Tag Archives: Vida e Caffe

Restaurants still opening in Cape Town & Winelands, despite end of season!

imageNew restaurant openings continue, especially in Cape Town.  The most amazing new opening success has been Locanda Restaurant at Villa 47 on Bree Street, which became the city’s favorite within its first week of opening!   Very interesting news is Chef Ivor Jones’ departure from The Test Kitchen* at the end of the month and his future (see below).

We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously.

Restaurant Openings

#    Villa 47 has opened on Bree Street, with Locando restaurant on the ground floor.  Stuzzico Italian finger-food and bar has opened on the second floor, and Continue reading →

Restaurant openings continue in Cape Town and Winelands, with some closures!

The imageflood 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
Continue reading →

CapeWine 2015 Sweet Service and Vida e Caffè Sour Service Awards!

Cape Wine Logo (LR)The Sweet Service Award goes to Wines of South Africa (WOSA) and the wine industry, for its excellent hosting of CapeWine 2015 this week. I spoke to a number of international visitors, and they were astounded at the good organisation, and that all but four members of the wine industry attended and put their wines on show. Not only did the wine ambassadors man their stands for about eight hours per day over the last three days, but they also attended and/or hosted events in the afternoons and evenings during this week, as well as the past weekend, requiring an amazing amount of stamina from exhibitors as well as visitors to the Expo. Some exhibitors were irritated to be a captive audience for supplier sale persons, while we felt that no proactive media information was sent to writers. All in all, it was an excellent showcase for a very important industry of our province. Continue reading →

Few new Restaurant openings lying ahead in Cape Town and Winelands!!

Open Door Kitchen and Bar Whale CottageWinter has set in, and the rate of new restaurant openings has almost ground to a halt, as has the move of chefs between restaurants.  This list of restaurant openings and closings and restaurant staff movements is updated continuously, as we receive new information:

Restaurant Openings

*   Open Door has opened at Constantia Uitsig, the third restaurant to be opened by Neil Grant and his business partner Barry Engelbrecht (of Burrata and Bocca), previously the River Café. (photograph)

*   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. Continue reading →