Chefs Warehouse

Chefs Warehouse, Liam Tomlin's restaurant group in Cape Town

Chefs Warehouse is a restaurant group based in Cape Town (South Africa), driven by internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Liam Tomlin. The group brings together seven restaurants and a drinks lounge in and around the city. Its first location, Chefs Warehouse and Canteen, opened in 2014 on Bree Street in Cape Town and was the starting point for the Tapas for Two concept, which brought globally inspired tapas to the city.

The group's philosophy is summed up in a statement from its founder: "Real food. Real people. Everything we do at Chefs Warehouse revolves around these two core assumptions."

The group's restaurants

The group's offering is spread across several establishments, each with its own focus:

• Chefs Warehouse & Canteen (91 Bree Street, Cape Town): the reinvention of Liam and Jan Tomlin's classic, with the flavours and urban energy of the original Tapas for Two location. It presents itself as a fun, down-to-earth and delicious space, with a menu of globally inspired bites.
• Merchant Bar & Grill (91 Bree Street, Cape Town): described as "modern old-school", it combines a return to kitchen basics, provenance and the four seasons with a contemporary menu and a cosmopolitan bar. Its offering is based on simplicity, intensity of flavour and a window on South Africa's best producers, in the heart of the city.
• Room 91 (91 Bree Street, Cape Town): an event space overlooking Bree Street and Cape Town, offering Chefs Warehouse food for business or pleasure occasions. Enquiries: 91breestreet@chefswarehouse.co.za.
• Thali (3 Park Road, Cape Town): a modern Indian restaurant located just off Kloof Street, inspired by the depth and breadth of India's regional flavours. Meals are composed of many small dishes served in three generous courses, in a warm and mellow indoor-outdoor space pervaded by the colours and aromas of toasted spices.
• Chefs Warehouse at Maison (R45, Franschhoek): a big-flavour, real-deal farm-to-table offering in the Franschhoek Valley, with a relaxed wine valley style. It is a joint venture between Liam and chef David Schneider, who is committed to producing everything in-house. Its four-course Tapas for Two menu playfully explores themes of garden, sea, street and family.
• Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Main Road, Constantia, Glen Alpine): suspended over Constantia's sloping vineyards, it is jointly owned by Liam and acclaimed chef Ivor Jones, who has a passion for Southeast Asian cuisines. It offers fresh, bold flavours presented tapas-style in an informally chic modern space.
• The Red Room (The Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel, 76 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town): a smart, sophisticated pan-Asian underground restaurant inspired by the melting pot that is Hong Kong. Its menu features true-to-their-origin dishes from China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, in the form of small plates and dim sum, as well as more generous dishes from the Robata Grill and the iconic Peking Duck.
• Cantina (Stellenbosch): in partnership with Le Grand Domaine, it is a nod to the original Chefs Warehouse and an addition to the group. It is described as an intimate space filled with warmth and heart, inspired by the flavours and spirit of the Basque region, with a menu that celebrates the joy of sharing.
• Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo (Chapman's Peak Drive, Cape Town): perched above the Atlantic coastline, it offers an indoor-outdoor setting and a Tapas for Two menu inspired by the best local small producers and seasonal ingredients, such as white clams, artichokes or smoked Stanford cheese.

Chefs Warehouse Hamburg: opening soon

The group plans to open Chefs Warehouse Hamburg Canteen and Bar in March 2026.

Shop and products

The group has an online shop, CW Shop, and Chefs Warehouse Essentials, a range of snacks designed by Chefs Warehouse. The website also offers gift vouchers and a Careers section.

Founders and team

Liam Tomlin is the chef and restaurateur behind the group. Jan Tomlin is involved in the reinvention of Chefs Warehouse & Canteen. Chef David Schneider is co-owner of Chefs Warehouse at Maison, and Ivor Jones is co-owner of Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia.

Locations and venues

Chefs Warehouse & Canteen location: 91 Bree Street, Cape Town

Merchant Bar & Grill location: 91 Bree Street, Cape Town

Room 91 location: 91 Bree Street, Cape Town

The Red Room location: The Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel, 76 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town

Beau Constantia location: Main Road Constantia, Glen Alpine

Maison location: R45, Franschhoek

Thali location: 3 Park Road, Cape Town