The End of an Era

Finally, I have decided to “hang up my apron” after 46 years in the hospitality trade. During that time, I have been fortunate to own and work at 5 top-rated restaurants.

The first restaurant was the ever-popular Pizza Place in Hof Street, Gardens. We started in April 1980 (April Fool’s Day!) and won the Appletiser Best Budget Restaurant Award. It was one of the first pizza restaurants in Cape Town and was famous for its thin-based pizzas. They were available in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large, with a choice of a white or wholewheat flour base.

The second restaurant was Belvedere House in Claremont. It was a fine-dining restaurant that opened in 1986. It won a Diners Club Award and was rated in the top 10 restaurants in the Western Cape. It was also the first restaurant to have smoking and non-smoking areas.

The third restaurant was Arlindo’s Seafood Restaurant at the V&A Waterfront. It opened in Quay 5 in November 1992. It was one of 15 restaurants selected for the opening of the V&A Waterfront. It was a Diners Club Award winner and specialised in seafood. It had fascinating décor that featured 5 “floating” fish tanks and relief sculptures “emerging” from the walls. The interior was by interior designer Francois. We were the first restaurant in Cape Town to feature a kitchen paging system. Every waiter had a pager that vibrated when needed in the kitchen to collect an order.

Fourth was Al’s Place Restaurant in Rondebosch, which opened in 2010. It was well known for its steak, seafood, and traditional, wood-fired pizza. It was also a popular live music event venue and hosted many well-known musicians.

Fifth is Al’s Place Restaurant in Harfield Village, which opened in 2021. We were fortunate to have frequent great 5-star reviews for our steak and seafood dishes. It is currently operating until our last trading day on Monday 28th September.

A few other places that I was involved in were The Place Restaurant in Stellenbosch and Blink and Fubar dance clubs in Claremont.

To all my past and present customers, feel free to call or pop in – my cell number is 083 309 3950.

As an ex-restaurateur commented recently: I am probably the longest-working, 100% hands-on, old-school owner/chef who is still working in the kitchen and the front-of-house. After 46 years, I think it’s time for me to retire.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank all my loyal customers and friends for their support over the past 46 years. Your support and friendship have been invaluable.

With the fondest regards,

Alan (Arlindo) Tavares