While the V&A Waterfront is best known as Cape Town’s go-to destination for shopping and entertainment, its fine dining scene is equally deserving of attention. Tucked within the five-star Queen Victoria Hotel is Terrarium, a year-old restaurant that marries sustainability with a fresh, ingredient-driven approach to flavour. Conceived by chef Chris Erasmus, the restaurant showcases organic, foraged produce complemented by an award-winning wine list curated by Marlvin Gwese, lead sommelier across the Newmark Hotels & Reserves portfolio.
Inspired by the environment and abundance of organic produce, Erasmus has rooted Terrarium’s philosophy in community upliftment. The restaurant helps local growers cultivate their own vegetables and herbs while sourcing meat and seafood from a network of small, family-run butcheries and fisheries.
“Passionate growers, breeders and suppliers have to fit in with our way of being,” Erasmus explains. “They have to treat nature and people with respect. Good food comes naturally from that, so I felt it was important to create an intimate, luxurious space to complement this.”
These close, symbiotic relationships extend into Terrarium’s kitchen where Erasmus is joined by head chef Anlou Erasmus, formerly of Homespun at the Andros. “I’d followed Anlou’s career closely for a long time,” Erasmus said. “I saw huge talent and passion, plus we share the same ethos on food, innovation and sustainability. I bring the old school and he brings a new, fresh perspective.”
As it turns out, the admiration was mutual. “I’d been following his journey for a long time and I happened to bump into him in Hout Bay,” Anlou recalls. “We exchanged numbers and a couple of months after that, I received a phone call asking if I wanted to open a restaurant with him as his head chef.”
Completing the trio behind Terrarium is Marlvin Gwese, Newmark’s group sommelier and the curator of the restaurant’s celebrated wine list. Recently recognised by the Star Wine List of the Year International Open, Terrarium received silver in the Best International Newcomer Wine List category for its thoughtful selection of small-scale and natural wine producers.
“It means a lot [because] it reflects all the passion, dedication and thought that went into curating the list,” Marlvin says. “It celebrates the diversity and quality of wine. Being acknowledged by the industry fuels my excitement to keep pushing boundaries, tell authentic wine stories and create memorable experiences for every guest.”
Terrarium offers two set menus: Fauna, featuring roasted venison loin with black garlic, porcini and barbecue gastrique, and oysters; and Flora, highlighting dishes such as braised fennel and potato or winter melon with cucumber and seaweed mignonette. For Anlou, the true standout is the tomato tartar. “It’s the definition of what we aim to do here,” he says. “Another standout is the kingklip with fermented blueberry barbecue basting.”
The tomato tartar, inspired by foraging, captures the essence of Terrarium’s philosophy. “It encapsulates the growing of local and wild herbs and the hand-harvesting of the tomatoes,” explains Anlou. The kingklip, on the other hand, is a nostalgic nod to his childhood. “It reminds me of a vis-en-mielie braai,” he says with a smile. “The fermented blueberry barbecue basting gives it that distinctly SA smoky flavour when it’s been charred.”
In addition to its set menus, Terrarium recently introduced an à la carte menu, which will soon evolve for the summer season. “Guests can expect a beautiful lavender and local berry dessert, and fresh oysters with salt water and lime granita,” Anlou says. “On the tasting menus, we’ll [feature] root of celery with foraged mushrooms and dry-aged, locally sourced yellowtail with a kombucha dashi.”
When it comes to wine pairings, Marlvin and Anlou collaborate closely to ensure each element complements the next. “We taste through the food balance and look at the characteristics and intensity of the ingredients,” says Marlvin. “This then leads us to the range of wines that would potentially work with each dish. We consider the temperature, texture and flavour to ensure that there’s [harmony].”
This meticulous approach, from the sourcing to the plating, from the cellar to the service, defines Terrarium’s quiet brilliance. It is a restaurant born from passion and precision, yet it never loses sight of its roots. “Going back to one’s roots is important,” Anlou reflects. “Go back to what you first learnt. From there, modern techniques and skills can elevate something that was once simply top class into something unforgettable.”
