Hot new restaurants and markets to visit in 2021

Market watch

EGG, Cavendish, Cape Town

Did malls just become trendy again? There are some big names in the food offering of this new multi-faceted market. We’re talking Luke Dale Roberts’ The Pot Luck Club, award-winning ice cream from Unframed, Frankie’s Burgers by butchery FFMM, vegan and vegetarian treats from Scheckter’s Raw, and a whole lot more.

Local at Heritage Square, Bree Street, Cape Town

Liam Tomlin’s makeover of the former HQ space is the glow-up that this beautiful heritage building deserves. Inside, you’ll find a small pastry shop by Giorgio Nava, Middle Eastern small plates restaurant Mazza, sommelier Penny Setti’s bar, plus shops offering local deli items, fish, cheeses, kitchenware and flowers.

Maker’s Landing, container terminal, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

With diversity as one of the curator’s chief goals, this converted industrial space has become home to one of the most exciting mixes of vendors of any market in recent years. From Mmabatho Molefe’s Zulu-cuisine inspired Emazulwini to Sweet Lionheart’s trendy, beautiful cakes to vegan, Ayurveda cuisine from Indikaap, it makes us proud to be South African. The space is also opening with an inspiring exhibition of the 100 most significant SA flavours curated by Studio H founder Hannerie Visser and food anthropologist Anna Trapido – from pickled fish, sour porridge and xigugu, to “government” bread and apricot jam.

New restaurants

Aegir Project, Noordhoek, Cape Town

Noordhoek craft brewery Aegir Project has taken over the space formerly occupied by now closed restaurant stalwarts The Red Herring and Skebenga’s Pub. This family- and dog-friendly spot promises beer on tap, a street-food inspired menu and a casual vibe. The Commissary’s Wesley Randles is on board as a consultant, and we’ve heard rumours of a lobster gatsby. (@aegirproject)

ëlgr, Kloof St, Cape Town

Swedish-born Jesper Nillson trained at ICA in Stellenbosch and worked under some top Cape chefs, and overseas, before opening this spot in the former Janse and Co. space. Elgr, meaning “moose” in old Norse, is set to open in December. The menu is as yet unpublished, but promises a mix of Nordic and South African cuisine.
Séjour, Houghton Hotel, Houghton

Long-time Pot Luck Club chef Freddie Dias has opened up a new restaurant at the Houghton Hotel’s sky bar space. The menu is full of words like rémoulade, velouté and crémeux (Freddie has classical French training), but there’s a 1.5 kg T-bone steak if your appetite calls for something less dainty-sounding. (@sejour_sa)

Beyond, Buitenverwachting

There’s been a fine-dining spot at this old Cape wine farm for decades. Peter Tempelhof of Fyn, and formerly The Greenhouse, has given it a new lease on life, opening this spot at the end of November 2020. For this venture, he’s going back to basics with an a la carte menu, grilled meat, classic desserts and vintage wines.

COOBS, Parktown North

It might not be brand new, but in November James Diack’s celebrated restaurant got a brand-new home at 19 4th Avenue. Same ethos, same farm-to-table cuisine, same seasonal fresh food. (@coobsparktownnorth)

Rosetta Roastery, corner of Bree and Shortmarket St, Cape Town

This stellar roastery opened a new outpost in October on the corner of what are probably Cape Town’s two hottest restaurant roads. Reason to go immediately (aside from the coffee): they’ve partnered with the Mulberry & Prince team to produce a café menu including what, according to our editor, are frankly INSANE pastries.

Popping up

Palm-Olive pop-up, roaming around SA

Our very own contributing editor Khanya Mzongwana is behind this pop-up, named for a song by Freddie Gibbs. Palm-Olive kicked off with its first event at Romeo’s in Melville in December, with fish-fry sandwiches with seaweed mayo and nasturtium capers and dark chocolate pudding with spiced carrot custard. Pop-ups will follow Khanya wherever she goes, and take place quarterly. Next stop: Cape Town! Follow @palmoliveza_ on Instagram to get the news first.

Lientjie Wessels, Cullinan

The former Albizia and Li-Bel owner now runs Sunday lunch pop-ups in her historic home in Cullinan. Think chicken liver-and-porcini pâté with nastergal, or panna cotta infused with truffles.