“We have such fun every week, hosting these incredible SA talents and we can’t wait to bring this special experience to town.” - café Roux Noordhoek manager, Deo Rwagasore.
café Roux, Noordhoek’s much-loved premier live music venue is coming to the city. café Roux Cape Town is situated in the prime location of Shortmarket Street and will open on Friday November 25th.
The popular family-style café has been operating in the picturesque Farm Village in Noordhoek for 10 years. Brother & sister team, Paul Le Roux & Lindi Green, alongside Paul’s wife Bernadette opened the largely outdoor daytime restaurant in 2006.
café Roux has always had a strong music culture, starting with weekly “Braai Nights” which featured Matthew Mole strumming in the corner for the first 2 years. Lindi’s husband Dan Green, of well-known covers and party band Me & Mr Brown, spent his early days creating a late afternoon Sunday vibe that had people on tables and kids on the dance floor.
In 2013, Lindi began to experiment with staging weekly Wednesday Sessions, in partnership with Wolftrap wine. The first month saw Nik Rabinowitz, Arno Carstens, Watershed & Zebra & Giraffe on the lineup. This weekly night time offering quickly grew into four or five nights a week and the café Roux Sessions were born, attracting an exciting & diverse line up, of SA’s most popular and talented up and coming artists.
“As a family, we have always been huge lovers of SA music” says Lindi Green, “and I grew up watching my favourite bands & musicians around the country. So, creating an intimate live music space has been the easiest and most natural progression for café Roux. The artists are looking for a room to deliver an authentic musical performance. Where people actually listen. And at café Roux, we have the audience hanging on every note and every word. The size of our venue (approx. 100-seater in both venues) lends itself to an up-close and personal, intimate and unique live music experience. Like watching your favourite band in your own home. With your friends and family at your table. It doesn’t get better than that.”
As an establishment, café Roux has always been known for their friendly, down to earth and warm service. Manager & host of the nightly café Roux Sessions, Deo Rwagasore, makes the world’s greatest host and has a gift in making every artist and customer feel like gold. “We are so excited to take the great vibe from Noordhoek and bring it to the city. Live music is for the soul and comes from the soul. We have such fun every week, hosting these incredible SA talents & we can’t wait to bring this special experience to town.” Deo is a partner in the new venture and is integral in the staff culture and customer experience at both venues.
Joining the team in Cape Town, are Lindi and Paul’s cousin Vanessa Bisschop-Louw and her husband Michael. Vanessa has over 10 years experience of running top London Restaurants and for the last 5 years has been managing some of Cape Town’s top event companies.
As with Noordhoek, the food offering in Cape Town is simple and unpretentious. The menu will change regularly showcasing a select offering of handmade wood-fired pizzas with fresh seasonal toppings. Think ripe fig and Gorgonzola in autumn; heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil and grilled aubergine in summer. Delicious vegan and gluten-free options will be available. For the not so hungry, cheese-and-charcuterie boards will also be on offer with marinated olives, garden greens and preserves. Dessert is proudly Noordhoek with Kristen's Kick Ass Ice Cream served in a sugar cone or cup.
The newly renovated space can be described as eclectic cool meets urban chic with a tiered seating plan of comfortable booth seating on raised platforms, leather bar stools and bench seating offering patrons the best viewing options. Textured wall panels and a moody blue palette with accents of brass and metal add to the ambience.
café Roux Cape Town, in partnership with Wolftrap Wines, opens its doors on 25th and 26thNovember with Richard Stirton’s (recent winner of The Voice SA) album launch. The month of December has a fantastic line-up at café Roux Cape Town featuring Nik Rabinowitz, Jimmy Nevis, Arno Carstens, Ard Matthews, Majozi, Watershed, Nomadic Orchestra, Hot Water and many more exciting SA artists. All tickets are pre-booked online throughwww.caferouxsessions.co.za. Dinner is available from 6:30/7pm and the show starts at approx.8:30pm.
What some of SA`s leading artists had to say about the new venue in Cape Town:
"café Roux is one of the best venues in SA with brilliant sound and super interactive audiences. It always makes for a night to remember. So personally, I could not be happier for café Roux to spread its wings into Cape Town. Looking forward to playing there in December.” – Arno Carstens
" I'm so excited for this next chapter in café Roux history. The Noordhoek venue will forever be etched in to South African music history, and I'm pretty sure this new venue will build on that tradition." Majozi.
“It`s not easy creating a household name in a world filled of so many choices. café Roux however are on a different level and have managed to achieve this with their fantastic music evenings featuring the best in SA music as well as incredible food that never disappoints!” Craig Hinds – Watershed.
"What a great opportunity for both artists and patrons to be able to have the "café RouxExperience" in the heart of Cape Town. Now the rest of Cape Town can share the amazing food, music and vibe of this awesome venue!” Mike McCully.
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