Tashas Café opens in Lynnwood, Pretoria

Image supplied: The Tashas Cafe Lynnwood burger

The café – the 15th Tashas in South Africa and 16th for the Group with Le parc by Tashas – is inspired by “Le Jardin Marjorelle” in Marrakech.

As with all of the Tashas locations, Tashas Lynnwood Bridge has two menus. The Classic Menu features favourite dishes from all Tashas cafes, and the Inspired Menu is particular to each specific location.

For Tashas Lynnwood Bridge customers, the Inspired menu features light and bright dishes – drawing inspiration from travel to Morocco, homemade spices and jams, and recipe research by Jill Okkers and Sasha Basson from the group’s culinary team.

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“What started off as 16 menu items, that were already signed off – and this all changed when Natasha Sideris – our founder and CEO – visited Morocco,” Okkers explains. “We then spent the next few weeks creating a menu more reflective of brunching with friends in the garden and enjoying a table filled with decadent, fresh and healthier food.”

The bespoke menu features 12 dishes, from all-day breakfast to salads and mains. Some of the standout dishes include the homemade breakfast flatbread – filled with cheese and baked to golden, topped with crispy bacon and a fried egg. The coconut yoghurt panna cotta pots are served two ways – either with blueberries, pineapple and lemon curd or with caramelised banana, peanut butter maple yoghurt and salted peanut, linseed, sunflower seed & pumpkin seed brittle.

For the salads, try the decadent burrata panzanella with locally handmade burrata, served with heirloom tomatoes and pickled red onions. For mains, the slow-roasted and pulled lamb sandwich – from the critically acclaimed Tashas Café Classics cookbook – is always a favourite, or try the Lynnwood Burger – a double cheeseburger, homemade Ras-al Hanout spice rub, pickles and caramalised onion.

Image supplied: The Tashas Lynnwood interior

“As with all our cafes, each dish is made to order,” adds Basson. “We’re also making all of our own spices, jams, pickles, chutneys and sauces. It just makes the world of difference to freshness and flavour.”

The Moroccan inspiration extends from the menu to the décor. The interior has been designed and styled by Nicky Greig, head stylist for Tashas Group, the décor brings to life a number of collaborations, elements and expressions from local designers and artists along the theme of Le Jardin Majorelle – the famed botanical garden and artist's landscape garden in Marrakech, Morocco.

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The Moroccan influence is evident in the imported furniture, handmade floor tiles in ivory and green, as well as mosaic tabletops, and ceramics on gold and green. The central roof installation – an instantly recognisable piece of all tashas store design – is a delicate hand-cut glass feature by Elonah O’Neil.

The opaque glass pieces interspersed with pieces in neutral tones and gold reflects the light from outside and brings gentle movement into the space.

“We felt that the Pretoria market was big enough for our third Tashas,” explains Savva Sideris, cofounder and managing director of Tashas Group South Africa. “Lynnwood is an established area and a great location for us as it connects neighbourhoods and corporate offices – making us the ideal location for weekday business lunches, or chilled breakfast with family and friends on the weekends.”