Roodebloem Road in Cape Town
Most of us have seen the road signs showing the Roodebloem turn-off from De Waal Drive, Nelson Mandela Drive (N2) or below from Victoria Road but many do not know that Roodebloem Road has much more to offer than just the road linking Woodstock to the highway. From deli’s to drinking spots, finance to photography, this road has it all in a little more than 500 meters.
Roodebloem Road in Cape Town derives its name from the vast spans of vivid red flowers that grew on the lower mountain slopes of the Roodebloem farm before cultivation when the untamed piece of land (now known as Upper Woodstock) was still home to mountain zebras, leopards and lions. In 1666 when the building of the Castle of Good Hope started, the VOC (Dutch East India Company) gave this piece of land to an early VOC official and centuries later, this old farm road became what is now known as Roodebloem Road in Cape Town.
Coming down from the top of Roodebloem Road at number 115, the Green Laundry Laundrette offers collections and deliveries and just before crossing Palmerston Road, the District Café is open for Breakfast and Lunch selling fresh pastries, croissants, scones, Danishes and muffins. Further on your right with turquoise benches on the outside, Don Pedro and all his beautiful wives have live music at night from 20h30 with a pianist on Mondays and Tuesdays and singers from Wednesday to Saturday. Crossing Wadham Lane, there is a Gift Shop on the left before reaching Balfour Street. Just before crossing the street to grab a bite, Dianne Ormrod Properties and Estate Agents are situated on the right.
Frangipani’s Food & Deli prepares home-cooked meals and sandwiches that taste like something from your mama’s kitchen. Offering lasagnes, pies, fish cakes and fried fish on Fridays, they also have delicious curries and apart from the food, functions as an outlet for MyCiti Bus cards and credit. Next door at 74 Roodebloem Road, Jamaica Me Crazy has cocktail happy hours daily. Open from 11:00 to 23:00 and Sundays from 12:00 to 22:00, you can be sure to enjoy this joint with some Bob Marley in the background. Before reaching Chamberlain Street, the Woodstock Lounge is a spot of serenity. With a colour palate of greys and whites and sandy colours, the couches call you closer to sit down and choose from their great selection of wines. Their large menu is also filled with tapas, wraps, salads, burgers and pizza.
Continuing down the road, you’ll be sure to find a couple of other businesses. PTR Power tool Repairs for sales, services, repairs and sundries, Galbraith Rushby for audit, tax, payroll and accounting and Flatspin.net for web solutions. Before reaching Rainham Lane, Chandani Indian and Vegetarian Restaurant is situated on the right at 85 Roodebloem Road and is open for Lunch from 11:00 to 15:00 and Dinner from 18:00 to 23:00. Further down is Akora that specializes in hair, beauty and nails and at number 81, another hub of business activity with David Bloomer Photography, Pinklens Photography, Talent fusion and Fleet Street Communications.
On the corner of Salisbury Street you will encounter the beautiful and old All Saints Church and across at 52 Roodebloem Road the SE Supermarket selling anything and everything including electricity and airtime with an ATM inside the store. On the right top corner is the trendy Salisburys cafe with a chic feel on the inside offering special products like a selection of jams and preservatives from the Wildebraam Berry Farm, cheeses and meats in the deli section and some decent Boutique wines displayed on the shelves as well. Their kitchen also makes breakfasts, sandwiches and wraps.
At 77 Roodebloem Road, the House of Laughter & Forgetfulness/Imaginarium of Art and … houses an Art Gallery exhibiting Sally Louw Ceramics. At number 69 you will find Amazing Spaces offering locations, villas and venues, Dantall Training at 49 Roodebloem Road and at number 45, Leyden Properties. Just before crossing Lawley Road, Roodebloem Studios start on your right and continues on further down in the 100-year old stone church. Finally at the bottom of Roodebloem where it meets Victoria Road, one will encounter KFC on the left and Jordan Footwear Factory Outlet on the right and with two new MyCiti Bus stops on the way, many more feet are sure to roam Roodebloem Road in Cape Town.
Content: Ed Beukes