‘Tired of the grey that exists everywhere today’, the duo behind Club Kloof, Michael Carter and Shayne Shutte, are making a statement with vibrant flavours and scarlet splashed walls. Although new-ish, the restaurant has already become somewhat of an institution, admired for its aesthetic appeal, vibey atmosphere, food and drinks. The Mediterranean-inspired restaurant opened doors in March this year, after restoring the burnt-down heritage building and breathing new life into the space. Vastly different from their other restaurant, Our Local, the team brings something unique to Kloof Street – this time an Italian-ish escape for city dwellers and tourists…

Carter, a creative director specialising in advertising and events, brings years of marketing experience to the team, while chef Shutte delivers punchy flavours, adding that he doesn’t “do bland”. While neither are of Italian descent, travels to Europe inspired the restaurant’s concept – a space where people can forget about the throes of life and connect with friends. Shayne jokingly mentioned that if he were Italian, he’d probably go by ‘Alessandro’ and ride his Vespa through the Amalfi Coast.

“When you’re sitting in the middle of Tuscany eating a pizza, there’s nothing that can ever recreate that. So we decided to go with Italian-ish, because neither of us is Italian, so we could never claim that,” adds Carter. “But we spent a lot of time in Italy and wanted to create something unique. I’m tired of the grey that exists everywhere today. We wanted to go with a bold colour and a bold statement.” And bold they went!

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Red Splashed Walls & Quirky Artwork

Inspired by English interior designer David Hicks’ accentuated palettes, the team eventually committed to red after consulting Tiziana Giardini from Conscious Color. “For weeks, we spent time looking at the different reds on the walls. At one stage, I thought I was going to go insane staring at the colour red. We eventually had to make a decision. We painted everything red and then started to work on the design, using the mirrors as a base to create something that felt different, exciting and also had something of an old-world feel to it. People might look at it and think it’s simple but I don’t. Every time I come into the space, I’m excited by it,” Carter mentions.

It takes guts to throw red on the walls, and you’d imagine a gaudy appearance at first glance, but fused with clever lighting, quirky artworks illustrated by Koos Groenewald, and the intentional use of space, it just works. Mirrored panels create optical illusions transcending the restaurant interiors; red-stained walls juxtapose crisp, white tablecloths. The dining room gorgeously captures the contemporary-chic style and playful elegance of the restaurant, while cosy, upholstered booths provide a comfortable setting.

Designated areas like the stoep and courtyard bar decorated with bright pops of yellow, create inviting spaces for socialites and epicureans to gather for morning coffee or late afternoon drinks. The team also mentioned that the upstairs locale, which will host private functions, is in the process of being renovated.

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Small Plates, Big Flavours

As for the food, Shutte says: “For me, it’s all about punchy flavours and whatever tastes good – I don’t do bland.” Chef Shayne’s honest cooking and ability to let ingredients shine on the plate comes from years of private cheffing experience (locally and abroad in Europe), as well as hosting intimate dinner parties at home. When asked about the concept behind the menu, Shutte credited his business partner: “Every time we go out to eat, Michael always wants to share everyone else’s food. We initially thought to do smaller plates, hence our Pizzettes, allowing visitors to curate their own meals by ordering three or four things on the menu. Basically, the menu exists for people like Michael that love to taste a bit of everything.”

Small plates are a trend for upscale restaurants, and while many purveyors still offer the generous portions locals are accustomed to, Club Kloof patrons can expect big flavours on small plates. Inspired by Mediterranean eating culture, the menu consists of salads and bowls like woodfired beet, baby carrot and whipped feta with tomato dressing, as well as feta peas with dill, lemon and vinaigrette. Their signature Pizzettes (smaller pizzas) feature unique toppings like the garlic confit base with marinated tomato and buffalo mozzarella, and the Rosso topped with shelled baby prawns and chilli. Among the list of growing favourites are Fritti (fried foods), such as pork fennel stuffed olive arancini, and stuffed & fried olives.

‘You won’t get your conventional pizza toppings here, but you can expect an amazing anchovy pizza, and new ones coming to our menu.’

Carter mentions: “Shayne has an amazing way of combining flavours, so every dish has something special, whether it be the amazing fillets, or roasted potatoes with hazelnut to deep-fried capers, and obviously, our Pizzettes. We try to make it authentic where we can by playing with different Mediterranean-inspired toppings. You won’t get your conventional pizza toppings here, but you can expect an amazing anchovy pizza, and new ones coming to our menu.”

Ask any pizza lover, and they’ll tell you that the foundation of a good pizza (or Pizzette) lies in the base, and while toppings elevate the overall taste, only decent dough can impart good flavour and texture. The team collaborated with Lance Littlefield from Motherdough, a business specialising in sourdough and starters. Fransina, one of their classic sourdough cultures, is over a century old and was brought from Italy to South Africa. Chef Shayne adds, “We use a 113-year-old starter, and every day we make a 24- and 48-hour ferment for our Pizzettes. The dough is easily digestible, and we don’t use any yeast whatsoever. We have a good conscience in cooking and providing healthy food to customers.”

Committing to one style can be limiting within the confines of authentic cuisine, but Club Kloof seeks not to redefine but rather celebrate what Italian fare is truly about –  the joys of eating…

Sweets on the menu are equally satisfying; visitors can indulge in decadent chocolate mousse, Maritozzi (cream-filled buns), and my personal favourite – their Tiramisu for two. A return visit is much needed to try their blood orange and Campari almond cake with mascarpone, but with exceptional fare and the perfect setting, landing a reservation at Club Kloof requires a little patience. In fact, Cape Town has risen in the ranks of global foodie destinations, attracting travellers with discerning palates to the Mother City.

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Behind the Doors at Club Kloof

When asked what it takes to run a successful restaurant, or two, Carter revealed that despite loadshedding frustrations and growing inflation rates, he’s grateful for the current influx of tourists, and support of his team: “We’re lucky to have this amazing tourist season taking place. Winters are a little bit more challenging, but I think that’s part of running a business. Food prices are also becoming incredibly expensive, and customers can be quite demanding and expect us to deliver amazing food at the same price.”

“With everything that’s happening in South Africa at the moment, restaurants and everyone is in the same boat regarding electricity issues, but you know, we get on with it. We’ve been changing equipment and making sure we’re moving towards gas as much as possible. It’s all about process and good management. We have some great people on our team who helped us to pull everything together. Our Local is also 20 metres down the road, which makes it incredibly easy for us as a small management team to run both places because one of us can run down the road if we run out of ingredients,” adds Carter.

Club Kloof owners: Michael Carter (pictured left), Shayne Shutte (pictured right) | Image: Zoë du Toit

Committing to one style can be limiting within the confines of authentic cuisine, but Club Kloof seeks not to redefine but rather celebrate what Italian fare is truly about –  the joys of eating, and dolce far niente (pleasant idleness). So, when you visit, make sure to order a Negroni and Pizzette, and five more dishes if you’re anything like Carter or Shutte.

84 Kloof Street, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town | Lunch from 12h00, dinner from 18h00 | Reservations: call 072 415 3752, or book via Dineplan. 

clubkloof.com | Instagram