Cause Effect cocktail kitchen is creating a stir in Cape Town

Their passion for indigenous Cape fynbos is evident everywhere. Pic: Supplied

CAUSE|EFFECT Cocktail Kitchen and Cape Brandy Bar is located in the V&A Waterfront (next to Ferrymans Tavern) and it’s an all GO for the summer!   

The brainchild of award-winning mixologist Kurt Schlechter, CAUSE|EFFECT has been creating a stir in the Mother City since 2017, winning ‘Cocktail Bar of the Year’ at the prestigious Bartending Accolades & Recognition Awards 2019. 

True cocktail fans have to book a seat in the newly-opened Schweppes Bartender’s Lab. Seating only six guests at a time, the Lab has a dedicated bartender creating a selection of bespoke cocktails, each paired with small plates.

Hefty wooden tables and lush artificial foliage create a stylish yet understated cocktail space. Pic: Supplied

“It’s like a chef’s table, a bar within a bar,” explains Schlechter. “There are so many techniques we have created and perfected over the years, we can’t squeeze them all into a single menu, so the Lab is a space for our bartenders to express their creativity in liquid form.”

“We’re burning, freezing, solidifying, dusting, grating, atomising, spraying… there are so many things going on in this bar!” enthuses Schlechter. “We’re an experiential cocktail kitchen, so we want you to have an experience. We want people to come and see the magic we’re creating.” 

 

They make all their own bitters and tinctures as well as their own vermouth, kombucha and cordials from scratch. Their passion for indigenous Cape fynbos is clearly evident by the bundles of fynbos strung up above the bar.

Schlechter is also passionate about premium pot still brandy from local Cape distilleries, and CAUSE|EFFECT has partnered with industry collective, the Cape Brandy Guild, to offer more than 60 handcrafted brandies.

For cocktail connoisseurs, there are the Sensorial Drinks such as Richie The Rainbow Sparkle Unicorn, the Mouth Amusers including Kiff Pink Gin and Vermouth Slammer, and The Golden Age offering of brandy-focused Cape Flip. 

Cocktails are inspired by Cape Town. Pic: Supplied

Alongside the drinks menu is a selection of platters and small plates created to complement the cocktails - think prawn toasts and sliders, generous platters of cheese, Coppa and Parma ham.

Platters and small plates created to complement the cocktails. Pic: Supplied

The Schweppes Bartender’s Lab is open daily between Noon and 10pm and seats only 6 persons per session. Bookings are taken for every hour on the hour and includes a 3-course cocktail and food pairing. Cost is R450 per person.

CAUSE|EFFECT Cocktail Kitchen and Cape Brandy Bar is located at The Rocket Shed, 280 Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town. 

Open from Monday to Sunday from 10h00 to 24h00. For bookings call 021 422 0266.