The South African restaurant industry is saddened by the news that the iconic and award-winning establishment, The Test Kitchen,  will be closing its doors on 30 September 2021. In a media statement on Thursday, Chef proprietor, Luke Dale Roberts said that the current global uncertainty around COVID has become difficult to sustain a restaurant of its kind and maintain everything that he believes in.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated many industries, the hospitality industry in particular. Even now, though restaurants are allowed to trade with restrictions in place, the alcohol ban has meant that bars can’t open their doors. But South African staff got creative. Charne van Heerden, head bartender at The House of Machines, fellow mixologist Katlego Manyathi, The Pot Luck Club’s chef Rigo Eichhoff and Cassandra Eichhoff, Director of the Cape Town European Bartender School, joined forces to apply their hospitality skills to a high-quality carwash service called The Cartenders.

 

With South Africa’s strict nationwide lockdown having kept the country indoors for almost four weeks, every non-essential business has had to close its doors. The restaurant industry is one that’s been hit the hardest, resulting in immediate job losses and the scarcity of money to buy basic food.

 

“Our food mantra is to source ingredients locally and prepare them from scratch to ensure that our guests enjoy freshly prepared dishes that complement our wines,” says the team behind Swirl, the new food-and-wine experience at Stellenbosch Vineyards that opened at the beginning of September.

 

Cape Town’s edgiest (and best hidden) cocktail bar, Outrage of Modesty, will soon be replaced by a concept headed up by The Shortmarket Club chef Wesley Randles and Simon Widdison, opening in early November as The Commissary at Shortmarket.

 

A bar serving oysters, champagne and méthode cap classique has opened at De Warenmarkt in Stellenbosch.

 

Thirsty Joburgers, we have good news: On Wednesday 1 March, 4th Avenue in Parkhurst will transform into a wine-themed paradise as Tuning the Vine comes to Jozi.

 

This spring, Good & Proper Food Trucks Eatery will be bringing some of Jozi’s best gourmet food trucks together to create a unique lunchtime experience in Joburg’s vibrant commercial hub of Sandton.

 

Attention, Cape Town: Lefty’s restaurant is now delivering its dive bar goodness to your home from 5pm to 10pm, Monday to Saturday.

 

Exciting news: we may just have found the most instagrammable cup of coffee Jozi has to offer.

 
 
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