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The House of Machines : The proprietors: Brad Armitage, Drew Madacsi, and Paul van der Spuy. -
The House of Machines : The owners of The House of Machine safe all avid motorcycling enthusiasts. The bar even has a workshop in the back. -
The House of Machines : Coffee, beer, bourbon, organic food - it's alls valuable from the bar. -
The House of Machines : THoM has their own in-house coffee blend called Evil Twin -
The House of Machines : During the day THoMis an ideal spot to grab a coffee , catch up on some work, and watch the pedestrians stroll by. -
The House of Machines : Under the guidance of veteran clothing retailer Paul van der Spuy, THoM even has their own clothing label. -
The House of Machines : Interior view -
The House of Machines : The team's flagship custom-built bike is a thing of beauty and power.. -
The House of Machines : Emphasis is placed on only stocking the finest liquor, at reasonable prices. -
The House of Machines : A wide range of gentlemen's accessories - from bandanas to beard oil - is on sale.
WORDS and PHOTOS Dylan Culhane
Blue-collar ethos with white-collar refinement. The House of Machines is a Prohibition era-style emporium offering premium liquor, gentlemen’s necessities, custom motorcycles and the best brew in town.
It’s the only bar in town where I don’t mind waiting 15 minutes for an Old Fashioned. The time melts away as you behold the bearded bartender concoct the most delicious bourbon cocktail with the measured intensity of a nuclear scientist. And as the perfectly chilled and nuanced amber trickles down my throat, I vow never to drink an Old Fashioned in future that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare.
Similar attention to detail pervades the mercurial establishment. The coffee is ethically impeccable, the house lager is brewed under supervision in Germany, and the food is organic. The T-shirts for sale are spun from Japanese cotton, sporting custom THoM designs by local and international designers. Collared shirts. Beard oil. Cuff links. Hip flasks. Helmets. Barrel-aged Negroni on tap. These and other gentlemen’s essentials can all be found under one 18th-century roof on Shortmarket Street in Cape Town.
Owned and frequented by three dapper motorheads, The House of Machines is an indulgent passion project unashamedly centred on the vices and indulgences of its founders. Fast bikes and good bourbon are the cornerstones in this hierarchy of needs, but impeccable taste is the cement that holds it all together.
Custom bike builder Drew Madacsi, fashion designer Paul van der Spuy and Brad Armitage, co-founder of Vida é Caffe and &Union, are all energetic and inquisitive businessmen who know what they like and don’t quite see the point of settling for anything less. Together they devised this Prohibition era-style gastro dive-bar – which is perhaps the only place where you can buy a custom motorcycle built from scratch.
At the rear of the shop is a glass antechamber that currently houses the first machine custom-built by La Macchina, the bike-building division of this micro-empire. It’s something of a Frankenstein, fusing anatomical elements of a superbike, a café racer and a Harley-Davidson. Every nut and bolt gleams in the fluorescent light, and when Drew starts it up it sounds like a lion possessed by the devil. In other words: the real deal. In its pared-down elegance, premium detailing, and unconventional yet meticulous assemblage, this bike is a metaphor for the larger enterprise.
THoM also plays its part in invigorating the cultural community, with newly introduced live music evenings curated by rocker and associate Andy Lund. With its free Wi-Fi, Evil Twin coffee and a charming view of the brick-lane sidewalk, those in the know have already made it their office-away-from-office. Once the sun goes down, there’s typically a motley bunch of rock ’n rollers, hipsters, suits and musos hanging around the bar on any given night.
But as rowdy as it might get once the band fires up and the Old Fashioneds start flowing, quality and class always prevail.
