A Grand affair for sundowners in the Mother City

Three months and a multimillion budget later the revamp has finally been unveiled and the results are, quite simply, remarkable.

Three months and a multimillion budget later the revamp has finally been unveiled and the results are, quite simply, remarkable.

Published Oct 27, 2016

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Cape Town - With the mercury climbing and the days getting longer, Cape Town’s famous Grand Africa Café & Beach has unveiled a fresh new look for the summer.

Since opening its doors in December 2009, this much-loved Cape Town destination restaurant and nightspot has fast become the place in the city to dine, drink and be seen.

In July 2016 the expanding Harbour House Group purchased a 70 percent stake in Grand Africa Café & Beach, closed the doors for winter and set about rejuvenating one of Cape Town’s best-loved venues.

Three months and a multimillion budget later the revamp has finally been unveiled and the results are, quite simply, remarkable. The renovation and renewal hits home immediately thanks to a new beach-chic wooden walkway transforming the moment of arrival. With the Atlantic winking seductively out in front, the inviting new entrance laid out beneath swaying palm trees drives home the one-of-a-kind seafront location of Grand Africa Café & Beach.

“We wanted guests to see the water, to feel the ocean, from the moment they arrive,” explains David, architect behind the new-look Grand Beach, and Design Room Manager for the Harbour House Group.

The Harbour House Group’s internal design team have done an extraordinary job in reimagining the potential of this unique beachfront space, retaining the globe-trotting romanticism and relaxed glamour of the much-loved original, while infusing the new-look venue with a freshness befitting its seaside locale.

“We’ve done a major revamp of the indoor space in particular,” adds Sue Lerm, Proprietor of Grand Beach.

To brighten the vintage warehouse, ceilings and floors have been repainted, while the expansive bar counter was demolished and rebuilt to add a dose of glamour and comfort. The restrooms have been refurbished, while larger windows installed in the industrial-chic sliding doors have improved the sea views and natural light for diners seated indoors.

Installation of the new Absolut Elyx bar adds a sophisticated new element to the space, with this more intimate bar ideal for a pre-dinner aperitif. Alongside, a raised indoor deck has proven to be a runaway success with diners clamouring for the handful of tables set above the action, yet boasting stellar sea views.

But when the weather’s fine it is, of course, the terrace and outdoor tables that form the vibrant heart of Grand Africa Café & Beach. From the spacious terrace, the revamp here is evident in the host of new décor touches. Furniture has been restored, chairs replaced, stemware improved and additional umbrellas installed.

Happily the voluptuous vases of blood-red roses remain, retaining the sense of retro-glamour the venue has long been famous for. By early-2017 the entire terrace will be enclosed with stacking glass doors, allowing diners to enjoy outdoor dining and memorable sea views year-round, whatever the weather.

It’s a space where guests may arrive for lunch, then relax into afternoon drinks. They may segue into sundowners with a signature cocktail, before staying for dinner and celebrating late into the night as DJs warm up the decks. Although the doors have only just opened, locals and tourists are already clamouring for a glimpse of the revamped Grand Africa Café & Beach.

Adapted from a press release for IOL

* Grand Africa Café & Beach is located at Granger Bay Road, Granger Bay. For reservations please sms +27 (0)72 586 2052 or email [email protected]

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