Culinary charm, playful sophistication… la vie en rose.
There’s a feel-good whimsicality to the decor of The Wes Bistro & Bar that makes you want to watch the Wes Anderson movies that inspired it all over again. In the meantime you can immerse yourself in the glorious escape from mundane reality that is this brand-new addition to the Cape Town scene on Shortmarket Street. Glamorous movie-set vibes meet sophisticated Parisian bistro…. an OTT fountain installation is surrounded by plush banquettes, dreamy dusky pink ceilings and soft blue walls, and the backdrop of a dramatic Grand Budapest Hotel mural.
It’s a setting that feels like any magic could happen… Special enough for date night, relaxed enough for casual everyday lunch; you can dress up to the nines, or come as you are.
Playful sophistication
Owner Megan Kritzinger (of Stellski Coffee Bar & Café) dived headlong into two of her passions in the creation of this fabulous innercity restaurant: the unique visual landscapes of Wes Anderson movies such as The Life Aquatic, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Royal Tenenbaums, and the real-life authenticity and focus on simple, good food of the classic French bistro. The Wes Anderson theme was interpreted by Bone Design in the creative decor, and for the menu she turned to culinary legend, chef Pete Goffe-Wood.
Classic French bistro fare
In true bistro style Pete has kept the menu short and to the point. Head chef Samantha Temmers leads the kitchen, building on Pete’s foundation of uncomplicated French bistro dishes reimagined with a twist of Cape flavours, using the freshest local produce. The signature Bouillabaisse features yellowtail and a touch of Cape Malay spices, and there’s a chargrilled intensity to the vegetables in the ratatouille.
We loved the asparagus with a lush Bearnaise sauce for starters, and grilled squid with intensely flavoured peppers and capers en croute. In the mood for comfort food, we went for a deliciously juicy herb and mustard rack of lamb with ratatouille and dauphinoise potatoes for mains, and a crispy skinned deboned roast chicken with crunchy wisps of straw potatoes and a beautifully dressed rocket salad.
Chef Sam’s pastry chef background comes to the fore in the desserts – we shared a beautifully light Paris-Brest stuffed with elderflower crème pâtissière, raspberries and crunchy shreds of candied almonds.
Simplicity can be one of the hardest things to pull off (there’s nothing to hide behind), but chefs Pete and Sam have nailed it. It’s the style of food you could come back for day after day, and never get tired of – simple, wholesome with a spritz of cosmopolitan panache.
Delicious, delightful and definitely an experience to lift your spirits, The Wes fills a gap in the Cape Town dining scene that we hadn’t realised was there until now…Bon appetit!
Good to know On Sundays there’s a special set-menu lunch.
Opened November 2024
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 12pm – 11pm
Sunday, 12pm – 5pm
Contact 082 770 3573, info@thewes.co.za
Where to find it 55 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan
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