News

For 38 years, Café Gannet has been part of the fabric of Mossel Bay, welcoming generations of locals and visitors to its ocean-facing tables beside the Dias Museum complex.

Founded by JJ Moorcroft in September 1988, the restaurant opened with just 10 tables, seating around 40 guests, and a small kitchen. Its enduring slogan, “Mossel Bay Seafood House,” reflects the restaurant’s roots, with fresh, sustainable seafood from the local coastline remaining at the heart of the offering.

Today, Café Gannet has evolved into a destination in its own right, renowned for vibrant local seafood specialities and signature sushi, alongside an à la carte menu catering to vegetarians, meat lovers and gelato devotees. More than 50 South African wines, together with cocktails, aperitifs, liqueurs and Cape Saint Blaize gins, complete the offering.

But for founder JJ Moorcroft, Café Gannet’s greatest legacy is not simply its food. Over nearly four decades, its tables have hosted birthdays, anniversaries, christenings, weddings, family gatherings, business occasions, first dates and countless other moments that have become part of the restaurant’s story.

Moorcroft also reflects with pride on the many people who have worked at Café Gannet over the years, describing it as a place where young people have started careers, learned their trade and formed lifelong friendships. Five years ago, his children, Jason and Moya, joined the business and today serve as custodians of the Café Gannet legacy.

As the restaurant marks its 38th year, Moorcroft’s message is one of gratitude – to the people of Mossel Bay, returning families, visitors from South Africa and around the world, and the many staff members who have contributed to its journey.

Thirty-eight years on, the story continues – with more meals, celebrations, friendships and memories still to be created around the tables of Café Gannet.