THE Bailey in Bree Street, Cape Town, has opened the doors of its ground floor Bistro for dinner to offer a welcoming, casual dining experience to locals and visitors. The Bailey Bistro also serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, but it’s the dinner option that is set to be the main event this summer.
The menu at the Bistro is designed to offer a more informal, accessible dinner option to the Brasserie on the first floor. Chef proprietor Liam Tomlin says: ‘The Bailey offers something for everyone. At the Brasserie, we have created an authentic French dining experience, but on street level, the Bistro invites diners to pop in for a drink and a snack, or to book for a romantic dinner for two that won’t break the bank.”
The perfect date night at The Bailey begins with a cocktail on the terrace overlooking buzzy Bree Street, or at the long marble-topped bar counter set deep in the heart of the elegant café restaurant. The inviting interior features a showstopping crystal chandelier, café tables and plush banquette seating that set the scene for a delicious dinner at the Bistro where diners may feast on their choice of light meals or bistro classics.
Head chef Asher Abramowitz presents diners with a French-inspired menu that includes specialities ranging from dry-aged sirloin steak, pommes frites and café de Paris butter; and roast linefish with sauce piperade, baby fennel and bitter leaves; to confit chicken leg with courgette, colcannon, peas and tarragon; and aubergine and tomato gratin.
Lighter options that are big on flavour include French onion soup; roast bone marrow with herb salad and pickled shallot; mussels marinière steamed with white wine, butter, parsley; and chicken Caesar or niçoise salad, perfect for summer evenings in Cape Town.
The cocktail list includes the signature gin cocktail Blush Bree, Cosmo, and Aperol Spritz; a selection of craft beers is available, along with the interesting wine list that includes 15 local wines that are available by the glass.
After dinner, move up to the top floor to The Old Bailey Bar Lounge to indulge in dessert or nightcaps. There is an extensive drinks selection to choose from – cocktails, wine, and spirits that include a range of whiskies to suit all tastes and budgets. The clubby atmosphere features romantic low lighting and deep sofas dressed in vibrant velvets set around the grand piano, where talented musicians entertain the crowd on weekend nights, to end off an unforgettable night on the town.
- Where: 91 Bree Sreet, Cape Town
- Hours, Mondays to Saturdays: Bailey Bistro 8am to 9pm; Brasserie lunch 12pm to 2.30pm, dinner 6pm to 9pm; The Old Bailey Bar Lounge 3pm to late
- Bookings: Dineplan
- Call: 021 773 0440
- Email: [email protected]
