The long-awaited Open Door restaurant at Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate has finally launched to the delight of diners in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs and beyond. Introducing some of the contemporary edginess for which they are well known, local restaurateurs Neil Grant and Barry Engelbrecht, commissioned Inhouse Brand Architects to transform the space.
Inhouse worked with the duo in the past, creating the interiors for their successful Cape Town eateries Bocca and Burrata. The challenge this time was different, though – a far larger dining area and dealing with a building that is a local heritage site.
Originally built between 1917 and 1918, the building is an important part of the cultural landscape of Cape Town and could not undergo major changes to its exterior. The well-loved historic facade therefore remains, while the building’s interior has been thoroughly overhauled and given a more contemporary spin.
Accents of French Provencal charm suffuse the interior, as seen in the tonal palette that ranges from the crisp white walls of the main dining area towards the charcoal hues of the mosaic tiles. Inhouse introduced dark wood and a moodier colour into the interiors that suggests elegance and sophistication, and elevates the space. Contemporary touches merge with this to produce an invigorating effect: a series of booths upholstered in bright peacock blue line a wall, sleek and trendy light fixtures, and a bar structure fusing timber and marble with arresting steel detailing. Designers Toni Harris, Jenine Bruce and Creative Director, Aidan Hart of Inhouse Brand Architects have worked innovatively with contrasting materials so as to create a warm and inviting space.
The modern reincarnation of this historic structure, combined with the culinary skill of the renowned Bocca and Burrata team, promises to be an exciting addition to the Constantia Valley.
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