The Juice Journal by Juice Film

Somewhere between the first warm afternoon and the jacarandas deciding it’s time, Cape Town wakes up. The wind softens (occasionally). The city moves outside — onto pavements, into gardens, down to the beach for that first not-quite-warm-enough swim anyway. Spring doesn’t ease in here. It arrives, all at once, a little too excited about itself.

Which felt like the right week to launch this.

Welcome to The Juice Journal — Juice Film’s new home for everything we’re excited about in this city. Not a destination guide, not a listicle: an ever-evolving, slightly spunky, very local read on Cape Town, written by people who actually live here. Restaurants, hotels, what’s new, what’s on, the odd hot take. More on that on our About page, if you want the full story.

For now: this is post one, and it felt right to start with the season doing exactly what we’re trying to do — shake things up.

What’s blooming this month

Amura, at The Nellie. Not new, but doing genuinely great things right now — chef Ángel León’s marine-led menu at the Mount Nelson keeps racking up awards, and it’s still one of our favourite rooms in the city for a proper occasion.

Oranjezicht City Farm Market. Wednesday night markets are back on, and the flower season in the national parks nearby is on its way out — catch it if you can — but the city itself is already in full spring mode. Case in point: this chilli stand.

Le Bistrot de JAN, InterContinental Table Bay. The InterContinental Table Bay has reopened after its redevelopment, and with it comes Le Bistrot de JAN — the new spot from Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, the first South African chef to hold a Michelin star. Source: SA Decor & Design

Juice recommends: Die Stoep, at Vriesenhof. Took the family, and honestly could not get enough — every dish absolutely delicious, and we’re already counting down to the next visit. Cannot recommend it more.

Photo: @diestoep_vriesenhof

That’s the launch. New posts are coming — weekly, once we’re properly up and running — across food & drink, hotels, activities and whatever else catches our eye. Follow along, tell us what you want more of, and welcome to spring in Cape Town.

Welcome to The Juice Journal.