened in Paarl
• Benguela on Main has opened in Somerset West
• The Warthog has opened in Rondebosch
• Ton Khoon Thai restaurant has opened in Bellville
• Stella Café has opened in The Cullinan Hotel.
• Lekker has opened in Kalk Bay
• Jarryd’s has opened in Sea Point
• Gautao’s has opened in Tyger Valley
• Field Office has opened in Mowbray
• The Cookie Yard has opened in Observatory
• Celeste’s Deli has opened in Sea Point
• Brick Lane Eatery has opened in Century City
• Beauvine Grill & Wine Cellar has opened in Constantia
• Bouchon Bistro is opening in Dorrance Cellar in November.
• The Orangerie and Champagne Bar is to open at Le Lude in Franschhoek  in November, with new Chef Westley Muller.
• La Parmigiana has opened in Salt River.
• Chef Bertus Basson is considering opening a new informal open-fire restaurant on Hidden Valley, alongside Overture.
• Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants has opened at Palmyra Junction.
• Platform 1 Eatery has opened at Elgin Station.
• Boston American diner has opened on Buitengracht Street
• Yours Truly has opened new branches on Hout Street and on Loop Street.
• Raya Kitchen by Kitima is to open in the city centre.
• The Kove Collection is to open Dalliance Restaurant & Bar in the V&A Waterfront
• Pulled and Roasted pilot store is opening at Speaker’s Corner on Church Square in November
• Velvet Cake Co has opened on Loop Street
• Floreal Brasserie has opened at Marianne Wine Estate
• The Tap Room and restaurant is opening at Darling Breweries in December
• Dudley’s Larder has opened in McGregor
• The Press Burgers and Craft Beer opens in Sea Point on 1 Decemberf
• Nooka Café vegetarian restaurant has opened.
• Harbour House is to open in Johannesburg
• Sexy Food has opened on Bree Street
• Cucina Labia has opened at Casa Labia, operated by Dish Food & Social.
• Arcade Resto-Bar is opening on Bree Street
• Hard Rock Café is said to open in the V&A Waterfront next year.
• Big Box Board Games Café has opened in Gardens.
• Restaurant Closures

• The GrillRoom 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 as Chateaubriand (name now changed to The Village Grill).
• 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.
• 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 due to the sale of the building.
• GourmetBoerie has closed down.
• Celtic Cove in the Cape Quarter has closed down.
• Bootleggers on Victoria Road in Bantry Bay has closed down.
• 65 on Main Banting Café has closed down.
• Rafiki’s Bar is closing down at the end of summer.
• Andiamo in the Cape Quarter has closed down.
• Pure Good has closed in the Associated Magazine building near Parliament, and is currently running the canteen of Get Smarter. Owner Chef Shannon Smuts is opening a corporate catering company with a restaurant on the Foreshore next year.
• Marc’s Mediterranean Cuisine & Garden has closed in Paarl.
• Emily’s on Kloof Street closes at the end of November.

Restaurant changes

• La Parada and Harbour House are opening in the former Constantia Nek restaurant building
• Jerry’s Burgers has opened where Mano A Mano operated in Park Road.
• The Creamery is expanding the size of its Newlands outlet and is opening in Mouille Point.
• The Salmon Bar is closing temporarily, until it can find new premises in Franschhoek.
• Belsol Portuguese restaurant has closed down in Camps Bay.  Next-door restaurant Ocean Blue has moved into the Belsol space.  The Butcher steak house has moved 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 Green Point
• Rumours persist that Jamie’s Italian will open in Cape Town
• Chef Suzi Holtzhausen has sold Gaaitjie in Paternoster to Chef Jaco Kruger.
• Twaalf has opened on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch
• The General Store has opened on Bree Street
• Food We Love has opened in Woodstock
• Breakaway Café has opened where Keenwä used to be
• Hands On Street Food by Nic van Wyk of Bistro 13 has opened as a pop-up at De Warenmarkt
• Reuben’s Franschhoek will move to new premises when its lease expires next year.
• The Pool Room has re-opened at Oak Valley Wines, with Chef Gordon Manuel.
• Chef Jenny Morris is opening Yumcious for Breakfast and Lunch, where Celtic Cove used to be in the Cape Quarter.
• Bar Bar Black Sheep re-opens in December with new owners John and Susanna Tecklenburg.
• Orphanage Cocktail Emporium closes temporarily, will re-open in Speakers-Corner next year.
• OYO at V&A Hotel will close in May, for a few months, for a complete renovation.
• Dropkick Murphys has opened where GourmetBoerie used to be.

Chef and Restaurant staff changes

• Joakim Blackadder has moved from Rust en Vrede to Hog House Brewing Co in Ndabeni as Sommelier, while Isabella Immenkamp has moved from Jardine at Jordan to Hog House on the Werf at Spier as Front of House.
• Chef Patrick Moreau, previous co-owner of Cassis, is opening Patachou Patisserie in Johannesburg.
• Chef Liam Tomlin has been appointed as a restaurant consultant to the Singita Group.
• Grande Provence Restaurant Manager and Sommelier Khuselo Mputa is moving to The Westcliff
• Chef Maritz Jacobs of Reuben’s Franschhoek is moving to The Restaurant at The Werf at Boschendal..
• Chef Tanja Kruger is leaving Makaron, and is leaving the restaurant industry.
• Chef Germaine Esau is leaving Makaron to join Hillcrest Berry Farm.
• Chef David is leaving Makaron.
• Emmarentia and Joey are the new owners of Good Food & Co Deli/Restaurant in Franschhoek.
• Chef Craig Patterson is joining The President hotel.
• Chef Lucas Carstens of Cuvée moves to Makaron, with Chef Pete Goffe-Wood appointed as Consultant.
• Chef Dennis Strydom has taken over the Haute Cabriere kitchen from Chef Ryan Shell.

Restaurant News

• Open Door at Contantia Uitsig now serves Breakfast.reident Hotel
•  Imibala restaurant in Somerset West serves dinner on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings from 2 September onwards.
• Tokara Delicatessen now serves Dinner on Saturday evenings.
• The Belmond Mount Nelson has introduced evening High Tea, from 18h00 – 21h30, at R295.
• Pierneef à La Motte offers a new Sunday Family Lunch at R 295.

We welcome all restaurant news: whalecot@iafrica.com

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog  Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here