When wine bars took off in the States in the nineties, their aim was very clear: they were drinking establishments that focused on wine rather than beer. Apart from the occasional handful of bar snacks, food at a wine bar was an afterthought. But things changed as time went on, and eventually commentators in the States complained that it was becoming difficult to tell a wine bar from a restaurant.

There was no confusion, however, when Cru Café opened in the sunny courtyard at the Cape Quarter extension in October 2009. “Initially our liquor sales were 70%; with only 30% going to food,” owner and chef, Jacques Castelein tells me. The café – named for the wine term Cru, which refers to a vineyard of superior quality – offers 160 different wines, and won a Diner’s Club Wine List of the Year award in 2009 and 2010. Jacques, who owned and ran Tasca de Belem in the Waterfront for ten years before opening Cru, admits he is a bit of a wine fanatic.

“It’s my passion; I love wine. “I’ve been to the Cape Wine Academy, and I’ve learnt a lot through the years from Elsie,” he says, referring to Cape Wine Master, Elsie Pels, who helped to put together the wine list and also works as sommelier during the busy season.

The waiters, too, undergo extensive training. Every Tuesday, Jacques hosts workshops with winemakers for his staff. “The wines change every year with each new vintage,” says Jacques, explaining the need for regular training. “For example, the 2010 Kaapsig Sauvignon Blanc was very fruity. This year, there’s fruit, but with a green finish.”

While many restaurants charge up to 200% on wines, Jacques tries to keep the mark-up fair. “My policy on the wines is that if I pay R10 for the bottle, I’ll charge R20. I won’t charge more than a 100% mark-up. And I get four glasses out of a bottle, so I will simply charge a quarter of the price for one glass. We sell enough wine; I think we’ve only had three bottles of oxidised wine in three years.”

For those who might be intimidated by all the choices, there are also wine flights, where customers get three 50 ml tasters and a little snack to complement each. Despite the focus on wine, patrons are increasingly turning up for the meals on the menu. “Food now makes up 50 to 55% of our income, so obviously we’re doing something right.”

Part of this, in Jacques’s opinion, is down to the recession. Where people used to buy a bottle of wine, they’re now settling for a glass. Tougher drink-driving policing is having an impact too, but it sounds as if Cru Café’s focus on food is keeping customers happy.

“I’m quite strict about the ingredients. We use free range where we can; it’s not possible yet to be fully free-range because of the market. I source Karoo lamb and the salads are organic. I try to avoid anything with MSG, unless it’s in natural flavouring.”

Recently, the café and wine bar has even opened at breakfast, serving up some slightly different options like ‘Eggsiliration’ (prego grilled chicken breasts and eggs), the ‘Uneggspected’ (sirloin steak and two eggs), and the ‘Oy Veg’ (potato latkes with two eggs, grilled tomato and sour cream).

It seems inevitable then that when people gather for wine, they’ll want excellent food too. So, like they did in the States, wine bars here are starting to resemble restaurants. Restaurants with fantastic wine lists, that is.