A horrible war bringing la dolce vita to South Africa??
That’s actually exactly what happened when World War II ended and thousands of Italian prisoners of war (POW’s) were detained in the Zonderwater concentration camps throughout the country.
Along with these soldiers came Italian culture and, of course Italian cuisine. During these years many were forced to work as labourers on farms and slowly, but surely integrated into local life.
A hand full of POW’s ended up on the Limpopo farm of Reint Dykema, grandfather of co-owner Reint Grobler, up in the north. When still alive, he used to love telling his visiting grandchildren the story of these soldiers and their way of life. Especially about the smell of oregano, basil, garlic and tomato that used to infuse the bushveld air.
It is the memory of these stories, and of course Karien’s (co-owners) passion for Italy and Italian food, that lead to the opening of Capish!, where wood-fired pizzas and hand-made pasta is made and served daily. And what will good food be without the same loads of country-style hospitality that those POW’s must have gotten used to at their host families back then.