The Vic, a new pub and live music venue has opened on upper Kloof Street in Cape Town, at number 84, the spot formerly occupied by Blah Blah Bar and Ferdinando’s Pizza.

Owner Jurie Blomerus, who previously owned Stanley Beer Yard in Joburg, and who currently owns The Striped Horse in Muizenberg, says he took inspiration from the long tradition of pubs named The Vic. “Nearly every small town has a Vic,” he explains. Kloof Street’s Vic is fittingly located in an historic Victorian building.

The bar at The Vic. Photo supplied.

On the food side, there are pizzas and un-fussy pub food like prego rolls with Bang Bang sauce, hake and chips, burgers, nachos and Karoo lamb chops. Pizzas take their names from Victorian times and were designed to include some unusual flavour combinations. The George, for example features chorizo, calamari, sundried tomato and avo; while The Merkin (you’ll have to google that Victorian reference) features anchovies, olives, chorizo, capers and chilli and no cheese.

To drink, there are craft beers on tap, Mexican tequilas and gin cocktails.

A taxidermied duck guards the hard tack at The Vic. Photo supplied.

On the music side, Wednesdays will see musicians take to the stage for improvisational jam sessions, while Sundays are envisaged as chill-and-collaboration sessions for local band members. Friday nights will be dedicated to vinyl, with everything from low-fi folk rock to Indie world beats and Americana on the playlist.

The Vic is open Tuesday to Saturday from midday to 1am, and Sundays from midday to 9pm.