Grain Food and Wood

Grain is the latest addition to the trendy Maboneng Precinct in Joburg’s CBD. The restaurant, which launched on 30 July 2015, markets itself as a combination of healthy food and upcycled furniture.

The concept was created by Laré Birk and Letitia Lerm, the duo behind Woodlady, a company that makes furniture from recycled wood, and Gerrie de Haas of Gihon Foods, a health product range. We caught up with Letitia to find out a bit more about this new casual dining spot that prides itself on “going against the grain.”

How did the concept for Grain come up?

The restaurant concept caters to Johannesburg’s rising health and environmentally conscious consumers. We’ve always dreamt about having our own showroom and retail space, combined with a deli/café. Tasty food gets high priority from us and we wanted to break the perception that healthy food never tastes good.

How has the response been?

Incredible! People aren’t just sitting down to have a meal. We see them poking around the shop and responding well to the idea of eating in an environmentally friendly way.

How would you describe your menu?

Our menu is fresh and free from wheat, gluten, preservatives, MSG and sugar. It’s made with quality organic ingredients sourced from local producers and farms. Quality trumps quantity, so we have chosen to keep our menu small. We still wanted to cater for everyone, so we offer something for the vegan, the dairy lover, the gluten intolerant, as well as fans of Banting and the Paleo Diet. We love playing with our specials menu, which we change regularly. This gives us a chance to experiment with new and exciting ideas.

What one item on the menu would you say is an absolute must?

The Good Ol’ Grilled Cheese, made with beetroot bread. You also have to try our pizzas! They’re made with a gluten free base.

Tell us a bit more about the upcycled furniture.

Woodlady creates furniture and decor items that embrace sustainable design. We believe that subtle changes can make a big difference and we’ve committed ourselves to putting the environment first. Woodlady collaborates with Round Square Pallet Solutions, a pallet recovery business. Through the initiative of recycling scrap wood, this relationship has contributed to environmental awareness and job creation. We are incredibly excited about our new product range that we are launching on our social media platforms.

You also showcase artists. Who is currently showing?

We are all very passionate about the arts and we would like to use the space to give young, up-and-coming artists a platform where they can showcase their work and get exposure. Sonia Dearling’s work is currently decorating Grain’s walls. Sonia is a talented graphic designer and illustrator who also, in collaboration with myself, designed Grain’s corporate identity.

Visit Grain on the corner of Van Beek and Beacon street in Maboneng, Joburg. Grain is open from 8:30am until 4pm from Tuesday to Friday, and from 10am until 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit grainfoodandwood.co.za for more information.