This is not a review, but if it was to be one, I would say I fell into this bit of news and found myself musing at it, because It’s not every day that you hear or read about the words “restaurant” and “cricket stadium” in the same sentence, but that’s exactly what’s coming to life at Castle Corner in Cape Town’s questionably “iconic” Newlands Cricket Ground.
Touted as South Africa’s first public restaurant inside a stadium, The Wicket Brewer promises to be more than just a place to grab a drink before the toss and I imagine It’s part of a bold reimagining of what Newlands can be: a space that celebrates cricket, history, and now, hospitality.
From what I pick up, The Wicket Brewer is positioning itself as an immersive cricket-themed brewpub and eatery, nestled within one of the stadium’s most historic corners. What you can expect:
- SAB’s finest beers on tap / perhaps even a bit of these niche craft beers
- A bar styled with cricket ball furnishings
- +-15 live sports screens (because who wants to miss a match? I guess)
- And a menu designed for both match-day cravings and off-day casual dining
All of this, with a direct view of the field and a vibe that mixes nostalgia with Newlands’ future-facing energy, the 15 or so screens might be a little bit too much, I hope thats just a marketing exaggeration…
The soon to launch spot is being marketed as a first-of-its-kind culinary experience in a stadium setting.
The launch of this eatery ties directly into the ongoing redevelopment of Newlands Cricket Ground, which has seen big changes over the past few years.
For context, back in 2019, the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) partnered with Sanlam Properties in a joint venture to reimagine the space as a mixed-use sports precinct, one that blends cricket with commerce, leisure, and lifestyle. A project not without a series of controversies. So far, this transformation has included:
- Upgraded heritage zones like Castle Corner
- Modern office, academic and retail spaces
- The introduction of non-match-day public facilities like cafés, lounges, and now, restaurants
- The controversial closure of longstanding vendors like The Curry Café, which served cricket fans for 27 years was a signaling shift toward new commercial partners and food culture at the stadium.
Back to one other marketing exaggeration : Is It Really a First?
While hospitality lounges and match-day suites have long existed in South African stadiums (from FNB to Kings Park), The Wicket Brewer is doing something slightly different:
- Research suggests it will be open to the public beyond match days
- It’s branded as a restaurant, not just a corporate lounge.
- It aims to create a destination experience, not just service fans in transit.
So, while it may not be technically the first “food offering” in a stadium, it does represent a new chapter for how stadiums in South Africa engage with the public year-round and maybe for just this once, I don’t have the zest to debunk marketing language.
And since do very much live for the collaboration of lifestyle and sport, what The Wicket Brewer signals is a broader trend, a shift toward rekindling that dying relationship where sporting spaces are more community-oriented, lifestyle-driven, and experience-rich. Whether you’re in it for the game, the craft beer, or just a stylish new spot to soak in some local history, this corner of Newlands is gearing up to be much more than a match-day pit stop.
If I pen a part 2 about this new restaurant, It’ll be very short and centered more around the business of hospitality. I’m trying not to gaslight myself into believing that The Wicket Brewer is somehow associated to the restaurant group that is behind the award-winning “La Colombe”. So far, this is just a surface level FYI for the business of cricket.
Do keep an eye out for this development
