The flood of new restaurant openings continues, especially in Cape Town. Surprising was the closure yesterday of the three-month old Ranoushe Lebanese restaurant in the V&A Waterfront, the shortest restaurant duration we know of!  We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously.

Restaurant Openings

#   The Orangerie has opened at Le Lude in Franschhoek (photograph)

#    Benguela on Main has opened in Somerset West, with Chef Jean Delport

#   Chef Luke Dale-Roberts has opened Naturalis, as an ‘incubation hub’, for lunches, and a venue for occasional dinners and events. (NOTE: Naturalis is currently closed for lunches, and will re-open as a Wine Bar in the evenings when it has received its liquor licence).

#   The Harbour House Group is planning to open two new restaurants on the Muizenberg beachfront: a 160-seater Live Bait (has opened), and Howlin’ Wolf, a burger and beer quick service restaurant

#   Chef Luke Dale-Roberts has opened a pop-up Luke Dale-Roberts at The Saxon inside five hundred, becoming a permanent restaurant from May onwards.

#   Melissa’s is opening in Franschhoek in May, and in Camps Bay later this year.

#   Charango Grill & Bar Peruvian restaurant is to become a franchise operation.

#   David Higgs is to open his 250-seater Marble restaurant in Rosebank in Johannesburg in May. His  business partner in the venture is Gary Kyriakou. Chef Werner Spöhr has joined them.

#   Sundoo Indian tapas bar has opened in Sea Point, by Seelan Sundoo.

#   Tiger’s Milk is to open in the SanClare Building in Claremont, in Century City, in Stellenbosch, in Bryanston in Johannesburg, and in Dubai.

#   Mon Desir has opened in Hermanus.

#   Betty Blue Bistro has opened in Hermanus

#   Springfontein Barn has opened outside Stanford, serving German bar food.

#   Bread & Butter Co has opened in Paarl

#   Bouchon Bistro has opened in Dorrance Cellar.

#   Chef Bertus Basson is opening a new informal open-fire restaurant on Hidden Valley, alongside Overture.

#   Yours Truly has opened new branches on Hout Street and on Loop Street.

#   Raya Kitchen by Kitima has opened in the city centre.

#   The Kove Collection has opened Dalliance Restaurant & Bar in the V&A Waterfront

#   Floreal Brasserie has opened at Marianne Wine Estate in Stellenbosch

#   The Tasteroom and Brewery has opened at Darling Breweries

#   Dudley’s Larder has opened in McGregor

#   The Press Burgers and Craft Beer has opened in Sea Point

#   Nooka Café vegetarian restaurant has opened.

#   Harbour House is to open in Johannesburg

#   Sexy Food has opened on Bree Street

#   Arcade Resto-Bar has opened on Bree Street

#   Hard Rock Café is said to open in the V&A Waterfront.

#   Big Box Board Games Café has opened in Gardens.

#   Little Saint has opened on Bree Street

#   A Mexican-style tapas restaurant has opened inside Tuk Tuk craft beer microbrewery in Franschhoek.

#   Marigold Indian restaurant is to open in Franschhoek in winter.

#   Chef Luke Dale-Roberts is to open Short Market Club in May

#   Dapper has opened on Bree Street

#   Honeybadger has opened on Loop Street.

#   Benguela Cove Pop-Up Restaurant has opened outside Hermanus, until March.

#   Barney’s Deli has opened in Hout Bay.

#   Nomad has opened in Stellenbosch, with Chef Marile van Niekerk

#   ASH restaurant is opening inside Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants/Publik, with Chef Ash Heeger, returning to Cape Town.

#   Restaurant Jardine has opened in Stellenbosch, the kitchen headed up by Chef Brendan Thorncroft, owner Chef George Jardine alternating between the new restaurant and Jordan Restaurant.

#   Folk Coffee Anthropology has opened on Bree Street.

#   La Petite Ferme has opened a Tapas Bistro.

#   Jason’s Bakery has opened a new branch on Loop Street

#   Café Pavé has opened at Camberley Wine Estate, Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch, with Chefs Sidwell Yarrow and Angelique Dreyer.

#   Jamie’s Italian is to open in Cape Town next year.

#   Knus Karoo Kombuis is opening in Paarl

#   Villa 47 has opened on Bree Street, with Locando restaurant on the ground floor.  Stuzzico Italian finger-food and bar opens on the second floor, and The Restaurant ‘fine dining with a twist‘ on the third floor, with Chefs Clayton Bell and Vittorio Bianchi.

#   Guts & Gizzards has opened on Loop Street.

#   Dunkin’ Donuts will open 250 outlets in our country, the first four in Cape Town.

#   Crumbs & Cream has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#   [spasie] Upstairs is opening on Bree Street in April

#   Madison Ave Night Club is opening in April

Restaurant Closures 

#   Rafiki’s Bar is closing down at the end of summer.

#   Andiamo in the Cape Quarter has closed down.

#   Emily’s on Kloof Street has closed down.

#   Voila has closed in Cape Quarter.

#   The Flagship in Simonstown, formerly the restaurant of the late Bruce Robinson, is closing on 15 April.

#   Beau Vine in Constantia appears to have closed down.

#   Tuscany Beach in Camps Bay is closed for renovations. A new restaurant with a new name will open in November.

#   Ranoushe restaurant has closed down.

#   Crisp in Franschhoek closes down at the end of March, to make space for the new Woolworths.

#   Freres Bistro has been sold, and is currently closed.

#   Active Sushi in Portside on Bree Street has closed.

#   Vida e Caffe in Portside on Bree Street has closed.

#   Chandani has closed.

Restaurant changes

#   La Parada and Harbour House are opening in the former Constantia Nek restaurant building.

#   The Salmon Bar has closed temporarily, until it can find new premises in Franschhoek.

#   The General Store has opened on Bree Street

#   Food We Love has opened in Woodstock

#   Breakaway Café has opened where Keenwä used to be

#   Reuben’s Franschhoek will move to new premises when its lease expires, and its space is to become a Woolworths.  It is said to close for renovations at the end of April.

#   Chef Jenny Morris has opened Yumcious Café for Breakfast and Lunch, where Celtic Cove used to be in the Cape Quarter.

#   Bar Bar Black Sheep has re-opened in Riebeek Kasteel, with new owners John and Susanna Tecklenburg.

#   OYO at V&A Hotel will close in May, for a few months, for a complete renovation.

#   Dropkick Murphys has opened on Kloof Street, where GourmetBoerie used to be.

#   Clarke’s is opening a pizza section.

#   The Stack will re-open mid-2016, after renovations due to fire damage.

#   Greek Fisherman has moved to a new location in the V&A Waterfront.

#   Bootlegger has opened where Voila was in the Cape Quarter.

#   The Harbour House Group is to take over The Grand Camps Bay.

#   Chef Johann Breedt has bought Viva Cafê in Green Point, which is to be renamed Bernie’s.

#   SMAK Deli has opened where Tribakery used to be, on Bree Street.

#   You are There has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#   Maggie’s Café has opened in Green Point, where 65 on Main operated, owned by Chef Riaan Burger, previously of Mondiall.

#   Sababa has changed the name of its Bree Street branch back to its original name, after trading as Olami for a short while.

#   Tiger’s Milk Smokehouse is opening where Emily’s used to be on Kloof Street.

#   Chef’s Warehouse’s Streetfood has closed, and been replaced by their No Reservations Bar!

#   The Long Table Restaurant and Café at Haskell Vineyards closes on 27 March, and will re-open after 4 – 6 weeks of renovation, upgrade, and general maintenance, to be run by the winery itself when it re-opens.

#   La Cuccina is to open an outlet in the former Andiamo in the ‘old’ Cape Quarter in April.

#   Strolla is the new restaurant in the Peninsula All-Suite Hotel, operated by the notorious Brendon Crew

#   Kan10 is opening in De Warenmarkt, offering lunches, ‘grab-and-go’, and dinners, with Chefs Nic van Wyk and Westley Muller.

#   The Bakery @ Jordan will no longer be operated by Chef George Jardine from 3 May onwards.  It will be taken over by Jordan Winery.

Chef and Restaurant staff changes

#   Chef Craig Patterson has joined The President hotel.

#   Chef Lucas Carstens of Cuvée has moved to Makaron, with Chef Pete Goffe-Wood appointed as Consultant.

#   Chef Dennis Strydom has taken over the Haute Cabriere kitchen

#   Chef Ryan Shell is now at Vergenoegd wine estate.

#   Carolize Coetzee is the new chef at Cuvee at Simonsig.

#   Chef Etienne Wessels has left the Grande Roche, and has joined Ulusaba.

#   Chef Andres Condé has left the Harbour House Group.

#   Chef Kyle Haytread has joined Oude Werf.

#   Chef Adrian Buchanan is the new Head Chef at 96 Winery Road.

#   Chef Stefan du Bruyn has joined Café BonBon

#   Restaurant Manager Martin Drotsky has left the Cape Grace hotel, to join Katsuya by Stark in Doha in Qatar as GM.

#   Chef Westley Muller has left The Orangerie at Le Lude.

#   Chef Hylton Espey has left Equus restaurant at Cavalli, as has his Sous Chef Anwar. Chef Calun Anderson has taken over.

#   Chef Angelo Scirocco has left Chef’s Warehouse.

#   Chef Garth Almazan is said to be leaving Catharina’s at Steenberg.

#   Chef Warwick Taylor has left Creation, with Chef Jaco Grové being the new Executive Chef.

#   Chef Ivor Jones is said to be leaving The Test Kitchen.

#   Neill Beningfield and Kyle Gray are the new owners of Eat @ Altydgedacht.

Restaurant News

#   Open Door at Contantia Uitsig now serves Breakfast.

#   Imibala restaurant in Somerset West now serves dinner on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings.

#   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 now offers Sunday Family Lunch at R 295.

#   La Petite Ferme is now open for dinner on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.

#   Leeu House in Franschhoek now is available for meals to non-residents, subject to availability.

#   Haute Cabriere will open for lunch on Mondays from 29 February.

#   Boston has received its liquor licence.

#   Long Table restaurant at Haskell closes for minor renovations in April.

#   Le Quartier Français will be closed for maintenance from 19 June – 15 July.

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