After months of anticipation, Culture Newlands has officially opened its doors, introducing a neighbourhood-focused wine bar where great wine, small plates that pack a punch and community come together under one roof.
It joins Matt Manning’s hospitality stable, which includes the group’s flagship Culture Wine Bar on Bree Street, Grub & Vine restaurant, The Blue Room music lounge and the Chef’s Studio, a cooking and demo venue.
Situated on Kildare Road in the heart of Newlands Village, Culture Newlands builds on Culture Bree Street, while embracing a distinctly local identity.
- Rather than replicating its city counterpart, the new space has been designed as a place for those in the area to gather regularly – whether for a quick glass of wine after work, a leisurely Mimosa-fuelled weekend brunch or an evening shared around the bar counter with friends.
“Culture Bree Street has always been about creating connections through great wine and ambience, but Newlands has given us the opportunity to build something a little different,” says Matt Manning, who co-founded Culture Newlands together with his wife and business partner, Roxanne Manning.
With a team led by manageress Jade Govender and a wine programme headed up by group sommelier Luyolo Mtiyane, Matt says that he sees Culture Newlands as the neighbourhood expression of Culture. “We wanted to create the kind of place that becomes part of people’s weekly routine – somewhere you pop in because you know you’ll find a great glass of wine and familiar faces.”
The menu takes its inspiration from its founders’ favourite travel rituals: discovering quirky little neighbourhood wine bars around the world. “We wanted to create a menu that contained all the things we love eating most with wine. Guests can expect a carefully curated selection of cheeses from our own on-site Fromagerie, Richard Bosman charcuterie, and a tasty selection of pintxos and tapas,” explains Matt, who draws on his Michelin-trained culinary background to create the menu together with his team, Chef Aaron Subroyal and Chef Givemore Dausi.
But of course, it is wine that remains firmly at the centre of the experience.
Before finalising the wine list, Culture asked hundreds of members of the local community what they wanted to drink. The response was clear: an outstanding by-the-glass selection, excellent sparkling wines, and plenty of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Those insights helped inform a list that features that and more: exceptional South African producers alongside carefully selected international wines, with over 50 wines by-the-glass. “We wanted to co-create our offering alongside those who we hoped would become our regulars,” explains Matt.
The interiors, designed by Stokperd, pay subtle homage to Culture’s Bree Street flagship while establishing a unique style of its own. Culture’s signature burnt orange is reimagined alongside a softer sage green palette, creating a space that feels both familiar and unmistakably at home in Newlands. Treasures sourced through The French Dispatch Company – from a classical bust and vintage gramophone to an antique ten-pin bowling set – lend character to the walls and shelves, while the intimate cheese room, tucked into one corner of the venue, offers a glimpse into Culture’s celebrated Fromagerie. The real showstopper, however, is the sun-drenched deck overlooking Newlands Village and its bustling traffic circle – a front-row seat to neighbourhood life.
Beyond the food, wine and interiors, Culture Newlands has been created with the guest experience in mind. Regular wine tastings, producer evenings and neighbourhood events will form part of the calendar, while a neighbourhood membership programme offers exclusive pricing, priority access to tastings and other benefits for regular guests.
Says co-founder, Roxanne: “Our hope is that Culture becomes part of people’s lives. We live in the area, our children go to school here; we’re invested in this community. If we can create an experience that consistently feels authentic and enjoyable – where people feel a real sense of connection with their neighbours – then we’ll have done our job.”
After all, every neighbourhood deserves a place where everyone knows your go-to glass.
For more information, visit www.culturenewlands.com
