Restaurants and their customers celebrated the revised Lockdown regulations yesterday, permitting the sale of alcohol and the closing time moved to 22h00. It will be interesting to see which of the 20 restaurants which announced their closure in the past month, will reopen, six having reopened since yesterday.

Despite the Lockdown regulations affecting restaurants so badly in the past nine months, a total of 68 new restaurants have opened in Cape Town and the Winelands during Lockdown. Top chefs are opening new restaurants, including Chefs Peter Tempelhoff, Cheyne Morrisby, and Liam Tomlin.

The latest permanent Lockdown Restaurant Closure list stands at 89 Restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands. Sadly the greatest casualty of Covid and the Lockdown is the recent closure of The Restaurant at Waterkloof, as are the closures of Balducci’s and Belthazar in the Waterfront and La Tête on Bree Street.  Clarke’s, The Shortmarket Club, Koffi Terapi, Ocean Blue, and Dahlia on Regent announced their permanent closure earlier in Lockdown, but have since reopened.

The Test Kitchen and The Food Barn have changed their offerings and their restaurant names in reaction to the Covid Lockdown.

The Test Kitchen and The Foodbarn Restaurants transformed to cope with aftermath of Covid Lockdown!

Franschhoek saw a number of Lockdown Restaurant Closures, but has five new restaurant openings, some restaurants have relocated, and some have changed their offering.

Franschhoek Restaurants during Lockdown: which are open, closed, and opening soon!

 

Restaurant Closures (temporary ?) since start of Adjusted Level 3 Lockdown on 29 December

Bones in Woodstock – permanently closed

Nelson’s Eye in Gardens – permanently closed

Chefs Warehouse & Canteen in Bree Street – status uncertain

Grub & Vine on Bree Street -reopened

La Mouette in Sea Point – permanently closed, for sale

Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenhort – reopening 12 February

The Wild Fig, Observatory – reopened

Rick’s Café Americain on Kloof Street -reopened

Banana Jam Café in Kenilworth – reopened

The 41 in Camps Bay – reopens 4 February

Lee’s Chinese Kitchen – restaurant closing 28 February

Upper Bloem in Green Point – status uncertain

SHIO in De Waterkant – status uncertain

Manhattan’s in De Waterkant – status uncertain

Piano Bar in De Waterkant – permanently closed

La Tête on Bree Street – permanently closed

 

Restaurant Openings (Since the start of Lockdown)

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

#  Chef Liam Tomlin has opened Local at Heritage Square, a retail collection of local food products, fresh and packaged, in the former HQ space.

#   Chef Liam Tomlin is opening Mazza upstairs in the former HQ, as a Middle Eastern eating bar.

#   Ciao Pizza, Long Street.

#   Firefly Café in Camps Bay

Restaurant Review: Firefly Café in Camps Bay is a unique neighbourhood refreshment station, starting to fly!

#   Chef Chen Sushi Bar pop-up, The Point Mall, Sea Point.

#   Floozies (now renamed The Wolf House) has opened on Kloof Street.

#  Fork has opened in Franschhoek

#   Entrée has opened in Franschhoek

#   Flower Café has opened in Woodstock.

#   Jooma has opened in Sea Point

#   Starbucks opened in Camps Bay on 15 December

#   Starbucks has opened at Canal Walk

#   Starbucks has opened at Cavendish Square

#   Yama Sushi Emporium opened in Franschhoek in December

#   Oku opened in Franschhoek on 14 October

#   Blue Coriander Indian restaurant has opened in Place Vendome in Franschhoek, the owner being a former chef at Marigold

#   Oxalis Eatery has opened on Wale Street.

#   Fat Harry’s in Wynberg has reopened, with new owners, an interior makeover, and new menu and staff.

Fat Harry’s in Kenilworth transformed from Bar to Restaurant with a Bar, with new owners, new decor, new kitchen and chef, new menu!

#   Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic has opened

Tintswalo Kitchen at Tintswalo Atlantic to be transformed into Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic!

#   Barstaurant has opened at Glencairn Hotel in Simonstown, by the Tintswalo Group.

#   Bo-Kaap Deli has opened in Bo-Kaap.

#   Restaurateur Stuart Bailey has opened De Vleispaleis Grillroom & Bar,  a meat restaurant in the Black Horse Centre on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch. (Photograph)

#   Curry Cave has opened on New Church Street

#   Ideas Cartel Bar has opened at Casa Labia, Muizenberg

#   Mexicola Locale opened at the end of October in Hout Bay, another new Chef Cheyne Morrisby restaurant

#  FreeBird has opened in Kloof Street Village.

#   Sharon’s Cafë has opened at The Palms

#   Clay Café has opened on Bree Street.

#   The Pokémon Co Claremont has opened

#   Rosetta has opened on Bree Street

#    Forneria Italia Beachfront has opened in Table View

#    I Sapori has opened in Table View

#   Seed & Circus has opened in Zonnebloem/District Six

#   The Manor at Nederburg has opened, in Paarl

#   Culture Wine Bar has opened on Bree Street, a joint venture between Chef Matt Manning and wine fundi  Chris Groenewald

#   Royale Eatery has opened on Vineyard Road in Claremont.

#   Salushi Express has opened in Cavendish Street, Claremont

#   Vadas Pasteis de Nata & Café has opened in Stellenbosch

#   All Things Edible (ATE) has opened at Silver Forest Boutique Lodge in Somerset West, with Chef Michael Broughton

#   The Shortmarket Club has reopened as The Shortmarket Grill.

#.  OK JA has opened in Camps Bay (former Maison J)

#   Bokeh Creative Studio has opened on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#   Chef Peter Tempelhoff is to open a Street Food restaurant on Shortmarket Street.

#   Ernie Els Wines Restaurant has opened in Stellenbosch

#   Kleine Zalze Restaurant has opened, with Chef Nic van Wyk

#   Drum has opened in the Black Horse Centre in Stellenbosch

#   Old Town Italy has opened in the V& A Waterfront

#   Old Town Italy has opened in Durbanville

#  Lime Tree Café has opened a Deli.

#  Chef Judi Fourie has opened Fideli’s on Parliament Street, where Kleinsky’s used to be (Photograph)

#  La Petite Maison has opened in Langebaan.

#  Chef Peter Tempelhoff has opened Beyond at Buitenverwachting in Constantia, with Nicholas Walker as Manager, and Chef Julia du Toit heading up the kitchen.

Chef Peter Tempelhoff goes beyond Fyn to launch beyond Restaurant at Buitenverwachting!

#   Chef Kevin Grobler has opened The Restaurant at Grande Roche in Paarl.

The Restaurant at Grande Roche opens in two weeks, just after Viande Restaurant closes down at the Paarl hotel!

#  Beach House has opened on Victoria Road in Camps Bay, where Sunset Sessions used to be.

#   My Sugar has opened in Cavendish Square and in Canal Walk.

#   Schoon has opened at Kloof Street Village

#   KOFI has opened at Kloof Street Village

#   Nü has opened at Kloof Street Village

#   Lexi’s Healthy Eatery Vegan restaurant is opening on Regent Road in Sea Point.

#   ëlgr has opened on Kloof Street, where Janse & Co operated previously.  Probably the restaurant with the most difficult name in Cape Town.

#  The Botanicum Restaurant has opened at Morgenster

#   Crème de la Crème has opened in Camps Bay.

#   Schoon has opened in The Point Mall in Sea Point

#   Schoon has opened on Main Road, Sea Point.

#   Kauai has opened in The Point Mall

#    Chef Cheyne Morrisby is opening Himitsu restaurant at Camps Bay Retreat in February.

Shhhh it’s a secret: Chef Cheyne Morrisby to open new Himitsu restaurant at Camps Bay Retreat!

#   Makers Landing has opened in the Cruise Terminal in the Waterfront, a collection of small food operators.

Makers Landing Cape Food craft market opens in the Waterfront today, celebrates SA food diversity!

Restaurant Closures since Lockdown:

#   The Shortmarket Club (has reopened)

#    La Bottega in Woodstock.

#    Empire Café in Muizenberg.

#    SMAK Delicatessen and Eatery.

#    Buitenverwachting Restaurant in Constantia.

#    The Deli Coffee Co in the V & A Waterfront

#    Under Oaks, Paarl (re-opened for Sit-Down, previously reported as Closed Down)

#    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 for Delivery in partnership with For Food’s Sake)

#   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)

#   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 (has reopened)

#   The Larder, Claremont

#  Café Blouberg,  Bloubergstrand

#   Jason’s, Bree Street Branch

#   Koffi Terapi, Willowbridge (reopened)

#  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 (has reopened)

#   Masala Dosa Restaurant, Long Street

#   Vicious Virgin Bar, Wale Street

#   Exhibit A, Bree Street

#  Frankie Fenner, Durbanville

#   Dale’s Black Angus, The Paddocks, Milnerton

#  TableThirteen, Green Point

#  Ton Khoon, Tyger Waterfront

#   Terroir, Stellenbosch.

#   Daniela’s Deliciously Decadent, Cape Quarter.

#   Batavia Café, Bo-Kaap

#   Addis in Cape Ethopian Restaurant

#   Fork on Long Street

#   Yumcious Café, Durbanville

#   Aces & Spades, City centre.

#  Guilio’s Café, Loop Street

#  De Wijnhuis, Stellenbosch

#  Café Mozart, Church Street

#  Active Sushi, Hudson Street

#  Amore, Kenilworth

#.  Primi Muizenberg

#   Primi Eden on the Bay

#   Primi Willowbridge

#   Mink & Trout, Bree Street

#   Lou Lou’s, Cape Quarter

#   Knead, The Point Centre

#   Pastis, Constantia

#   Viande at Grande Roche, Paarl.

#   95 Keerom Street, Cape Town

#   95 at Morgenster, Somerset West

#   Tintswalo Kitchen at Tintswalo Atlantic

#   Will’s Café and Deli, Oranjezicht

#  Jerry’s Burger Bar, Stellenbosch

#   Maison J in Camps Bay

#   Beluga in Green Point

#   Goloso in Sea Point

#   Restaurant Seven in Somerset West, owned by Chef George Jardine

#   Baker Brothers in Green Point

#   Bodega at Dornier, Stellenbosch

#   Doppio Zero, Stellenbosch

#   Restaurant at Waterkloof closed on 22 November

SA Top 10 Restaurant List loses one of its stars as Restaurant at Waterkloof closes down in two weeks!

#  The Slick Restaurant Group’s Balducci’s and Belthazar Restaurants have closed down in the Waterfront.

V&A Waterfront stalwart Balducci’s and Belthazar Restaurants close down, latest Covid Lockdown casualties!

#   La Tête on Bree Street

#   La Mouette in Sea Point

#   Bones in Woodstock

 

The Restaurant Closure and Opening Lists are updated continuously throughout the month.

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

 

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, now heading up the kitchen at Delaire Graff.
3. Chef Scott Armstrong has rejoined JAN Restaurant in Nice as Sous Chef.
4. Chef Nico Vorster has left La Paris Bistro outside Franschhoek, and has bought The Good Food Co in Franschhoek.
5. Bossa Stellenbosch and Die Strandloper suffered extensive fire damage during Lockdown.
6. Chef Bell McCleod has left Bones in Woodstock, now heading up the Hemel & Aarde Brewery.
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 Arno Janse van Rensburg has left his restaurant Janse & Co, his next venture not yet known. He is working with his former Janse & Co team at Oxalis.
10. Stellenbosch has introduced an innovative community-supported incentive to restaurant diners to pay by SnapScan, offering them a 50% discount, with a maximum of R400, presented as a voucher.
11. Epice has moved to the space of Le Petite Colombe at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek.
12. Le Petite Colombe has opened at Leeu Estates.
13. The Foodbarn in Noordhoek has transformed into Foodbarn Café & Tapas.
14. The Test Kitchen has changed its offering and its name to The Test Kitchen Origins
15. De Vrije Burger has moved to 13 Drostdy Street in Stellenbosch.

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

Photograph taken at new Fideli’s Deli on Parliament Street, Cape Town. 

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