merchant bar & grill

Modern old-school – that’s Merchant Bar & Grill in a nutshell. The old-school… an honest return to kitchen basics, provenance and the four seasons. The modern… a menu for today and a bar that oozes cosmopolitanism. Expect simplicity, intensity of flavour and a window on South Africa’s best producers, in the hub of the city.

Our favourite ingredient is time.

Followed by pasture-raised lamb, sourdough starter, pancetta, pickled mushrooms, kombucha, bokkoms, local parmesan, yellowtail, pork lard, pumpkin, duck confit…

Merchant Bar & Grill is a nose-to-tail restaurant, but we prefer to think that quite simply, we’re just taking things back a few generations to the way things used to be done. First and foremost, our suppliers and producers are the stars. We seek out the heroes of field, ranch and sea. Then we keep an open channel of communication so we’re always in the know about what’s fresh, in season and available. For provenance really is 90% of wonderful cooking. The rest is patience and skill.

We’re all about combining the best of the old with the new. From our heritage building -- a 19th century gem with honest marks of time and striking modern industrial design elements – to our Larder, a walk-in glass box that takes centre-stage in our dining room.

The kitchen may be the brain of Merchant, but our heart is in the Larder … where fermentation and preservation extend and enhance the produce we carefully source.

Besides the beautiful shelves of house-cured meats, terrines, patés, homemade relishes and preserves, it’s home to our cheese table, with a selection sourced from small producers across the country. You’re warmly invited to have a look around, and choose which charcuterie and cheese you’d like to try.

Setting the course for Merchant are three generations of chefs: Liam Tomlin, David Schneider and Adrian Hadlow. Experienced chefs teaching younger chefs to do things the right way …that’s how we work. We practise respectful treatment and usage of all ingredients and take a skilled hands-on approach, reflected in our daily menu selections.

While we take our craft seriously, the experience of eating here is far from serious or pretentious. Part buzzy bar, part restaurant, Merchant revolves around hospitality, with comfortable seating from the intimate to the social. Start at the bar, in our lounge or have an aperitif on banquette seating and move to the dining room; or just enjoy an evening at the bar with snacks from our Larder. The restaurant offers a 5-course Merchant Feast experience, along with an optional wine pairing…please have a look at our menu which changes daily.

Trust in us. At Merchant, you might encounter dishes you’ve never tried. It’s all part of the adventure, led by chefs with decades of experience, a nose for flavour and a desire to keep things natural and authentic.

Merchant Bar & Grill is one of three exciting Chefs Warehouse concepts at 91 Bree Street. Downstairs is our sister restaurant, Chefs Warehouse & Canteen, a revival of Liam Tomlin’s global Tapas for Two classic. And our crowning glory on top is Room 91, a large private events space we hope will become your go-to for special occasions.