The Sidewalk Cafe - Stop by

The Sidewalk Café

Another gem nestled away in the neighbourhood of Vredehoek is The Sidewalk Café. This is one of the numerous success stories of the Madame Zingara group.

Place where you can relax or finish some last minute work.

First impression: The restaurant looks totally out of place in the neighbourhood. This quaint little building on the corner will fit in next to the beach in a small West-Coast town. Owing to the Madame Zingara style there's interesting decorative features in every nook and corner of the restaurant. A design feature I particular liked was a white painted display of cooking utensils dangling from the roof.

The view was breath-taking. From our table we looked up to beautiful Table Mountain and simultaneously observed the ocean and the Cape Town stadium in the distance. The place was packed with people ordering jugs of Pimms, enjoying the great Cape Town weather and unwinding after a long day. You can sit on wooden benches on the sidewalk or be more comfortable inside the restaurant where you still have a view. To describe Sidewalk Café in one word I would say - RELAXING.

Food: The majority of our table enjoyed the leek, mint, pea and pancetta risotto with deep fried goat cheese balls(R75). It was deliciously creamy and the portion was very filling. The  goat cheese balls brought a smooth and tangy  element to the dish. A famous dish of The Sidewalk Café is their beer battered deep fried fish and chips with home-made tartar sauce(R70). The portion is huge and my brother who tried this dish really struggled to finish it and he loves his food. This dish defiantly comes highly recommended.

Other dishes I observed from a distance which looked delicious were the baby marrow and melon salad with mint, lemon, basil, toasted sunflower seeds and honey dressing(R48) and the red coconut curry that ranges from R70-R105 depending on what protein you choose with it.

For affordable, fresh and an introduction to some new ingredient pairings I would recommend The Sidewalk café. It's and ideal place to come with a group of friends, unwind and feast deliciously.

If you can't make it for dinner be sure to visit them for a breakfast or a lunchtime sandwich.

Drinks: They have a limited cocktail menu but the Singapore sling was delicious. Wine by the glass is from R25 upwards and they stock brands like Brampton, Haute Cabriere and Diemersfontein. Corkage is R35 per bottle and they allow one bottle per table. For the ultimate refreshment I would suggest their Jug of Pimms(R65). You can never go wrong with Pimms :)

Service: Very laid back and to some extent awkward but our glasses remained full and our food did not take long to arrive.

The Sidewalk Café is a warm, relaxing and comfortable eatery where you can feast and be merry without breaking the ban - add the beautiful view and you will leave a happy customer.

Specials: Two for one cocktails from 15:00 - 18:00

When to visit: Monday - Saturday 08:00-22:30 & Sunday 09:00 - 14:00
Address: 33 Derry Street , Vredehoek
Telephone number: 021 461 2839
E-mail: sidewalk@madamezingara.com
Website: http://www.sidewalk.co.za/index.html

Woodlands eatery

 

On a cold Saturday night we arrived at The Woodlands Eatery. Immediately we were enchanted by the lovely fairy lights and green shutters that decorated the restaurant from outside.

Quirky decor at The Woodlands Eatery

Look at all those lampshades!

After a bit of  uncertainty with our booking we enjoyed a glass of wine at the bar while we waited for our table to be ready. The staff were very apologetic but that gave us time to consume the quirky yet interesting decor. At the one side of the place multiple lampshades hang at different lengths contrasted with a picture of a little deer on the other side of the room. Mismatched chairs hugged different sized tables and vintage mirrors covers the walls.The color pallet was of pastel lime and blues. I was totally in love!




Cant get this picture to turn the right way around haha! But the food still looks delicious sideways :)

Their menu is relatively small but just as quirky as the surroundings we were dining in. I enjoyed the chickpea, lentil and butternut burger(R40) served on a soft fresh bun with beetroot slices  and a yogurt dressing. My mother had the pork and mango pizza. The portions are generous and the food arrived promptly. We ended off the night by spoiling ourselves with their famous chocolate fondant (R38).  A hot chocolaty treat I now regularly crave :) You are not allowed to leave Woodlands eatery if you did not try this delicious dessert. I wish I did not share the portion.

The chocolate fondant!

Goooooye center :) :) :)

Average spend for 2 people : R220
Telephone number:  021 801 5799
Email: thewoodlandseatery@gmail.com
Address: 2 Deer Park Ave West, Deer Park, Vredehoek
Lunch: 12:00 -  close Friday-Sunday
Dinner: 17:00 - close Tuesday-Sunday