Henri's Restaurant and Pub

[August 2008] There is only one word to describe Henri’s Restaurant and Pub and that’s family. This family run restaurant with its delicious food, elegance and welcoming atmosphere will keep you coming back for more!

Henri’s is located on the corner of Lourensford and Main Rd in a building that has been in the Van Den Oever family since the 1960s. Laura Norton (neé Van Den Oever), co owner of Henri’s, grew up in the house, thus making the project of opening her own restaurant in her childhood home incredibly special and close to her heart.

Cooking has always been a Van Den Oever family tradition and Laura’s father and grandmother taught her to cook from an early age, thus igniting the passion for food. She attended the Hotel school in Cape Town and after working in great local establishments like 96 Winery Road and Vergelegen, spent three years in London. On her return to Somerset West she worked at Langverwagt, where she established a very successful catering business.

With dreams of opening her own restaurant, she couldn’t ignore the potential her old family home offered. As a heritage building they had few options, but a complete revamp was one of them and once the plans were approved, the one year renovation started. An incredible amount of hard work went into making this restaurant so special, with the majority of the renovations being done by her husband Grant and her father and the passion for excellence is well noted.

Henri’s, named after Laura’s grandfather, opened its doors under the ownership of Laura and Grant Norton on 20 July 2007.

Walking into Henri’s is like coming home. The carefully chosen and beautifully crafted décor is elegant and comfortable achieving their goal of casual elegance right here in the heart of Somerset West. Comfort comes in the form of spacious leather booths, a 6m bar, unique lighting and sensual artwork which is complemented with a menu that boasts classic favourites made from the best ingredients available.

Comfort, elegance and location are imperative to them, but good food and affordability even more so.

Laura and Grant compliment each other perfectly. While Grant is in charge of customer liaison and the operational side of the business, Laura plays the role of executive chef focusing on maintaining the quality of the food and inventing new dishes for the menu. They have a saying; “Let the food speak for itself!” The menu is designed to suit local tastes as well as the overseas market. Local customers prefer a large meal while most foreigners prefer a three course meal with smaller portions. Henri’s has established itself well to be able to accommodate people from all over.

With so much competition in the immediate area, one wonders what makes Henri’s so unique? Grant and Laura both agree that the atmosphere, the décor, the food and great company transforms Henri’s into a meeting place instead of an ordinary restaurant that is loved by locals and adored by foreigners.

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Click here to find out more about Grant Norton, part-owner of Henri's »