Plett rocks with new investments ... and a Market Off Main

Plett is top of the pops when it comes to semigration for a better quality of life in SA.

It is also a premier destination for local and foreign tourists — and investors alike.

Blue Flag beaches call, there are Green Flag walks and MTB Trails, but when it comes to dining out, accommodation and shopping, Plett’s always coming up with something new ... including some important developments this year so far. 

Plett Tourism chief executive Patty Butterworth says, with enthusiasm, that after an economic downturn during and after Covid, “Plett is thrilled to be meeting and greeting new investors to our community.

“As tourism is the primary economic driver in our small coastal town, we are honoured by the support of local and out-of-town investors.” 

At the forefront of what’s new and special is the new Plett Quarter in the vibrant Main Street.

The Plett Quarter is an elegant mixed-use location featuring a boutique hotel, luxury apartments, various restaurant and retail spaces creating a lively hub that suits the social atmosphere of its location.

Developed by the Lion Roars group, the Plett Quarter now offers visitors and locals a new experience.

You can look forward to freshly baked goods from Dough & Co, do some retail therapy at Hannah Lavery (already well established at the Cape Town Waterfront) and enjoy a unique, memorable dining experience at The Sanctuary Restaurant, in addition to having access to the rooftop pool deck and bar, exclusively for guests to enjoy.

Plett’s Main Street continues to get attention.

What was the old Grand Hotel has been reinvented as a chic boutique hotel: The Ivory Haus — complete with new The Palms Restaurant and upper deck with near-panoramic views of the lagoon, bay and mountains — all the vision and work of the extended Teubes family, is a glamorous addition to the town and Main Street. 

Food and drink always get top priority in Plett.

Zoox restaurant is on the up-and-coming Telluric Wine Estate and continuing the theme of out-of-town investment since Telluric and Zoox have been developed by Pierre and Cecily du Preez, owners of the acclaimed Beau Constantia in the Cape. 

Popular market-cum-venue, the Market On Main, made the move this year down to Sewell Street to become Market Off Main and found immediate popularity as a local hangout.

When there is important sport, locals congregate here to the big TVs and it’s a great atmosphere. 

“Welcome to Market Off Main (MOM), a vibrant and bustling marketplace located on Sewell Street in Plett,” is how it is described.

“Our market boasts stunning views that stretch down to the lagoon, onto the sand and sea, and across to the Tsitsikamma mountain range.

“At MOM, we take pride in our legacy of local is lekker and the summertime vibes of a village that has always understood what it means to kick back and relax together.

“Designed by a community for a community, every detail has been thoughtfully placed to maximise the space that says  ‘pull in, breathe, relax and chill’ is their ethos. 

Market Off Main comprises lots of little shops such as Rumours by Seakrit Spot, Sanga by Nguni, NPod, Asian Kitchen, African Crafts and Curios, and more.

The move to make way for The Plett Quarter development has proved fruitful as The Market Off Main has buzzed since it opened its doors at the end of 2023.

I was one of the locals who didn’t want to see it moved off Main Road, but it’s a great space with views ... and nothing beats the Boa Wow handcrafted bao buns.

Grab a drink here, watch sport on the big TV screens and just hang out with friends. 

At The Market Off Main, you will find a vibrant tapestry of tastes and treasures.

It’s a food court offering lots of choice. Taste of the Med offers exactly what you would hope to find from spanakopita and dolmades to traditional dips and authentic baklava. 

Fi-Ka is a family business that embraces raw eating and healthy living.

Using only small local businesses for fresh produce and all that’s homemade, they are a “farm2Table eating” experience. 

The Rumour is for coffee enthusiasts as all beans are imported and roasted, their motto being “live life today, like there is no coffee tomorrow.” 

Asian Kitchen offers a variety of authentic dishes from Chinese, sushi to Thai food. Eat it here or order a takeout. 

Sanga Meat Shack caters, in true South African style, for lovers of a braai with a butchery and biltong, mean steaks as well as wors and burgers, a range of preserves, sauces and chutneys.

Just to add another dimension, they offer a range of men’s giftware to go with that biltong. 

Luiz’s brings a taste of Portugal with fresh seafood and pizzas.

Dive into succulent prawns cooked in classic Portuguese style or savour wood-fired pizzas with interesting toppings, among other tastes of Portugal. 

Karoo to Plett offers a taste of this part of the world with shelves laden with fresh and locally sourced produce.

Locals know this is the place to find cured meats, cheeses, and jars of homemade jams and pickles. 

Then when one has eaten well, there is retail therapy here at Market Off Main. 

At Curios one can expect to find a treasure trove of African artistry.

This shop brims with handcrafted goods perfect as gifts or as souvenirs for visitors. 

FROTH is the invention of two teenage brothers who realised their dream during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown.

An easy-going 16-year-old with a big smile bought his first piece of cloth when fabric stores opened for the purposes of manufacturing masks.

He decided on the name FROTH, with the future goal in mind of establishing a coffee shop chain.

His older brother, who was 19 at the time, used his creativity and flair for engineering to design the FROTH label — together they made the perfect team.

The brothers brought a team of skilled seamstresses together, and this team brings their African happiness, quality and precision to each FROTH clothing masterpiece.

Each garment — primarily pure cotton, cotton canvas or linen. 

Sugarbird Fynbos Emporium is the creation of Michelle and Faye, a mother and daughter duo.

Gifts and decor, inspired by the natural fynbos, pay homage to our beautiful flora in the Western Cape. They say “everyone should have some fynbos finesse”. 

Meet artists, jewellers, and designers here at Market off Main each pouring their skill and soul into handcrafted treasures. It’s a vibrant tapestry of local self-expression. 

On the sporting front in Plett, there has been the launch of two new Padel courts just as this sport has taken the world by storm: one at the Plettenberg Bay Country Club and one at the new Telluric Wine Estate.

Pickleball can now be found riverside at  Down to Earth.

Kevin Evans’ popular Bike Shop has expanded to include a Trail Shop, which fits perfectly with 2023’s launch of the Plett Trails app and the formation of the Plett Community Guiding Network which aims to pair local guides with visitors for maximum enjoyment of the region’s many exceptional hiking and walking trails.

To cap off these good news stories, the tender for the development of Plettenberg Bay Airport has been awarded and rsa.AERO, the company also overseeing operations at the Cape winelands airport, has secured the contract.

The announcement was made by the Bitou Municipality in February.

Butterworth says she is pleased to see the economic growth in Plett in the tourism and hospitality sectors which has far-reaching consequences for the economic health of the entire Bitou region, creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. 

Weekender