The Stack at Leinster Hall in Gardens, one of Cape Town’s historic haunts dating back to the 1850s, is set to reopen on 6 June 2016 after a devastating fire that occurred shortly after the initial opening last year.

The entrance to The Stack. Photo supplied.

Six days after the original launch in July 2015, a fire broke out and swept through the top floor of the property. The flames destroyed the carefully selected antique furniture, historical books and top-of-the-range appliances that owners Sarah Ord, a designer, and Nigel Pace, a hotelier, had spent hours curating and collating.

“The damage was extensive and we couldn’t just clean up and reopen,” explains Nigel. “We did look around for somewhere else, but there was simply nothing that came close to Leinster Hall. It was the perfect building for what we wanted to achieve.”

Happily, thanks to their sheer determination and the shareholders buying the building at the end of last year, Nigel and Sarah got the all-clear to rebuild, and now have a second chance to reopen their dream restaurant.

The opulent venue boasts a brasserie and bar downstairs and a private members’ club upstairs. Nigel says, “We want to create a convivial space which will be perfect for doing business and entertaining alike. We won’t be a stuffy gentlemen’s club with strict dress codes in place; rather, we’re looking at attracting a younger, like-minded crowd from differing industries.”

A photo posted by The Stack (@thestackcpt) on Apr 10, 2016 at 3:53am PDT

Chef Warwick King, who has worked as head chef The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay for the past two years, will run the brasserie. His French-inspired menus will offer bistro-style dishes with a hint of South African influence at The Stack. Lunches are lighter, with sandwich offerings such as the classic croque monsieur, with smoked Black Forest ham on a brioche sandwich with grilled gruyère. For dinner, guests can look forward to dishes such as poisson Provençal (grilled Atlantic angelfish with aubergine purée, garlic roasted tomatoes and beurre blanc au citron) and pork confit (confit pork belly with caramelised apple purée, fynbos honey-glazed carrots and cider jus).

 

A photo posted by The Stack (@thestackcpt) on May 23, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

 

As for the newly rebuilt interior, the space will boast a luxurious yet quirky and modern atmosphere. Sarah and Nigel liken The Stack’s interiors to the style of a modern dandy: “Yes, we might be modelled on a private members’ club, but my gosh, you’ll be wearing pink, star-spangled socks when you’re there,” says Sarah.

The Stack is set to open on Monday 6 June 2016.