New Cape Town brasserie

Ever wished for a menu designed around your dietary requirements? Dear Me may be the place you’ve been searching for. 

You’ll find Cape Town’s new brasserie, deli and event space in a 180 year-old, three-storey building, which has been beautifully restored by architect and urban designer Mario Bonadei and interior designer Francois du Plessis.  

Dear Me features not only an eco-conscious menu that changes daily, but also wall and mirror designs by illustrator Daniel Ting Chong, plus well-known South African artists on the walls – from Matthew Hindley to Ruan Hoffman. The second floor boasts a private function room and chefs table, used for Thursday evening dinners and events such as wine tastings and art exhibitions. And the third storey is where you’ll find the Chinese-inspired Tjing Tjing rooftop bar, with a loft room that opens to an outside balcony and tasty tapas dishes once the roller doors of Dear Me have closed after lunch.

Chef Vanessa Marx understands that every patron has unique needs. With a flexible, can-do attitude, her menu is designed to accommodate special dietary requirements – from diabetic dishes to vegan or wheat-free options. Vanessa was trained at the Institute of Culinary Arts and then worked for chef Pete Goffe-Wood before stints in France and London, then at Cassia and the Caveau group.

She insists on knowing where ingredients come from and handpicks local and often smaller suppliers who share the Dear Me vision. With a heartfelt passion for sustainability, the brasserie is conscious of its environmental impact and supports like-minded suppliers who share their vision of ethical food practices.

According to Eat Out editor, Abigail Donnelly, Dear Me is a “sheer success”. “Vanessa has created some incredibly tasty and innovative dishes,” says Abigail. “Sweet, firm figs with mozzarella, and a mushroom risotto with not a hint of butter and cream, but without an ounce of flavour lost.”

Dear Me, 165 Longmarket Street, Cape Town, www.dearme.co.za