BY MIA VAN DER MERWE
Fool’s Gold Social Bar makes its statement on the streets of Stellenbosch by introducing a new and refreshing meaning to the words ‘social bar’. Situated above De Akker, a long-time Stellenbosch favourite, Fool’s Gold owner Dane Hong creates a relaxed and quirky ambiance in the social lounge. The owner clarifies that this is exactly what he wanted the atmosphere and vibe to feel like for customers as they walk through the door. He aims for a setting which is relaxed, stylish and quirky where people can be social and comfortable while enjoying a drink or having something to eat.
This social bar is the perfect spot to enjoy a light Asian lunch with friends and gawk at some ‘Artclub and Friends’ merchandise during the day. At night, the bar is illuminated with neon signs, and the people are engulfed in the vibey music. The space itself offers a lot of character and the kitchen offers a simple yet enticing menu. It offers a simple selection of delicious Asian dishes on the menu including pork & beef potstickers, veggie dim sums and ramen.
This lounge is meant to be a space for friends to socialise and appreciate the exquisite interior, all within the guidelines of social distancing. The lounge is clean, neat and simply fun to be in. During the week there are no under 18’s allowed and on the weekends the bar does not allow under 20’s. The lounge opens at 12:00 daily and closes at 23:00 nightly. The actual bar is decorated with plants of all sorts. Plants, both alive and plastic, are found throughout the lounge’s interior. This gives the space an organic flare in contrast to the industrial and concrete vibe of the neon signs and marble tables.
This lounge introduces a new meaning to the words social bar because it welcomes a new class and standard for a student’s night out on a limited budget. Any good bar in Stellenbosch knows how to attract their student market – through drink specials. The drink specials prices aren’t unheard of for a town that caters for students; the usual suspects are two Black Label’s for R36, two Castle Lite’s for R38 and tequila or Jägermeister shots for R18 each. These and more are all part of their Happy Hour specials every day from 17:00-18:00. This social lounge is no exception with their fantastic student-friendly drink specials. The owner secretively hints at even more changes to come to further elevate the lounge soon. In the words of the social club – “stay foolish, stay golden”.
