Lunch at The Shortmarket Club

This week, my mom & I went to lunch at the very cool Shortmarket Club and here are all my thoughts about it... 

Gotta love the paper butterfly wall (above)

For those of you who are not familiar with this spot, let me give you a little more info -  The Shortmarket Club is a joint venture between Luke Dale-Roberts (a local & award-winning chef), his Wife, fellow top chef Wesley Randles and manager Simon Widdison. The restaurant opened in 2016 to much fanfare and was a welcomed addition to the Cape Town dining scene.

The restaurant is tucked away down Shortmarket street (hence the name), in a heritage building. There is no big signage outside to help people spot it, only a large metal floor sign (which is quite hidden away unless you are standing near it).

Once you enter, you walk down a long hallway, still not seeing any visible signs of the restaurant. Only after you ascend the staircase are you greeted with the open kitchen and a bar area.

From the moment you step inside the formal restaurant space you feel as though you have stepped into a secret, exclusive place. The dim lighting and large, leather booths give it an intimate atmosphere (think romantic dinner dates and discreet lunches)


Currently the restaurant is offering a Prix Fixe winter lunch menu, which is a three course meal for R280 per person (not including drinks). This lunch menu is available until September 2018.

For an appetizer we were given a freshly baked bread roll with homemade butter, followed by a small plate of Springbok tartare. For the starter I had the sambal matah tuna belly (which was made with sambal oelek, hot coconut, chilli, basil and fresh lime), which was absolutely delicious.  The main course was a grilled Redroman fish, served with a fried pannise, smoked mussel aioli, green bulgar wheat and a roasted turnip. Finally for dessert, we had a rhubarb crumble.

 Here's what the food looked like....



The food was fantastic and beautifully presented.... Plus, the service was brilliant. At the start of every new dish, our waitress would explain to us what was on our plates.

For drinks, we started off with a glass of bubbly and still water. Later we paired our fish main with a carafe of Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc (very easy drinking)


Winter in Cape Town is a time of hibernation for most people, but this restaurant is worth venturing out for. The vibe is perfect for winter. It's cosy, welcoming and hidden away from the elements... AND if that's not enough reason to go, just look at their very retro drinks cart ( pictured below) - which is used for serving gins, oysters and bubbly.


To find out more about The Shortmarket Club, you can visit their site HERE
(Booking is suggested - as it gets especially busy for dinner)


Please note: This was a complimentary lunch - but all opinions and thoughts are my own. 

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