Despite one of  the worst winters ever experienced by the Cape hospitality industry, few restaurants have closed down recently.   A surprise however is the movement of staff between restaurants. This list of restaurant openings and closings is updated continuously, as we receive new information:

Restaurant Openings

*    Beerhouse has opened on Long Street, with 16 beers on tap and 99 bottled beers from around the world.

*    The House of Machines has opened on Shortmarket Street, building motorcycles, offering good Evil Twin coffee, and serving very healthy food.

*   Pure Good has opened downstairs in the Associated Magazines building opposite Parliament, and is owned by Shannon Smuts, the first MasterChef SA Finalist to have been eliminated.

*   The Harbour House group has opened La Parada Spanish Tapas restaurant on Bree Street, with a subterranean bar/nightclub.

*   Orphanage Cocktail Emporium is opening Orphanage Club upstairs, with 1920’s style music by live performers, later this year.

*   Cavalli restaurant on the stud farm on the R44 is opening in October, as Carl Habel has left the Mount Nelson Hotel as Restaurant Manager and Sommelier to join the restaurant.  Chef Henrico Grobbelaar from the Twelve Apostles is running the kitchen.

*   Shake your Honey is to open in the original Madame Zingara building on Loop Street next year, after renovations commence later this year, according to an iolTravel report.  The ‘vibrant spirit of India’ is to be reflected in the 5-storey building, with a theatre, markets, restaurants, and shops.

*   Burger King branches at Cavendish and at Grandwest are to open.

*   A new restaurant and micro brewery is to open next door to The Bromwell in Woodstock (name not yet known).

*   Chef Reuben Riffel is to open an artisanal beer bar.

*   Lounge on Main is to open in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel in Green Point

*   Sinns on Long Street has opened.

*   Woodcutters Arms has opened in Hout Bay.

*   Bukhara has opened in the V&A Waterfront.

*   Haiku has opened in the V&A Waterfront.

*   Reuben’s Abalone House has opened in Paternoster!

*   Tours Brasserie is said to open in the ex-Green Dolphin in the V&A Waterfront, with CHef Oliver cattermole in the kitchen.

*   The Creamery Café has opened in Newlands Quarter in Dean Street.

*   TriBakery is opening on 22 Bree Street.

*   Vida e Caffe is said to be opening coffee shops at Shell petrol stations, 40 initially and 300 in total.  It is opening in Belvedere Square in Claremont.

*   Umi Asian restaurant is opening in the Camps Bay Promenade, owned by The Kovensky Group.

*   Black Pig Restaurant is opening on Kloof Street.

*   Tokai Italian Kitchen is to open in the Newlands Quarter.

*   Café Alfredo has opened in the Alfred Mall in the V&A Waterfront.

*   Mumbai Café has opened below Jewel of India on the corner of Wale and Rose Streets.

*   Tipples Bar & Grill is opening in Durbanville.

*   Diesel & Creme, a diner, restaurant, and coffee shop, is opening on the R62 in Barrydale.

*   Baked Bistro is opening another branch in the Groot Constantia Centre

*   5 on Lourenford has opened in Somerset West

*   Chef Pieter Vlok has opened Mont Marie Restaurant on the Klein DasBosch wine estate of retailer Whitey Basson on the Blaauwklippen Road in Stellenbosch.

*   Idiom Wines is said to be opening a restaurant in January.

*   The Tap Room has opened at Devils’ Peak Brewery

*   Engruna Eatery is opening in the same block as La Boheme in Sea Point, a ‘sister restaurant to @La Boheme_cpt. Gourmet Pizzas, Burgers, Craft Beer, Milkshakes. Opening soon‘,  its Twitter Bio informs.

*   The Hungry Monk restaurant and The Tipsy Parrot pub have opened in Greyton.

*   Wakaberry is opening in Cavendish Square.

*   Café Puerto Cabo has opened on Loop Street, another city centre Spanish eatery and men’s clothing shop.

*   I ♥ my Laundry is opening another branch on Bree Street in October.

*   Jordan Wines is launching a Deli and Bakery on 27 November.

*   Pistachio Bistro has opened in Franschhoek, in the decor shop by the same name.

*   Publik is to open on Church Street, between Bree and Buitengracht Streets, as a wine bar operated by David Cope, with the backing of Neil Pendock, it is speculated.

*   Crème Glaceé Cold Gold  is opening in Huguenot Square in Franschhoek on 1 November.

*   Lucky.Fish & Chips has opened on Bree Street, belongs to Michael Townsend of the Harbour House group.

Restaurant Closures

*  The Common Room at Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek has closed down, being transformed into a bar.

*   It’s a House in De Waterkant has closed.

*   Casparus in Stellenbosch is changing, dropping its name, with Sgt Pepper moving in and Chef Etienne Bonthuys cooking for them.

*   Constantia Uitsig appears to have been sold, and its restaurant with the same name is closing.  La Colombe and River Café remain open.

*   Deli @ The Square in Paarl is closing down at Frater Square on 30 September.  A Terbedore Food and Coffee Truck will serve its coffee, Bashews, and light breakfast and lunch options on Mondays – Saturdays.

*   Leaf Restaurant has closed down, ex-Showroom and Portofino.

Restaurant staff/venue changes

* De Oude Bank Bakkerij has expanded and moved to the corner of Church and Bird Street, with De Brasserij beer and wine bar, and a retail section selling charcuterie and fresh meats, home-made ice cream, coffee, breads, organic fruit and vegetables, dairy products, and wines, collectively called Schoon De Companje.

*      Café Le Chocolatier has closed down in Franschhoek, and has re-opened inside Apprentice in Stellenbosch.  A second branch is opening on Church Street in Stellenbosch.

*  Awestruck has opened in the ex-Caveau space on Bree Street.

* Massimo’s in Hout Bay has changed its name to Amici di Massimo’s for 10 – 12 months, to be run by Johan, while Massimo undergoes medical treatment in Italy. It will revert back to Massimo’s when they return.

* El Burro has opened Cabrito bar, in a section of the downstairs ex-Rhapsody space.

*   Wakame sister restaurant from Johannesburg, called Koi Restaurant, has opened at the Ambassador Hotel, where Salt was.

*   Ansgar Flaatten has taken over as MD of Allée Bleue in Franschhoek, from Wolfgang Leyrer.

*   Luke and Jessie Grant (ex-Nook in Stellenbosch) have taken over The Table at De Meye.   The former Nook is now called Meraki.

*   Peter Veldsman’s Emily’s, previously in Woodstock and the V&A Waterfront, is opening at 55 Kloof Street.

*   Chef Henrico Grobbelaar has left the Twelve Apostles Hotel, and Christo Pretorius is the new Executive Chef.

*   Chef Chris Mare of Blaauwklippen has moving to the Twelve Apostles Hotel as Executive Sous Chef.  Chef Stefan Muller has taken over as Executive Chef at Blaauwklippen.

*   Chef Eric Bulpitt has left The Roundhouse, and consulted to Harbour House for two months. He is taking over the former Heaven at Newton Johnson, as Chef Stefan Louw has left, renaming it The Restaurant at Newton Johnson. George Jardine of Jordan’s is his business partner and financier.  It opens mid-September.

*   Morgenster is planning a new restaurant with an (very big name) international partner, a Café, a Deli, and accommodation, a project which is still in development phase, but is planned to roll out over the next 13 months.  Sofia’s closed down on the wine and olive estate earlier this year.

*   Trinity has changed its name to Bennett Street Complex.

*   Mon Plaisir restaurant has closed down at Chamonix wine estate in Franschhoek. Reuben Riffel is the new operator of the planned Bistro, but will not be visible, naming it Racine, it has been announced.  Chef Nico Pretorius is in the kitchen, previously from Reuben’s at One&Only Cape Town.

*   Ivor Jones has been appointed as Head Chef at The Test Kitchen.

*   Joanne and Peter Kunz have bought The Original Deli in Hermanus.  It will be renamed Original Deli & Wine Lab from October.

*   Giulia has closed down on Main Road Green Point, and 65 on Main has opened in its place.

*   Mynt Café  has opened where Bar1 used to be in Camps Bay.

*   Chef Lapo Magni has left The Odyssey, and is opening his The Drunken Tuscan stand at the Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill in September.

*   De Brasserie has opened where Kaapzicht was on Beach Road, Strand, and belongs to the Almenkerk wine estate.

*   Le Coq is closing down in Franschhoek, and Allora is moving into the space in November, which will also have a hotel at the back of the building.

*   Michael Brown has been appointed Assistant Pastry Chef at the Taj Cape Town hotel.  He is offering an Afternoon Tea at the hotel.

*   Chef Oliver Cattermole of Dish at Le Franschhoek hotel has left and is returning to Cape Town.  He is said to be involved in opening a new 160 seater restaurant in the V&A Waterfront, being the former Green Dolphin, now called Mondiall and belongs to Chef Peter Tempelhoff, opening in November.

*   Executive Chef  Scott Shepherd has taken over at Le Franschhoek.

*   Chef Neil Norman has left Dornier Bodega restaurant, and is now at Kove/Paranga in Camps Bay.  Chef Daniel George Kotzé has taken over as Executive Chef at Bodega.

*   Allée Bleue has leased out its Bistro to Chef Atilla Allmann.

*   Tascha’s is opening in the V&A Waterfront where Mugg & Bean is.

*   Chef Frederic Faucheux has left Nobu at the One&Only Cape Town.  Chef Jonathan Gargan has taken his position, previously with Bistro 1800 at the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel .

*   Thomas Sinn has sold Sinn’s at Wembley Square, and only has Sinns on Long, a tiny restaurant.   His former restaurant is now called My Sins!

*   Myög Frozen Yoghurt has moved to the Lifestyle Centre on Kloof Street.

*   Voila (in Cape Quarter) is taking over the Salt Deli space in November.

*   Madeira Café has opened where Sofia’s was in Camps Bay.

*   The V&A Market on the Wharf is said to be opening seven days a week from October onwards.

*   LUST is the new name of Cotage Fromage at Vrede en Lust, with Chef and artisanal baker Jean-Pierre Smith having returned.

*   MOYO has just filed for ‘voluntary business rescue proceedings’, Business Day reports.

*   Good Food & Co opens in Franschhoek on 12 October, where the Franschhoek Food Emporium used to be.

*   Le Bon Vivant @ Glenwood Bistro has opened where Okamai used to be.

*   Vida e Caffe has taken over the bakery shop space in St John’s Piazza.

*   Fyndraai will be moving into a new restaurant building on Solms-Delta in January, making space for the current restaurant venue to become the tasting room.

*   Haas is moving to Buitenkant Street next year.

*   Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants has moved to 81 Church Street, sharing with Publik Wine Bar.

Restaurant winter breaks

*   Heaven restaurant will be closed for renovations for two months, opening with new Chef/co-owner Eric Bulpitt in mid-September, with new name The Restaurant.

*   Shimmy Beach Club is closed until mid-September.

We welcome all restaurant news – please e-mail us at whalecot@iafrica.com

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com   Twitter:@WhaleCottage