Words: Catherine Black
Just over two years after David Higgs and Gary Kyriacou opened Marble, their live-fire rooftop restaurant in Rosebank, they’re setting their sights on something new. Saint “Pazzo Italiano” (“Mad Italian”) is set to open in the heart of Sandton at the end of August. The restaurant will be located in The Marc building on the corner of Rivonia and Maude streets – smack in the middle of the buzz of surrounding offices, hotels and apartment blocks.
As David says, Saint will offer great food for the fast-paced Sandton environment. But while it will feature Italian dishes as its name suggests, this won’t be your ordinary pizza/pasta joint – there will also be two wok stations and a grillworks as inspired by Marble.
There will be a few other similarities to Marble, but on the whole, Saint will be completely different. “Although it will embody our same focus on high quality, consistency, energy and vibe, the food, overall offering and décor will be very different,” says David. “Where Marble celebrates South African fare, cooked on a fire, Saint will celebrate Italian but twisted.”
Saint will occupy 1,000m2 of inside and outside space and seat around 230 people. “We really want it to be a place where the more than 80,000 young professionals working in Sandton can come for lunch, for after-work drinks and for dinner,” says Gary. “Our bar will offer some great local and international spirits and wines, and we’ll also have a range of specialty cocktails that also embody the ‘Pazzo Italiano’ theme.”
The majority of the building construction is complete, with the installation of the ceilings, lighting, kitchen and decor to follow shortly. The interior will use local designers and artisans, along with some imported pieces in a playful combination of old and new.
David and Gary intend to split their time between Marble and Saint, supported by a strong team in the kitchen and front of house. “We intend on spending a lot of time at Saint to ensure that we can deliver the same level of passion and energy that Marble has become synonymous with,” says Gary.
For more information on Saint Pazzo Italiano, visit the Facebook page.
