Wishbone Café and Bistro Bar, situated in the newly open, enviable locale of 11 Alice Lane in Sandton, is the hidden gem that is your soon-to-be favourite restaurant. It draws inspiration from the exterior architecture on its doorstep, boasting lots of glass and modern design – plus a ‘Copper Bar’, appropriately named after its exposed copper piping, juxtaposed by natural elements. Needing to traverse the corporate clientele that surrounds and the sophisticated palette of the Sandton scene, the menu serves up a little bit of everything.

For breakfast, there are the usual egg favourites, plus a muesli breakfast trifle and apple and maple flapjacks. For lunch and dinner, there is everything from gourmet burgers to pasta, seafood to curry – and a dry aged rib eye steak, with more traditional French dishes like Confit duck leg and Coq au Vin, which are undoubtedly set to be among their signature dishes. There is also a weekday 3-course express lunch meal (sushi, soup and salad, all served simultaneously) and a decadent 4-course weekend brunch and bubbly special.

Divided into two levels, the downstairs has more of a modern café feel to it, whereas the upstairs has a cosier and quieter restaurant feel − which includes a private dining area for intimate dinners and lunches. The private dining area is also equipped with presentation equipment, ideal for lunch or dinner presentation away from the office.

Black Sheep Interior Design was the creative force behind the interiors and perfectly aligned their design with Alice’s Lane’s vision of being “more than an address, a true status symbol.” Wishbone Cafe & Bistro has been created to be in tune with the latest 21st-century restaurant trends, with a world class, casual yet sophisticated ambiance. There is a seamless flow between exterior architecture and the interior decor. The black and white colour palette reminiscent of traditional European bistros also serves to beautifully showcase the contemporary artwork that adorns the space.

The pairing of food with art has a longstanding tradition. A contemporary version of pairing food and artwork is currently found in the collaboration of artists and eateries in a number of world class restaurants. A tradition now come to life with a collaboration between Wishbone Café & Bistro and Berman Contemporary. Acclaimed artists Stefan Blom, Marcus Neustetter and Roberto Vaccaro are currently being exhibited in the Wishbone space.  Candice explains that Berman Contemporary “strives to bring the art to the people and uplift and enrich areas in which we participate with using collaborative partners. ” 

With an extensive hospitality background that spans more than two decades – plus a love for art, design, food and wine – owner, Craigan Millar combined all of his passions into one.

“It is quite popular in European restaurants to change the artwork now and then – and given our location, I wanted to try the same concept here,” he says. The collaboration with Berman Contemporary means that every two months, we change up our artworks to feature different artists. “We also chose to have dedicated sommeliers, as I think that pairing good wines with great food is an important part of the dining experience,” explains Craigan.

Open Monday to Sunday, Craigan believes that the weekday and weekend crowd will be slightly different, catering for the quick work day lunch break, after work cocktails to avoid traffic, romantic dinner, to leisurely weekend brunches and lunches. Wishbone is an easily accessible choice if you live or work in the s Sandton area and have a taste for not only good food and wine but appreciate art and design.

wishbonebistro.co.za                     

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