Barcade meets Lehae and takes traditional food and drinks to another level
Well known for trendy events, beautiful decoration, and traditional isiXhosa dishes, the Barcade has raised the bar high for African cuisine restaurants in Plett. Barcade has partnered with the owners of popular Lehae Tshisanyama in Kwanokuthula to bring Kasi food in town central. The partnership aims to target tourists that want to try out traditional iKasi food along with local tourists looking for familiar comfort foods.
According to Cindy Allen, owner of Barcade, the beautiful establishment was formed and launched in 2019, but due to the Covid pandemic, Barcade closed before the public could enjoy it. “Our Barcade venue opened its doors in September 2019 with the vision of creating an adult and kids’ arcade serving burgers and beers and providing putt-putt, laser tag and a jungle gym area. Unfortunately, due to Covid, the arcade section was not able to remain open at the time, and we mostly closed operations,” said Allen.
“The venue has space for another business and Lehae approached us wanting to expand into town. Together with our new manager Ziggy Kana, the idea of catering for the Kwano community within Plett’s town centre was formed,” she added.
The establishment offers a cool, beach-vibe theme with a large open space covered with a stretch tent, slot machines, pool table, bar and the Lehae restaurant within the same area. On weekends, Barcade is known for hosting Kasi-themed events, giving local deejays an opportunity to showcase their talents and to mingle with main guests (big shots) in the industry from out of town.
Lundikazi Khuphiso, known as Lady Luu, assists Ziggy in organising some of their hottest events; she says the idea is to unite different demographics of people through good music, food, and dance. “We bring to the people what they love and we are trying to bridge the gap between people from the township and the urban areas. Our events are meant to entertain, inform and offer different experiences from those that tourists are used to in town,” said Khuphiso. Together with Ziggy and the business owners, she has a vision to make the establishment relatable, attractive, and inclusive to all races while celebrating the Kasi lifestyle.
Manager Ziggy Kana, who studied and qualified in engineering, arrived in Plett to stay with his mother in 2016 while looking for employment opportunities in his field. Initially, he obtained an internship with the Bitou Municipality but thereafter struggled to find employment in the engineering field and began working as a waiter. This experience ignited his love for hospitality and entertainment. By attending short courses in management, Ziggy worked his way into a managerial position from which he moved over to manage Barcade and has thrived in this position.
Elethu Booysen owner of Lehae Tshisanyama is glad that traditional food and Kasi culture are being in an upmarket location in Plett. “I just want to exist and achieve more, my goal is to grow and expand,” said Elethu. Even though she has a dream to expand and become a franchise, Elethu says she never expected for her business to branch out into town only a couple of months after launching her tshisanyama in Kwanokuthula. She is excited to see where the relationship with Barcade will take her in the future.
For a booking, you can speak to Ziggy at Barcade on 072 626 1111 or Elethu at Lehae on
071 837 5086. For a venue or to host your event for free, you must buy food at Lehae and drink with Barcade. Vibrant and beautiful event host Akhanani Rawana, who hosted the comedy meets music event that was held at Barcade on Christmas Eve, said she loves everything about Barcade. “The audience, the atmosphere was just perfect and welcoming. I had fun hosting the event and people were so happy,” the host added.
You can like and follow Barcade Plett & Lehae Tshisanyama on Facebook to be the first to know about Barcade’s trendy events.
