Karoo Artist’s Café
If you ask people in Philippolis about the Karoo Artist's Café, they will tell you: "That's the place in our town where things happen!"
The restaurant reminds you of a European street café where tourists sit with locals in the afternoon in front of the Café along the famous Tobie Muller Street. This narrow street with white houses and green roofs is often described as one of the most beautiful in our country.
Until five years ago, the historic building in which the Karoo Artist's Café now stands was an eyesore with broken windows and paint peeling off the walls. That was before the new owners, amidst the dark Covid clouds of 2020, restored it with great zeal and creativity to the delight of the villagers.
If you listen carefully, you may hear the laughter of children…. More than 150 years ago, this was the first classroom in Philippolis. The town was the first settlement in the Free State, making this building one of the oldest! Afterwards, it was used, among other things, as an Engineering Workshop. With the restoration of the building, the name "JH Becker Ingenieurs" was retained on the front facade.
Today the restaurant is also used as a theatre, and celebrities such as Mathys Roets, Bacchus Nel, Amanda Strydom, Stef Kruger, and Janie du Toit have held music concerts, with book readings by Dana Snyman, C.Johan Bakkus, Chanette Paul, Nico Moolman and Juliette Whelpton.
Since December 2021, the Café has been hosting the famous Stoepkletsmark monthly. This is the first time in the town's history that a market has existed continuously for so long! Here, local residents offer their fresh products and handmade goods, and the whole community can come and chat together. The market is held weekly in December, and tourism enjoys meeting the "locals."
The Karoo Artist's Café also hosts wellness workshops and serves as a gallery for the exhibition of local and traveling artists. It is a popular place for weddings, birthdays, and other events.
The Café boasts a vegetable and herb garden where food is served from the ground to the table. You won't find fresher! In addition to the popular breakfast options, the Karoo Lamb Chops, Gourmet Burgers, and Sirloin Steaks, it is also vegan-friendly.
The legendary "Old Volkswagen school taxi" that found its resting place at the Café is a pride of the community and captures the imagination of young and old. Artists such as Willem Prinsloo and Ronel Kellerman have already painted it, and you will see it in the music video for Anton Goosen's "Pampoene op die dak". Today it is a children's playground!
The Karoo Artist's Café is child and pet friendly. Look out for Queenie the Grey Parrot and the adorable wolfdog Jess! The restaurant is fully licensed, has Wifi and is within walking distance of most accommodation and other attractions.
Eat & Drink
Generic
Menu
Contact Details
Trading hours
Hours: Closed · Opens 8 am
Address
30 Tobie Muller str, Philippolis
