The Black Sheep began as a true family affair. Nestled in the heart of upper Kloof Street, the beloved restaurant specialises in seasonally curated gastropub-style cuisine, with daily changing menus run by sisters Sherry and Nina alongside their husbands Jonny and Jorge.
What started as a cosy family-run establishment transformed into something extraordinary, through the natural evolution of how people interact with food and space. The restaurant’s layout offered eclectic seating areas for sharing meals with friends, featuring a beautiful wrap-around concrete bar bathed in natural light, providing views of Table Mountain for locals and tourists alike.
A Tale of Two Establishments
As word spread and dinner reservations grew increasingly regular, they began seating guests at the bar as an impromptu solution. The success of their culinary offerings was gradually taking over their vibrant bar space. When the landlord suggested a property across the road, their vision expanded, and The Dark Horse Bar – a sister establishment complementing The Black Sheep Restaurant – was born.
The Dark Horse menu follows the principles that drove The Black Sheep dining experience – honest cooking reminiscent of home, served alongside classic cocktails. “It’s important to offer some correlation to modern trends in food – lighter, vegetarian, health-conscious options, as opposed to very oily bar snacks. Fresh, exciting and unusual but simple small plates alongside the standard line-your-stomach fare,” shares Jonathan Japha, chef patron at The Black Sheep.
What makes this Kloof Street love story unique is what the team calls ‘The Sheep to Horse Experience’ – a fluid dining concept breaking traditional restaurant boundaries.
Small plates at The Dark Horse showcase thoughtful, unpretentious cuisine celebrating local, seasonal ingredients and classic culinary techniques. Dishes focus on simplicity and flavour rather than overcomplicated presentations. Each plate reflects a commitment to quality and the role good food plays in fostering connection.
“For a bar, I’m proud to have food like chickpea falafels with achar mayo or crispy Asian fish with sesame sprouts and tamarind chutney,” Jonathan adds. “The bitterballen and prego steak bruschetta with pregonaise align with bar fare but are elevated. Jalapeño croquettes with feta are better than poppers – easier to eat without the drama. And the Sichuan Chinese marinated chilli aubergine with green peppers offers a great vegan option.”
‘The Sheep to Horse Experience’
At The Dark Horse, simple food comes together with a cosy ambience filled with fascinating finds that immediately set you at ease, complemented by playlists that shift with the crowd, always matching the room’s energy. “Bars are places for stories – to share with someone you don’t know. The food and music are conduits for not interrupting that natural engagement,” says the head of The Dark Horse, Jorge Rodrigo Silva.
For many locals, The Dark Horse has become an after-work sanctuary – a hideaway to unwind, where diverse crowds cast a unique spell. Among bronze herons, mid-century modern pottery, copper-framed ornate mirrors and numerous succulents, everyone seems to relax into their authentic self.
“We’re trying to do an already good and well-liked thing really well. It comes down to being thoughtful…”
Sherry explains, “It’s all about found objects, things that have been loved and have their own stories. The space is truly eclectic, reminiscent of my childhood décor, like my grandmother’s lounge couch that brings back feelings of being loved and accepted. Our food elicits that same feeling – we want everyone to feel loved and accepted just as they are.”
Jorge ensures their wine and cocktails echo the philosophy of ‘honed but humble’. This isn’t a trendy, experimental cocktail bar chasing the latest mixology fads. Instead, they focus on perfecting classic cocktails – martinis, old fashions and negronis that have stood the test of time. Their curated wine list celebrates only local varieties that complement their food menu.
Follow the bronze horse mural to discover their rooftop bar – one of Kloof Street’s best-kept secrets, boasting breathtaking Table Mountain views that transform any evening into a memorable experience.
What makes this Kloof Street love story unique is what the team calls ‘The Sheep to Horse Experience’ – a fluid dining concept breaking traditional restaurant boundaries. Diners can enjoy any dish from The Black Sheep’s menu in The Dark Horse’s cosy lounge, or opt for an early dinner on the rooftop as the sun sets. This flexibility proves handy when The Black Sheep is fully booked, which happens often.
The experience extends further – finish dinner at The Black Sheep, gallop across to The Dark Horse for coffee and pavlova with a view, or take advantage of their weeknight offer where dining at ‘The Sheep’ earns you a complimentary nightcap at The Dark Horse on selected drinks at the bar.
The Dark Horse also offers a ‘Human Hour’ – a modern speakeasy where drinking is legal but phones are frowned upon, encouraging a digital detox. Guests are given a buy-one-get-one special, available weekly every Tuesday through Thursday from 16h00 until 18h00.
“We’re not trying to be outlandish and unique,” says Jonathan. “We’re trying to do an already good and well-liked thing really well. It comes down to being thoughtful about what most people want on most nights…” A bit of reprieve, a bit of conviviality and a little human connection – perhaps over a good meal, nice wine and laughter.
The Dark Horse Bar
Location: 145 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town | Hours: Tues-Thurs: 16h00–late, Fri & Sat: 13h00–late | For enquiries, send an email or call 021 422 0825.
The Black Sheep Restaurant
Location: 104 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town | Hours: Mon: 17h30–late, Tues-Sat: 12h00–late | To make a reservation, send an email or call 021 426 2661.
For more information about The Black Sheep and The Dark Horse, visit the links below.
blacksheeprestaurant.co.za | darkhorsebar.co.za
Written by Andrèa Fedder
Photography by Candace Douglas
