Never have “Naked Chef” and “Phrenology” been said in the same breath as often as recently. You see, the must-visit eatery in Cape Town called Giulio’s Café, located in the lower Loop Street section of the CBD, is currently enjoying an impressive resuscitation.
On entering the clean and simple, yet subliminally whimsical, space, it is vividly apparent that the Midas touch of creative savant Michael Chandler of Chandler
House has been at play here.
Chandler has managed to seamlessly pair the urban exposed brick façade of the 18th century building with large glass windows, letting in plenty of light. The most striking design detail comes courtesy of the plaster folly chalky white wall complete with Roman column details evocative of the Corinthian era while the embossed festoon detail is decidedly reminiscent of the Cape’s heritage.
Named after the owner and chef, Giulio Loreggian, the café delivers bold and authentic Mediterranean flavours prepared with integrity – a celebration of his Italian heritage and upbringing. “Like the puttanesca, all pastas on the menu are based on how my grandmother cooked her favourite dishes, making them unique,” he explains. With an extensive resource of dishes to draw from,
Loreggian had the daunting task of deciding which culinary fare would make it to his menu; was it to be a tribute to his international culinary experience working under Jamie Oliver, or recipes imparted to him by his food-centric family?
Giulio's Cafe's menu would make Nonna proud
The café delivers bold and authentic Mediterranean flavours prepared with integrity
Never have “Naked Chef” and “Phrenology” been said in the same breath as often as recently. You see, the must-visit eatery in Cape Town called Giulio’s Café, located in the lower Loop Street section of the CBD, is currently enjoying an impressive resuscitation.
On entering the clean and simple, yet subliminally whimsical, space, it is vividly apparent that the Midas touch of creative savant Michael Chandler of Chandler
House has been at play here.
Chandler has managed to seamlessly pair the urban exposed brick façade of the 18th century building with large glass windows, letting in plenty of light. The most striking design detail comes courtesy of the plaster folly chalky white wall complete with Roman column details evocative of the Corinthian era while the embossed festoon detail is decidedly reminiscent of the Cape’s heritage.
Named after the owner and chef, Giulio Loreggian, the café delivers bold and authentic Mediterranean flavours prepared with integrity – a celebration of his Italian heritage and upbringing. “Like the puttanesca, all pastas on the menu are based on how my grandmother cooked her favourite dishes, making them unique,” he explains. With an extensive resource of dishes to draw from,
Loreggian had the daunting task of deciding which culinary fare would make it to his menu; was it to be a tribute to his international culinary experience working under Jamie Oliver, or recipes imparted to him by his food-centric family?
Image: Christof Van Der Walt @ One League
The end result is a beautiful mix of both. Reworked Italian classics, resulting in a proud Nonna, whose wooden-spoon recipes made it to her grandson’s corner café menu, coupled with some light gourmet paninis and a lunchtime harvest table that changes daily. Chandler, who, among other things, gained acclaim
when he first launched his now iconic Phrenology vases, master-minded the café’s precisely edited interior.
When designing the space, he drew from his wealth of art history knowledge in bringing together Loreggian’s vast influences, most poignant being his Italian roots and grandmother who lives in Pompeii, with some modern touches via the bespoke art décor furniture items which Chandler explains “were made with integrity, using materials that are locally sourced by local craftsmen and manufacturers”.
As if to thank the gods for inspiring this airy and splendid space and the couple’s romance, he added a gold olive wreath above the dining room’s main table – a spot of whimsy borrowed from the age of emperors past.
16 Loop St, Cape Town.
Open Mon-Fri 7am-4pm.
021 418 6304
November 2015