A little nostalgia, a lot of spice, and a colourful new summer menu made for sharing.
There’s something special about a South African Sunday lunch. The colourful spread of dishes, the familiar flavours, the abundance of food and the feeling that there’s always room for one more at the table.
This summer, chefs Amori Burger and Jason Jonker have taken inspiration from those much-loved Seven Colours Sundays, giving them a fresh, spice-led Upper Union twist.
A taste of home, with a little adventure
For Amori and Jason, the inspiration began with the food they grew up eating and the generous Sunday tables prepared by mothers, grandmothers and the women who brought everyone together.
“We kept coming back to the food we grew up with and those Sunday tables where there was never just one thing on the plate,” says Amori. “There was colour, abundance, meat at the centre, vegetables, salads, relishes – and everything was made to be shared.”
But this wouldn’t be Upper Union without a little culinary adventure.
Familiar South African flavours meet influences from North Africa, Turkey, Mexico, Cuba and India. Think Mexican salsa macha, citrusy Cuban mojo, North African chermoula and matbucha, and a punchy tomato topping inspired by South Indian sambar.
The bold flavours remain, but the balance has shifted. There’s more freshness, acidity and fruit, with pineapple, spanspek and Granny Smith apples bringing brightness to the table.
New dishes, familiar memories
Among the new dishes is our take on the much-loved Pork Oepsie, a South African braai favourite reimagined with pork belly, pomegranate molasses, fresh chilli and pineapple. It’s nostalgic, a little unexpected and full of flavour.
There’s also Pofadder, a traditional Lowveld lamb kidney-and-liver sausage, made in-house with our own spice blend and served with a fermented mustard made using Black Label.
Vegetables are given just as much attention. Charred beefsteak tomato is layered with tomato sambar, North African matbucha, green chermoula, fresh herbs and locally produced Belnori Kilimanjaro cheese.
Smoked beetroot comes with pickled stems, fresh leaves, salsa macha and a four-month-old Paardekraal Tomme from Graaff-Reinet, celebrating every part of the vegetable.
And for those who love lamb, a rolled lamb saddle stuffed with Turkish kebab farce is served with a rich pomegranate molasses jus that takes three days to prepare.
Made for long summer lunches
As Jason explains, the aim was never to lose the intensity of flavour that Upper Union is known for.
“We’ve just changed the balance. The food is fresher and cleaner, with more herbs, fruit and acidity, but then you’ll get a chilli crunch, a fermented mustard or a really punchy relish that changes the whole bite.”
At its heart, our new summer menu is about the simple pleasure of sharing good food with good people.
It’s food for ordering a few more plates, pouring another glass of wine and lingering a little longer than planned.
And really, isn’t that what summer in Cape Town is all about?
Join us at the table.
