Organic Cuisine - The Shop Cafe

Watermelon, Feta Cheese and Black Olive Salad

"We want to educate and say this is what you want and encourage people to try something new , so if someone asks for well done fillet , we might serve it a little less than well done because that is how we like it and it is important to serve food how you would like to see it and eat it.”

With craft, interior design, fashion outlets as well as eateries, upon entering the Doon Estate in Msasa, one would never think it is in the midst of a busy industrial area. Among the eateries is a quaint and rustic restaurant called, The Shop Café where you get a complimentary jug of fresh lemonade and “just out of the oven” bread as a starter on your table.

Owner, Kerry Wallace has been running the show for  about ten years , later joined by his son, Leeroy  and Stellenbosch’s   Institute of Culinary Arts alumni, Chef Michelle Small  who have  been  presenting  must have dishes  for the  devoted “foodie.”



Green Garden Salad

The restaurant won the Cheeseman, Specialty Restaurant of the Year 2008 under the vegetarian but not exclusively category. The Shop Café mainly specialises in vegetarian food but because Zimbabweans love their meat, they do also offer chicken and fish. A well deserved win, a special and popular treat has to be the salad buffet, comprised of a mouthwatering twelve dishes laced with herbs and edible flowers.

 When they noticed that people had been  asking  for half  butternut  salad  and  half  char grilled salad  instead of just  one item,  two years  ago when  Chef Michelle Small started  working  at the café , they changed and decided  to do the salad buffet.

Avocado Salad

Experience and acquired knowledge about plants has allowed the restaurant to carve an invaluable niche in the food and hospitality business.  In fact before delving into the restaurant business, Kerry had previously been a landscaper.

Michelle says, “Working at the Shop Café has been great because as a chef you have input on what goes on the menu. Every  morning  we  the pick  herbs and flowers  and  we  shop  at Fruit  and Veg City where get the freshest  ingredients. Kerry was  a landscaper, so he has  tonnes of knowledge about plants  and I have a vegetable garden  with my herbs  and edible  flowers  which helps  as we  strive to keep  everything  as organic as possible.”   

Seating about 50 people, mostly a lunching venue, an influx of connoisseurs can be seen mainly after midday and we are reliably informed that it being a chock a block full scenario with a winding waiting list is not unusual.   

They also offer outside catering aspect which is picking up having done a couple of weddings, private and corporate events.  “We have  even gone as far as packing  all our things  and  catering  a wedding  in Inyanga .We want people to know that they  can  come to us  for  a birthday or anniversary  and they can have this whole place to themselves, Doon estate is a quiet  and nice place to have lunch or dinner,  where they can  sit under the pergola and try something new," she adds. The Shop Café  is located  at Doon Estate, 1 Harrow Rd, Msasa , tel- 04 446 684