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Cape Town’s pizza scene gets a tasty new spin this week, as Pizza Shed rolls out a new branch on Main Road in Newlands. A major refit of the space previously occupied by Full House Bar & Restaurant – and, before that, a Spur – has created a bright and colourful new restaurant that’s a perfect fit for this on-trend pizza brand.
The opening follows the closure of Pizza Shed’s Observatory restaurant at the end of July. The brand had traded in the neighbourhood since 2022, but co-owner James Williams says the branch never attracted quite the same volume of customers as its other locations.
“We had been in Observatory for four and a half years, but there just didn’t seem to be the same footfall as at our other branches,” Williams told Time Out. “The business wasn’t performing as well as we felt it could elsewhere.”
Pizza Shed was founded by Williams and his friend Tando Bavuma during the pandemic, beginning with a pizza oven built inside Williams’s garden shed. Known for its inventive toppings and superb Neapolitan-style bases, the business took off, expanding to Observatory, Bree Street and St James.
Time Out Guide: The best pizza in Cape Town
Williams says having a presence in Newlands had been on the agenda for some time, but finding the right commercial property proved difficult. When the Newlands space became available, Williams and Bavuma didn’t need much convincing.
Pizza Shed’s new home is on the corner of Main Road and Dean Street in Newlands. It’s in the same building as Gogi Korean BBQ and Didi’s Mexican downstairs. Upstairs is Full House Karaoke, which shares an entrance with Pizza Shed. Turn left for tunes, or right for great pizza!
The new restaurant will seat around 120 diners, with perhaps the best tables out on the long, covered deck, where candy-striped awnings provide shade and a slight lean over the railing serves up mountain views.
Across the space, the décor retains Pizza Shed’s playful, unfussy character. Think hanging baskets, potted greenery and simple white metal chairs at timber-topped tables. Tiled floors and walls are warmed by exposed timber ceiling beams and burgundy leather banquettes.
Most importantly, diners can expect the same menu that has made Pizza Shed a hit in Cape Town. Neapolitan pizzas remain the star of the show: think 72-hour fermentation, hand-stretched bases and a wood-fired oven heated to blistering temperatures for a perfectly puffed crust.
Personal favourite? The Truffle is great for winter – field mushrooms, truffle oil and Parmigiano – but I also love the Nduja (a spicy Calabrian sausage) and the Pepperoni with hot honey.
The drinks list is the only notable departure at the new venue. Although craft beers will remain available, Williams says the Newlands branch will also carry a broader selection of familiar SAB labels. That makes sense, given the brewery directly across the road.
Pizza Shed Newlands: need to know
- Where: Corner of Main Road and Dean Street, Newlands.
- When: Opens Thursday, 6 August.
- Hours: Open daily from noon until 9pm.
- What: Sit-down dining and takeaway available.
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