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There are few cafés which serve up views like those from the new Bites Beach Café by Morukuru Family De Hoop, or whose walls could speak of such times past. Bites breathes new life into an ancient structure.  This new addition for guests staying at the luxurious, off-grid, Relais & Chateaux accredited Morukuru Beach Lodge and Ocean House, offers an evocative drinking and dining alternative to their gracious, sweeping restaurant and dining room.

Bites Beach Café opened its doors in February 2023 in the ‘Koppie Alleen’ Cape Dutch cottage, a remote, beautiful and historic thatched fisherman’s cottage situated on rocks, next to sand dunes with views of the magnificent shoreline of the untamed De Hoop Nature Reserve. No other man-made structure is around for miles, other than Morukuru Beach Lodge and Ocean House which are discretely situated amongst the fynbos.  Their stunning contemporary architecture forms a wonderful, visual counterbalance to this historic cottage, which is happily brought back to viable use through this restoration. Koppie Alleen has been sensitively converted incorporating modern architectural elements, such as floor to ceiling glazing, to capitalise on its remarkable position with its dramatic, uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean.

Offering both indoor and outdoor seating, Bites offers a ringside seat for land-based whale watching, when the Southern Right whales migrate to these waters to calve between July and the end of October.  A fireplace takes the chill off those winter months, and, in summer, the outdoor seating offers visitors the perfect arena from which to take in and soak up the remarkable wildlife, views and sun.

With a casual daytime menu of fresh fish, wood-fired pizzas and burgers, Bites is open to walkers and day visitors to De Hoop Nature Reserve for lunch and coffee (as well as Morukuru Family De Hoop residents) whilst in the evening it will be exclusively for Morukuru Family guests, either from Beach Lodge or Ocean House, when the menu will offer African-themed fine dining featuring  South African dishes with a twist. It will also be used for sundowners, breakfasts and special occasions for Morukuru Family guests.

Marketing Manager, Rinse Wassenaar commented: “Already enjoying an award-winning reputation for hospitality, Morukuru Family is delighted to offer this exciting new addition for our guests in the De Hoop Nature Reserve. With its unrivalled position, historic charm and excellent cuisine, we look forward to Bites Beach Café being a tuneful new string to the Morukuru Family bow.”

The De Hoop Nature Reserve is one of South Africa’s true wildernesses formed of remarkable beaches, sand-dunes, fynbos and vlei wetlands – a place of immense beauty. Halfway between Cape Town and Knysna it remains an uncommercial hidden gem for nature lovers. De Hoop offers the best land-based whale watching in Africa during the winter months.

Morukuru Beach Lodge is a boutique hotel of 5 double rooms and Morukuru Ocean House is an exclusive-use property for up to 8 adults and 4 children. Both award-winning, Relais & Chateaux accredited properties are striking, luxurious and off-grid, set discretely among the fynbos of this exceptional nature reserve. They offer a busy activity programme including nature and marine walks, dune-surfing and mountain-biking, yet with the flexibility to tailor any itinerary to individual wishes. Morukuru Family is famed for exceptional service and mouth-watering cuisine. They also own three exclusive-use houses in the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve - which twins well with De Hoop Nature Reserve, for those seeking ‘bush and beach’ – as well as the oasis that is Athol Place House & Villa in Sandton, Johannesburg.

For more visit: www.morukuru.com