It’s been a good few months since we bid a sad farewell to the V&A Food Market, consoled by the announcement that the prestigious Time Out Market would be building its first African home right here in the Mother City later in 2023.
After much anticipation, June saw Time Out Market Cape Town announcing the first five award-winning vendors set to create a curated mix of the city’s best culinary and cultural experiences.
Also read: New restaurants in and around Cape Town
The first five vendors include Bert’s Basson, who will join the roster of home-grown chef-driven concepts with his iconic De Vrije Burger; chefs Matt van den Berg and Carla Schulz’s upscale take on Asian street food with How Bad Now; chef Busi Ndlovu’s brand new pan-African experience with MLILO ‘Fires of Africa’; Chef John Van Zyl’s focus of the Cape’s bountiful seafood scene with The Melting Pot; and Yann Rey’s award-winning artisanal ice creams with Unframed.
Now, Time Out re-wets our appetites with another announcement, revealing four more of its all-star culinary lineup of the Mother City’s best local chefs and restaurateurs.
Time Out Market Cape Town’s latest four, revealed:
Ramenhead
Ramen lovers will revel in knowing that the team behind The World’s 50 Best nominated restaurant, FYN, will be bringing their latest, Ramenhead, to the Time Out Market – slurpy silky noodles, umami-rich broth and all.
Brought by chefs Peter Tempelhoff, Ashley Moss and Jennifer Hugé, Ramenhead was opened in the heart of the city in 2022, beneath their Japanese-African restaurant, FYN. The edgy and fun ramen shop is infused with the famed fine-dining finesse of the restaurant below.
Ramen lovers heading to the Time Out Market Cape Town can expect the same deep passion for Japanese food and culture, authentic ingredients with a South African flair and techniques in Ramenhead’s boldly flavourful bowls of ramen.
Also read: Sip, slurp and socialise at Ramenhead – a new restaurant in the city
Barakat
Following the success of South Africa’s first halaal fine-dining restaurant, The Happy Uncles, chef couple Anwar Abdullatief and TV personality Yolani Abrahams, who got married in 2021, will bring Barakat to the market – a halaal fine-dining experience like no other.
Halaal foodies and curious diners will discover a Cape Malay-inspired menu teeming with unique and indulgent flavours that originated in the the Mother City.
Nostalgic for some and a whole new world for others, market-goers can expect a full Cape Malay experience (including conversing with the chefs) with dishes such as Tomato Breedie (Cape Malay tomato-based sauce with slow cooked lamb knuckles), Ou mense onder die kombers (slow braised ossobuco cooked in hearty aromatic nutmeg and clove, wrapped in cabbage with baby beetroots, creme parsnip and spiced jus) and Aromatic Fish (pan-fried local kingklip in fragrant chilli, turmeric and coriander sauce and sambal) – all served with basmati rice.
Also read: Watch: The Happy Uncles, Cape Town’s first fully halaal fine dining spot
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city at half the price? Let these great offers inspire you and fuel your imagination! Get them here.
Culture Wine Bar
After opening its flagship Culture Wine Bar on Bree Street in 2020, restaurateur and chef Matt Manning will bring a focused taste that celebrates the true gems of our country’s wine industry and the winemaking legends who are breaking barriers and thinking outside the box and into the bottle by showcasing the styles, varietals and techniques it is famous for as well as its diversity, complexity and pure magic.
From Elgin’s cool climate Pinot and Chardonnay and Franschhoek’s Methode Cap Classique to the old vine Syrah and Chenin from the Swartland, and everything in between; market-goers will have the opportunity to choose from a sizable and regularly changing by-the-glass menu as well as an array of tasting flights that offer a true reflection of why South Africa deserves a seat at the global wine table.
Also read: Bree Street’s new members’ club for wine lovers – Culture Wine Bar
Yard
Home of the much-loved Dog’s Bollocks and Pizza Warehouse, Eugene Smith’s Yard has been in the local culinary scene since its launch in 2011 – and thriving, for very good reason.
Diners can expect the same eclectic and entertaining service expression, and dig into their famous chicken wings and a pizza menu that includes four very different and authentic styles of dough bases (hand-stretched with an artisanal flair), sauces and a range of various toppings to choose from.
Think New York Pepperoni, Williamsburg (mozzarella, spicy Italian salami, ricotta and honey), Juicy Chick (mozzarella, BBQ sauce, slow-roasted chicken, feta and pepperdews) and Sweet Baby Blue (mozzarella, blue cheese, caramelised onions and rocket).
Also read: The Dog’s Bollocks makes American list of top 50 burgers in the world
In the lead-up to the opening, Time Out Market Cape Town will announce further additions to its culinary lineup, an exciting beverage programme as well as how local culture will be part of this unique experience.
Set to open later this year in the V&A food market space, Time Out Market Cape Town will feature 13 kitchens, three bars and one stage to bring together an unmatched atmosphere of the very best the city has to offer, all under one roof.
In the spirit of ‘the more, the merrier’, the market is set to host approximately 750 guests in total, with indoor seating and quayside tables offering jaw-dropping views of our beloved Table Mountain.
Renowned for its global success, the market’s concept aims to celebrate food, drinks and the proverbial melting pot that is Cape Town’s vibrant culture and restaurant scene in a communal dining setting – on china with flatware.
Explore Cape Town and its surroundings with these incredible deals on cars for under 100k. Find car listings here.
Also read:
Picture: The.Happy.Uncles / Facebook