Five-star urban elegance

The elegant décor sets a chic, upmarket ambience. Lined with imported marble floors, Spanish chandeliers, pressed ceilings, oodles of luxurious imported Italian fabric, exquisite gold-framed oil paintings and a rich olive, chocolate brown and gold colour palette – Pigalle Sandton's lavish decor exudes an almost decadent, yet exceptionally impressive urban-Baroque flavour.

One of three Pigalle restaurants owned by legendary restaurateurs, Naldo and Victor Gonçalves, Pigalle Sandton was opened in 2005 and is managed by profit-sharing GM Johnny Miranda. His passion for this fine dining establishment is clearly evident in his every word: “We strive to provide a complete wining and dining experience for our patrons – a place of unrivalled elegance that offers the best of the best – from the food, to the service and the general ambience.”

Pigalle Sandton's regular clientele consists of the who's who in Jo'burg's A-list society. “We cater to top-end clientele who are after a five-star experience. During the week, the majority of our patrons comprise executives and businessmen. On the weekend however, it less formal – the more casual ambience provides a place to eat good food in a stylish setting with friends and family.”

Panoramic vistas

The restaurant's smoking section comprises an elegant and breezy balcony with unrivalled panoramic vistas of the Sandton CBD skyline. “We believed that it is unfair to keep smoking clientele cooped up in a little glass box, so instead, we have provided our smoking patrons with a wonderful enclosed balcony-like area, that is pleasantly airy and light due to the vast expanse of glass windows that provide impressive views that go on forever,” says Miranda.

Pigalle Sandton's staff are all full-time employees: “Our staff have made a career out of being in the restaurant business; we do not employ any part-time employees. All our waiters for example, are the best in the business. They are all trained in length in terms of food, wine and etiquette knowledge, and take great pride in rendering their well-honed skills to our patrons.”

A masterfully created menu offers standard dishes that customers have come to expect, as well as a number of specialities which change weekly offering clients a superb selection of Portuguese cuisine. The venue is well renowned for its exceptional seafood, which is prepared in a Mozambiquean Colonial style. The linefish is imported daily from Cape Town, and the shellfish from Mocambique. Meat eaters will find a selection of prime cuts of super-quality aged beef, veal escalopes and lamb shanks to slow roasted Duck served with an opulent cherry sage sauce and spatchcock chicken peri-pei.