Iconic South African cocktail bar, News Café, has held the feat of being a pioneer and market leader in the cocktail and lifestyle industries. Over the last few years outlets within these industries have had to evolve tremendously, in order to compete with new local and international brands, who often mimic each other, in a battle to win the hearts of many locals.
In attempt to recapture the hearts of the greater Midrand community and bring a sophisticated, homely and vibrant atmosphere, Midrand’s News Café has finally opened its doors to the public after it closed down in search of a revamped and more vibrant look.
“This is the first of the new sort of colour schemes and thinking that News Café is going towards. We’re the most newly renovated store and that’s why we’re seeing them here first. The real thinking behind it is that we want to create a sophisticated and classy cocktail environment,” said Bhavna Baldeo, co-owner of News Café Midrand.
Earlier in the year, News Café announced that it has taken a bold step in a new direction, ushering in a new era for the brand. The newly revamped Midrand franchise is but one of the many tricks the brand has up its sleeves as it responds to a need to deliver new and innovative concepts while staying relevant to large customer markets, which has proven to be a challenge, as more competition arises.
In keeping in line with being voted the best cocktail bar in the ever-so-popular Best of Joburg Reader’s Choice Awards, the hangout spot has added a special touch to its drinks menu by introducing a new set of cocktail options.
“It’s really just keeping up with trends and competition. News Café has always been a trend setter and we want to stay ahead of the market – the new cocktail menu is really us tapping into the market,” she said.
Although it’s long been considered the go-to hangout spot in Midrand, the spot had gained notoriety as a noisy and unruly place likened with a club. Baldeo said the Midrand team would work tireless to make the cocktail bar synonymous with sophistication and great social experiences.
“We don’t want to come across as a club type of vibe. We want to offer all of it – from class to socialising. We want people to have a great experience,” Baldeo said.
The vibrant spot is set to officially launch their new cocktail menu on 30 October ahead of a bigger launch that promises to enthral patrons from far and wide and give them a taste of what the new look News Café is all about.
“We’ve been here for 15 years and there are relationships that we’ve built with the community. A lot of the old faces keep coming back and we pride ourselves in the relationship and service that we give locals,” said Baldeo.
