You can find Lennon, Jagger, Winehouse and Hendrix all under one roof in downtown Woodstock, Cape Town. No, this is not a reincarnation of the greats, but the waffle wraps that are named after them are also pretty fame-worthy. This is Woodstock Waffles, home to a commingling of homemade sweet ‘n savoury waffle wraps, pops and rolls with some of the coolest owners in the hood.

Sweet or Salty?

The polarising “are you a sweet or salty person?” question has always sent me ducking for cover in defence of my indecisive tastebuds. My love for both sweet and salty cuisine knows no bounds, so for me, an offering that perfectly combines these two equally important elements is quite simply my jam. Catching wind of Woodstock Waffles and the sweet sound of warm, pillowy waffle wraps filled with fried chicken and syrup duly sent my tastebuds in a round of flick-flacks.

We Chat With Woodstock Waffles Co-Founder David Shields

Camilo Ramada and David Shields are the brains behind this baby. They share a passion for both people and food and it reflects in the colourful fabric of this awesome brand. I chat to David Shields, co-founder and whizz-kid of Woodstock Waffles to find out a little more behind the waffle-making magic.

Tell us a bit about the guys behind Woodstock Waffles? Where did the passion for waffles emerge and how did you get into this space?

DS: It all started with a backpacking trip to South America with 1 x best friend and 0 x cash in our pockets. Street food was forever the order of the day! We came across a hole-in-the-wall named “Buffalo Waffles” that at all times, without fail, had a line of 15 people running through its doors.

“After tasting the product we could easily see why – we needed to bring these waffles home.”

Five months on, with a terrific business partner and many, messy batter bowls later, Camilo and I had created a uniquely South African waffle recipe with a twist. We filled ‘em with fresh & tasty gourmet ingredients and voila, Woodstock Waffles was born.

Fill us in on what Woodstock Waffles is all about. What was the concept behind this colourful company?

DS: Our tagline, “Love Yourself” is not just a catchy-candy tune. We live and swear by it! In waffles, as in life, there’s gotta be substance.

This is where the concept for Woodstock Waffles was born. To pour love, care & undivided attention into a product that would bring people joy, everywhere.

People come in droves to devour our gourmet, goodie-filled waffles. And what’s not to love? They’re baked to crispy perfection, spread with heaps of heart, filled with goodness and slathered in a wholesome dose of eccentricity. It’s a spiritual experience.

Tell us a bit about the evolution of the Woodstock Waffles brand?

DS: We were two eager foodies, waiting and willing on someone to taste our product and shout and scream its praises. I guess you could say that that didn’t happen. Not at first anyhow. It was a long, slow & grinding process.

Managers didn’t return our calls, events thought our product too niche and didn’t book us, our waffles were fresh and homemade which proved difficult for en masse catering – we were running out of ideas! That is, until the day of our live demo at the Fourways Farmer’s Market – Jozi’s busiest and most enjoyable Sunday market.

Within year two we had grown to cater at some of the country’s biggest events and festivals. We then got a food truck and grew some more. Virtual restaurants were doing the rounds so we grew into that too. The more our brand got out there, the more people wanted to delight in our soul food.

I believe that people mostly started coming for the vibe, the energy, the ability to be transported to a time and place that offered an experience like no other.

Where did the inspiration come from for the waffle names?

DS: Human beings are nostalgic by nature. We love the past. Elders are forever going on about how great things were back in the day. The hippy generation represented (and still does) all things free, happy and fun. Also, the music to come out of that era wasn’t too bad either.

I guess you could say that the name actually found us. Good food, good music and good vibes only. That’s what we’re about…

Which is your best selling menu item? I’m guessing it’s the dreamy guy I tried – the Jagger!

DS: Would you believe me if I told you it’s actually the Waffle Churros! Don’t ask me how or when or who. Waffle churros weren’t even a thing before we invented them and now people simply can’t get enough!

Side note: Be sure to try yours with a side tub of homemade Dulce de Leche for dipping.

What are the owners doing in their free time when they aren’t working their waffle magic?

DS: Camilo and I also co-founded and are directors at the GEM Project NPC. GEM offers a mobile payment platform to reward social action in RSA. Users download the app and earn GEMs by volunteering their time and efforts to helping improve their community.

Users spend GEMs on digital rewards incl. airtime, electricity, data, movie tickets and grocery vouchers. R1 = 1 GEM and opening a GEM account is quick, easy and FREE.

In addition to our side projects, I am a Digital Strategist by trade and Camilo is the Senior Advisor (South Africa) to Business Finland, an organisation which helps Finnish SMEs go international, encourages foreign direct investment in Finland and promotes travel to Finland.

Where else can we find these wonderful Woodstock waffles?

DS: Find us in Jozi every Sunday at the Fourways Farmers Market. We’re also on Uber Eats & OrderIn if you’re in the Melrose area (and of course, we cater to any and all events incl. corporates, film and festivals). In Slaapstad you can find us at GOOD Spaces in Woodstock, on Uber Eats, Mr D & OrderIn or otherwise follow us on Instagram to see where we’re at festival-wise!

Any plans on the horizon for expansion or new menu items to look out for?

DS: Yes. Forever innovating. They say that “change” is the only constant and we live by that rule. Either you’re innovating or you stand still. Look out for our mouth-watering SMASH-donuts this Spring (ice-cream filled doughnuts) and coming up, we’ve got some waffle toasties on call to see you through the winter.

Check out Woodstock Waffles at GoodFOOD spaces.

187 Sir Lowry Rd, Woodstock

woodstockwaffles.co.za | Facebook | Instagram