Dubbed the biggest awards show of the year, Kfm 94.5 invited the people of Cape Town to vote across 30 categories for the 2022 Best of the Cape Awards. No funny business, just you choosing the Mother City’s finest. And Cape {town} Etc is adding to the gees by proudly supporting each winner.
Stay tuned: over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing a full feature story on each of your favourites. Round up your four-legged friends … this is Cape Town’s ‘Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant’:
Best Pet-Friendly winner: Damhuis Restaurant
The vibe:
Come rain or shine, Damhuis Restaurant is the perfect spot for a family-friendly dining experience and a must-visit when exploring Melkbosstrand. Best of all – no family member get’s left behind. Not even those with fur and four legs.
Situated directly across the road from Melkbos Beach, it’s the perfect place to walk your pups after a leisurely dining experience.
Pets are not only welcome at Damhuis, but treated as equals to human diners. They have their very own doggie menu and ample indoor and outdoor seating for the whole family to enjoy. The setting is light and bright, accompanied by a buzzing atmosphere. There’s festive outdoor and courtyard seating for warmer days and a cosy interior with a fireplace if you feel the cold. The building itself is dripping in character. It is a South African National Monument, after all.
The food:
Skip the kibble – pooches have a hearty, three-course menu to choose from – including starters, mains and dessert. Think drool-worthy doggy meatballs and chicken cubes to start, followed by a lekker sirloin (served off the bone for excited chompers), a doggy burger, or juicy boerewors. And what’s a beach day without ice cream? Blasting Boerewors or Swishin Strawberry are the flavours on offer. All dog-diet conscious, of course.
For pup parents, Damhuis celebrates seafood and traditional South African cuisine. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there’s something for everyone, all day. Two-legged children have a lekker list of meals to pick from as well. Plus, a cool play area to keep busy.
Brekkie offerings include all your favourites, from french toast to packed omelettes. If you’re popping in for lunch or dinner, dive into freshly shucked oysters, soul-warming chicken livers, and of course, a stunning seafood selection. Meat-lovers are spoilt for choice, too. Think slow-cooked oxtail and homemade chicken pie.
Damhuis is a fabulous spot to visit to satisfy all of your home food cravings. Their emphasis on local dishes is really special. Tuck into South African favourites like bobotie and Cape Malay chicken curry – delicious. Got a sweet tooth? The traditional Malva will give your gran’s version a run for its money.
An adored neighbourhood heirloom:
Damhuis Restaurant, housed in one of the oldest buildings in the Western Cape, has a rich heritage and boasts views of iconic Table Mountain and Robben Island.
Damhuis officially opened in 2009, but has a colourful history dating back over 200 years. The actual building came into existence after it was built by Christiaan Brand using cow manure, sand, hay and whale bones (part of the restaurant’s walls are unplastered so that guests can view the original walls) around 1785.
Brand and his family were the first residents in De Melkbosch (Melkbosstrand) and originally used the building as a ‘visschuur’ (fish barn) where fish were cleaned, salted and dried.
Next to it was a boathouse where fishing boats and nets were stored. The ‘visschuur’ later became known as the ‘damhuis’ – named after the dam right in front of the house. This dam was the result of a fountain that still springs crystal clear water to this day. The fountain still exists on the property. The tarmac road, the present Beach Road, however, has long since covered the dam.
Over many years, the building evolved from a fish store to a private residence, and with more and more urban development the natural spring-fed dam, right in front of the Damhuis, had to make way for the current Beach Road. However, the natural water spring is still very much alive on the property. And so is the feeling of home.
Damhuis is the epitome of a wholesome experience. A precious jewel in Melkbosstrand’s crown.
Damhuis Restaurant’s details:
- Location: 32 Beach Rd, Melkbosstrand, Cape Town.
- Website: www.diedamhuis.co.za
- Contact/bookings: 021 553 0093 or inf[email protected]
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9am (the kitchen closes at 9pm).
The finalists in this category were:
- Damhuis Restaurant in Melkbosstrand
- Simon’s Restaurant at Groot Constantia
- The Grille Shack in Gordon’s Bay
- The Marshmallow Garden Café in George
- Villa Portuguese Restaurant & Pizzeria in Vredehoek
The 2021 winner of this category: The Milkwood Restaurant and Beach Hut.
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Picture: Damhuis Restaurant / Instagram
