Two Top restaurant chefs, Wesley Randles and Ash Heeger, have announced that they are throwing in the towel in Cape Town, at the Shortmarket Club and Riverine Rabbit, respectively, a sign of the times? Added to this, Chef Luke Dale-Roberts has announced that The Commissary, next door to The Shortmarket Club, is to close at the end of this month too. And HQ is said to have closed down last week.

Chef Peter Tempelhoff announced the opening of a new ‘funky’ restaurant in Cape Town on Kfm over 3 months ago, but no further details of its name, location, or opening date are known. 

Cape Town restaurant openings 

#  Exhibit A fine dining restaurant has opened on the 3rd floor of the Villa 47 building in the city centre, for lunch and dinner on Tuesdays – Saturdays

Restaurant Review: New Exhibit A Fine-dining restaurant serves fine fun food, but service does not match cuisine quality!

#  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 

Catharina’s at Steenberg transformed, renamed, modernised into a younger and lighter Tryn Restaurant, offers ethically sourced fish and locally sourced ingredients!

#  Gigi has opened in the gorgeous Gorgeous George Hotel in St George’s Mall, with Guy Bennett at the helm.

Gorgeous George Hotel and its GiGi Rooftop Restaurant & Bar simply…Gorgeous, bowled over by the design, differentness!

#  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. 

KONG Bar & Grill has unique decor, excellent chef team, friendly service, and dancing too!

#  VIXI Social House has opened on Bree Street, 

#  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. (Photograph)

Restaurant Review: SurfShack perfect for a lunch at Camps Bay beach!

#  Boudha Lounge has opened on Buiten Street

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

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

Restaurant Review: Cowboys & Cooks De Waterkant serves excellent food, but service lags!

#   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. 

#  Scarpetta has opened as an Italian restaurant 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.  

#  Dahlia on Regent has opened in Sea Point.

#  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. 

New Vicious Virgin Rum Bar not vicious at all, brings French Polynesian Tiki cocktail culture to Cape Town!

#   Chef Jan-Hendrik’s new KLEIN JAN restaurant in the Kalahari Desert is 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. 

The Crypt Jazz Club reopens in Cape Town as restaurant, cocktail bar, and jazz club, with new owners and energy!

Winelands Restaurant openings 

#  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 moves 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. (Main Photograph)

#  Café Furlough has opened on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch 

#  Viande has opened at the Grande Roche Hotel, the latter with new local owners, and the restaurant headed up by Chef Pete Goffe-Wood. 

#  Jewells has opened at Spice Route outside Paarl, with Neil and Tina Jewell in the kitchen, in conjunction with Chef Liam Tomlin. 

#  Legado Coffee Bar has opened at Technopark, outside 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. 

#  Bodega at Dornier has reopened after a long closure. 

#   Fritz Schoon is opening 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 closures

#   Umi in Camps Bay has closed down

#   Seelan’s in the Waterfront has closed down

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

One&Only Cape Town and Reuben’s part ways after nine years, new spicy Ochre restaurant opens!

#  Open Door at Constantia Uitsig has closed down 

#  Catharina’s at Steenberg has closed down

#  Charango on Bree Street has closed down 

#  Bertus Basson @ Spice Route has closed down 

#   Marigold has closed down in Franschhoek 

#   De Villiers Chocolate Café has closed down in Franschoek 

#   Café Roux in the city centre has closed down.

#   Reuben’s at Abalone House in Paternoster has closed down

#   Racine in Franschhoek has closed down.

#  Eight at Spier in Stellenbosch has closed down. 

#  The Boschendal Bistro on Church Street in Stellenbosch has closed down.

#   Del Mar in Camps Bay has closed.

#   Macau has closed down. 

#   The House of H has closed down 

#   HQ and Roast Chicken have closed down.

Restaurant News

1.  Chef Ash Heeger has announced that she is closing Riverine Rabbit and moving to the United Kingdom in the next few months.
2. Chef Wesley Randles of The Shortmarket Club is leaving the restaurant and Cape Town for personal reasons at the end of March. 
3. Chef Calvyn Metior is the new Executive Chef at Monneaux Restaurant, previously Head Chef at La Motte. 
4. The Commissary is to close down at the end of this month. 

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

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