When we first caught wind of this new Bree Street establishment we were very confused. Why would the famous London chain open its doors in Cape Town? Did someone pay a hefty franchise fee and commit to importing lobster? Or did the company themselves decide Bree Street was somewhere they’d like to operate business?
The latter seems more plausible, however neither theories were correct. This was confirmed by a friend in the industry, who explained that a restaurateur synonymous with The Waterfront, opened the restaurant with the identical concept and name as the London hangout.
Burger & Lobster (the original) has restaurants scattered around high-end areas in London, with a US flagship store in New York. They offer 3 menu items: a burger, a whole lobster or a lobster roll. Their site explains that they source sustainable lobster, which makes sense as lobster can be found on the North West side of the UK’s Atlantic.
SA does have its own lobster variety, and of course crayfish. We have the West Coast Rock Lobster which is orange on the SASSI list and the East Coast Spiny Lobster which is green if you are catching it in the Eastern Cape. But we were told that Burger & Lobster on Bree will be importing Lobster from Maine or serving West Coast crayfish, which is orange on the SASSI list.
Maine lobster is that iconic looking lobster that we associate with fine-dining. It’s the one you’ll see in movies, in logos and in most representations of the lobster, so its no wonder the restaurant would choose such a variety to serve in Cape Town, but is it sustainable? The answer is yes – thanks to a successful breeding system and strict fishing regulations.
But importing such a luxury in these economic times doesn’t feel sustainable for a business, especially when lobster prices were said to be on the rise last year and currently sit at $10/lb (R143.10/0.45kg). We’ve seen fluctuating prices first hand in our local supermarkets and restaurants of late, so a variation in lobster prices is definite.
Here are the prices for Burger & Lobster on Bree Street:
– B&L Burger – 250g pure Steak burger topped with 2 cheeses, Maple syrup bacon, red onion, lettuce and Home-made gerkin for R129
– Lobster Roll R147
– Whole fresh lobster (steamed or steamed and finished off grilled) from 350g to 1kg. Prices vary from R300 – R860
*All dishes comes with American Style Fries and a Mixed Green Salad
(Not sure whats happening there with the one on his back)
We’re not sure whether Capetonians will be able to afford the luxury seafood on a regular basis. Either way, we’re still keen to try out the new Bree Street spot, hopefully when the orange crustacean price is on the low.
The restaurant is open for dinner this week and will be open for lunch as well starting next week.
Burger & Lobster London
Burger & Lobster Cape Town
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