Brand-new on Bree: Liam Tomlin’s The Bailey
Images: Kim Maxwell
After many delays, the triple-storey refurbishment of a heritage building at 91 Bree Street, Cape Town has finally concluded. Upon entering The Bailey, you’ll soon find that the wait was worth it.
Initially scheduled to open in April, The Café at The Bailey finally opened its doors in the first week of June. Then, The Bailey’s three levels opened one floor at a time, allowing staff to implement quality while easing into service. Now all the floors are open for guests to explore!
The Bailey’s location is in one of Cape Town’s most fashionable foodie areas, diagonally opposite Liam Tomlin’s original Chefs Warehouse site. With this dining destination, they have managed to transform functional rooms that were once operated as a women’s clinic, by introducing glamour and flair to heritage bones.
The Café at The Bailey
Drawing inspiration from his recent research trip to Paris, downstairs is modelled on a grand European Café. Oh, the Parisian-inspired delights you’re about to experience here! Prepare your taste buds for croissants and patisserie delights baked on site. And, order coffee or sip wine at round tables paired with high-backed stools in pinstripes or green velvet.
Tomlin says it’s an all-day café. “I see this bottom space as somewhere more elegant, where mothers may drop their kids and come for coffee and a chat. We’ll serve breakfast, lunch and light meals until the evening. There will be lighter wines, rosé and bubblies.”
A beautiful bar
Moving up a wide flight of stairs, you’ll find the Champagne Bar, for oysters and drinks on ice. Here, they have incorporated the same carefully restored heritage bricks and tall sash windows. But polished parquet extends back past a lift wallpapered in old Parisian street maps, leading to a bar counter. In addition, Tomlin’s eclectic art collection forms part of the wall décor, and a brass chandelier is suspended over the staircase.
A classical French Brasserie
Furthermore, the heritage building now houses a classical French Brasserie with old-style service, like the overseas hotel where Tomlin started cooking forty odd years ago. “Where you went to a restaurant because of the maître d’ or owner. You’d go for the theatre on the floor, not the celebrity chef,” he says. Ultimately, it’s that theatre that he wants to reintroduce. The theatre of tablecloths and classic table service.
Therefore, expect steak tartare mixed at the table, desserts wheeled out and cooked in front of you, and even cheese trolleys.
While The Brasserie’s menu is classic French, it is also Tomlin and his team’s interpretation of it. Think duck confit, beef bourguignon, coq au vin and steak frites, and tarte Tatin and crème brulee to finish.
And, if you feel like dressing up for dinner, The Brasserie welcomes it. Even staff wear classic uniforms: Waistcoats, ties and polished shoes.
Whiskey at the top
The Bailey’s top floor houses the Old Bailey Whiskey Bar, where you can indulge in whiskeys and single malts from velvet armchairs. The navy, embossed ceilings and parquet floors add some masculinity to the space and a black Italian-tiled terrace opens to City Bowl views.
“This is what I like to call a grown-up bar,” says Tomlin. He adds that it’s for people who like a conversation at the table without having to shout, with a lovely whiskey, beer or wine.
The Bailey is also home to a private dining room in honour of the late artist, Paul du Toit. “Basically, the room is dedicated to Paul’s friendship with Liam,” says Lorette du Toit who manages Paul’s legacy.
In the end, The Bailey honours the classics with a grand, yet comforting experience. Named after a much-loved chocolate Labrador that died a couple of years ago, the space is perfect for business, celebration, relaxation, family dining or romantic dinners.
