The slow months of the winter season can often usher in changes in the restaurant industry. Closures, renovations, relocations and new openings are part and parcel of this time of year.
As our dynamic industry grows, newcomers are welcomed and old legends are celebrated. We’ve seen Chris Erasmus, former executive chef at 2013 Top 10 restaurantPierneef à La Motte, move on to pursue his dream of opening his own spot. We really look forward to seeing what Chris has in store at forest-to-table-themed Foliage.
Another hot bit of gossip was around the opening of a new bistro in Cape Town’s Foreshore. With a chef who trained under Heston Blumenthal and worked at The Fat Duck and The Pot Luck Club, Borage is getting some worthy attention.
The movers and shakers in the culinary world tend to be a hot topic at dinner parties, sometimes leading to unfounded and off-the-mark rumours. To help you get your facts straight, we’ve rounded up a list of confirmed openings, closures and other changes at notable eateries around the country.
Rumour has it
Contrary to some unfounded rumours, Bistrot Bizerca is alive and well in its new spot on Heritage Square.
Borage, a new restaurant on the Cape Town’s foreshore, is not owned by Heston Blumenthal as talk would have it. Rather, head chef Frank Marks worked under Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck (former no. 1 restaurant in the world) and at The Pot Luck Club before opening Borage.
Movements and closures in Johannesburg
The Four Seasons Hotel will be opening at the end of 2014 in Johannesburg. There will be five new locally inspired restaurants, bars and lounges. The culinary team will be presided over by executive chef Dirk Gieselmann, a native of Germany and most recently of the three Michelin star L’Auberge de I’ll in Illhaeusern, France. Passionate about seasonality and local provenance, Dirk is currently foraging the farms and markets of the city and surrounding countryside and acquiring the best possible ingredients on which to base his menus.
Caffe Milano in Kloof Street will close at the end of May. Chef Giorgio Nava is planning to reinvent this space as Carne Bistro. The change comes in order to meet the demand for lunches and to handle the dinner overflow from Carne SA, which is a smaller space. The new menu will include daily specials and the fare will be somewhat lighter than that of Carne SA.
Harbour House Group has welcomed Spanish chef Andres Condé as group executive chef from June 2014. Condé worked previously at elBulli, where he was second in command to Albert Adrià. More recently Condé was Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Tickets tapas restaurant and the adjoining 41° Bar in Barcelona, both owned by the Adrià brothers.
La Colombe will end its tenure at Constantia Uitsig at the end of June due to the estate being sold to new owners. La Colombe will move to new premises in Constantia and plans to be up and running again by September. Watch this space.
The Five Flies has closed down after unsuccessfully changing owners.
Mr Pickwicks has closed its doors in Green Market Square and opened in Kloof Street.
Newport Market and Deli in Mouille Point has closed down.
River Café on the Constantia Uitsig estate closed at the end of April. Neil Grant of Burrata has confirmed that he will be taking over, changing its name (still a secret) and opening the doors again in September or October.
Barouche in Stellenbosch will be closing down on 31 May.
No. 10 restaurant Pierneef à La Motte has appointed Michelle Theron as executive chef as from May 2014. (She takes over from Chris Erasmus, who resigned to open his own forest-to-plate restaurant called Foliage.)
At Overture, Adele Grewar, who was chef Bertus Basson’s sous chef at our no. 7 restaurant, has moved on from the restaurant to pursue a career in Australia.
Overture
Temporary closures (for winter or renovations) in the Western Cape
Balducci’s at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town will be closed for renovations for a month from 29 June until end-July.
Barefoot Cook in Hermanus is closed until 2 September.
Country Kitchen on the Mont Rochelle estate will be closed for refurbishment until August 2014. (The estate has been bought by Virgin and added to the brand’s Limited Edition collection of luxury hotels.)
The Bungalow at Clifton in Cape Town will be closed for winter until 1 September.
De Grendel Restaurant in Plattekloof, Cape Town, will close for renovations from 30 June to 14 July.
Makaron at Majeka House in Stellenbosch will close its doors from 26 June to 31 July.
Mange Tout on the Mont Rochelle estate will be closed for refurbishment until August 2014. (The estate has been bought by Virgin and added to the brand’s Limited Edition collection of luxury hotels.)
Marianas in Stanford will close for winter from 15 June.
Overture in Stellenbosch will be closed from 25 August to 10 September.
Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch will be losed from 8 June to 9 July.
Savoy Cabbage in Cape Town will be closed from 26 May to 18 June for their annual break and a major kitchen refurbishment. (The Offal Festival will run from the 23rd June until the 5th July.)
Springfontein Eats in Stanford will be closed for July and August months.
Hard Pressed Café is a ‘vinyl café’ situated in the new Portside Tower in Bree Street. Stop by for a quick cup of coffee or hang out for a few hours listening to great tunes.
Isola, a new Italian Trattoria with a wood-fired oven, has opened in the city bowl.
The Lunch Depot is a new lunch spot with great coffee on the foreshore.
Street Food, developed by the creators of Chefs Warehouse and Canteen and situated in the same building, provides daily take-away meals. There is no set menu as the meal options change each day.
Queen of Tarts has opened a little branch in the Absa Building on the Foreshore.
Charcoal Dining
New restaurants in Johannesburg
310 Sustainable Eatery in Paulshof strives to serve tasty meals using fresh ingredients from local farmers and suppliers in the area.
Cielo Lounge Bar on the banks of the lake in Benoni offers a tranquil setting with an eclectic atmosphere.
Well-known Parkhurst eatery Coobs has opened a bar next door. The Library at Coobs is an upmarket bar serving wine and tapas, and is also available for private dining.
Social on Main kitchen and cocktail bar opened in April. They serve platters, steaks, homemade burgers, salads, flatbreads and boards to share.
Coobs
New restaurants in Pretoria
A new branch of the popular Asian fusion restaurant Beluga opened in Pretoria in April.
Black Bamboo in Ashlea Gardens celebrates the synergy between food, wine and art. Their carefully selected wine list boasts an interesting selection of wines from around the country.
The Burgh Bistro in Pretoria East offers hearty home-style meals and pride themselves on giving personal attention and outstanding service.
Countless Ours in Centurion offers a cosy atmosphere thanks to a built-in fireplace and hearty winter cuisine.
Harissa Bistro, located at The Club Centre in Hazelwood, has a comfy and casual atmosphere and serves dishes like tandoori kingklip with coconut dhal and apple chutney.
New restaurants in Durban
Crusts Café and Restaurant, a small, privately owned family restaurant, serves light meals such as pasta, pizza, steaks and burgers.
Thava Continental, the third branch of the Thava Group of Restaurants, specialises in Indian and continental cuisine.
Was there the other evening and it is very nice too!
Caroline Bagley
May 30, 2014
Savoy Cabbage Hout Street Cape Town is closed until 18th June for their annual break and a major kitchen refurbishment. The Offal Festival will run from the 23rd June until the 5th July.
Any truth to the rumour of a new Harbour House opening on Muizenberg beach towards the end of winter?
Hi Susan. We’ve phoned Harbour House and await their confirmation! Thanks for the heads-up.
Posticino opened in Hout Bay.
Was there the other evening and it is very nice too!
Savoy Cabbage Hout Street Cape Town is closed until 18th June for their annual break and a major kitchen refurbishment. The Offal Festival will run from the 23rd June until the 5th July.
Thanks, Caroline! We’ll update the Savoy Cabbage listing accordingly.
Our opening date is to follow very shortly and myself and FOH partner Rui Boia look forward to hosting Cape Town.
ps. Restaurant name is Alcantra