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It marks the end of an era for Cape Town foodies. Chefs Warehouse & Canteen on Bree Street has closed, ending Liam Tomlin’s long association with Bree Street, perhaps the best foodie street in Cape Town. Merchant Bar & Grill and the Room 91 private-events space have also shut.
Announcing the move on social media, Liam Tomlin said the group had spent recent months taking “a thoughtful look at every part of our business to ensure that what we create remains inspiring, relevant and true to who we are. That process has led to some difficult decisions, but also some exciting opportunities."
“After 45 years as a chef and restaurateur, including more than 20 years in South Africa and the last 14 years building our reputation on Bree Street, we have decided to consolidate our operations.”
It’s important to note that the closure is limited to 91 Bree Street.
The group’s other restaurants, including Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia, Chefs Warehouse at Maison in Franschhoek, Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic, and Thali and Cantina in Stellenbosch, are unaffected.
The Red Room, Tomlin and chef-partner David Schneider’s subterranean Pan-Asian restaurant at Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel, also remains open.
The OG of small plates
Tomlin first launched Chefs Warehouse as a cookery school and specialist food store on New Church Street in 2010. In 2014, the concept moved to Heritage Square on Bree Street, where Chefs Warehouse & Canteen became known for its informal service, communal tables and a regularly changing ‘Tapas for Two’ menu, arguably kick-starting the city’s obsession with small-plate dining.
The restaurant's success helped establish the wider Chefs Warehouse group, which expanded to Constantia, Franschhoek, the Atlantic Seaboard and Stellenbosch.
After a period of closure, Chefs Warehouse on Bree reopened in 2022, across the road from Heritage Square, in a renovated three-storey building at 91 Bree Street. Initially known as The Bailey, the development housed several restaurant and bar concepts before being reworked in 2024.
Chefs Warehouse & Canteen reopened on the ground floor in August 2024, followed by Merchant Bar & Grill upstairs. Merchant focused on South African produce, with house-made charcuterie, cheeses, pickles and preserves forming a central part of its offering.
Tomlin said that closing the Bree Street operation would allow the group to “focus our energy on the next evolution of Chefs Warehouse”.
That evolution will include a new hotel and dining destination in Stellenbosch.
“We are creating a truly distinctive hotel experience in Stellenbosch. A hospitality destination where exceptional food is not simply part of the experience – it is the reason for it,” said Tomlin. “While one chapter is coming to an end, another is just beginning, and we are genuinely excited to welcome you to the future of Chefs Warehouse.”
Still hungry? Check out guide to the best restaurants on Bree Street
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