The Vasco da Gama Tavern dates back to 1972 when it was opened by the Camara Brothers. Saturday’s Gr2 Premier Trophy is sponsored by one of Cape Town’s most famous and highly regarded restaurants.
Bryn Ressell has been involved for the past two years and it is managed by his uncle Nick Fitzgerald, who is a mine of information on the history of the building and surroundings and enthusiastically provided us with some insight – punctuated by regular invitations to ‘please pop by for a beer.’
“The place is very popular and is known as the Portuguese Embassy. In the old days the guys working in the local shipping industry used to tell their bosses that they were going to the Embassy – which wasn’t exactly a lie! That gave them a gap to pop off and have a beer. The Spanish and Portuguese fisherman used to walk up from the harbour and barter fresh fish for a drink too. And did you know that the title deeds of the property date back to 1828, with building going back to 1860, so there is plenty of history. Gallows Hill was a slave execution site and there are plenty of interesting artefacts and slave graves to be found when the buildings are renovated. We are trying to piece it all together as the history is fascinating,” he said.
Joey Ramsden personally recommends the Chicken Peri Peri in his blog this week.
https://www.sportingpost.co.za/2014/12/joey-ramsden-blog-oh-for-a-change-of-luck/
Don’t say you weren’t invited – pop in at 3 Alfred Street, Green Point.
