Go na le breakfast ko BotswanaCraft?
BotswanaCraft was established in 1970 by the Botswana Development Corporation to develop the rural-based handicraft industry of the country.
The company has grown to be Botswana’s largest retailer and exporter of handicrafts and is now privately owned since 1993. My high school years are when I discovered my love for art in its different forms; pottery, drama, beaded jewellery, dyeing and braiding my hair in bright colours.
I remember visiting BotswanaCraft to buy gifts for my host family in Argentina and taking a student from Germany who we hosted at home to the craft shop for her to get some pieces to take back home with her and falling in love with the beauty the shop offered.
Years later, post varsity, I came to appreciate the venue as one which hosted the best, world class live events with unmatched audio visual and sound production, showcasing great talents from Botswana and internationally.
The BotswanaCraft Courtyard Restaurant is renowned for serving the greatest traditional food. Lunches are ideal for business meetings and the perfect place to host out of country visitors ensuring they get a taste of Botswana coupled with a visit to the shop.
The shop and venue, just like the establishments tag line are a platform for ‘Sharing Culture’.
We opted to visit The Courtyard Restaurant for breakfast to see what they had to offer as they are known for their second-to-none lunch menu offers of oxtail, seswaa and a plethora of other traditional foods. The space and holistic experience doesn’t change and so we believed in the breakfast. As we sat down, I was flooded with memories of some classic shows I have attended at the venue; Zeus vs Scar. I was pregnant but I was NOT missing it, the build-up and tension around this show was thick! A proper night, with all of hip hop out to support.
I watched the late Oliver Mtukudzi who was joined by his beautiful wife on stage, an amazing love story right in front of us. Then the TKzee show. Legendary! BotswanaCraft has created the backdrop to some of my greatest memories with music.
I sipped on a latte and enjoyed the nostalgia before making an order. As the breeze swept past and through the lush greenery, one feels an instant calm and is mindful of Mother Nature. Our amazing waiter brought us a Mega Breakfast and Chicken Livers with phaphatha.
My guest had the Mega breakfast, which truly lives up to its name, IT IS MEGA! 2 eggs, 2 rasher of bacon, a grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms and 3 lean mini steaks with toast, PHEW!! My guest was satisfied to the point of skipping lunch altogether.
A very reasonably priced generous serving. Delicious and filling were my guests words and I think that should sum up any breakfast as a first meal of the day. The livers are served in a ¼ size 3 legged pot or poto ka Setswana. I loved this presentation as it gave a truly authentic cultural nuance to my breakfast.
I felt that my livers lacked seasoning but some salt and pepper was all they needed to completely turn them around. I was glad I didn’t use any other condiments before S&P. The livers were beautifully cooked and soft. The rich tomato soup they were in was divine and delicious. I recommend the livers with a phaphatha any day over toast option. It is important I add they offer a Health Breakfast for Individuals looking for something a bit lighter.
As industries seem to have fully opened up now, treat yourself to a modern-traditional culinary experience! Open Monday to Friday 8am-5pm, Saturday 9am-5pm and closed on Sunday. Breakfast at The Courtyard Restaurant is from 9am-12pm and lunch is served from 12pm-3pm Monday to Saturday. As we wound up the morning to leave I hear music from a trumpet coming from one of the conference rooms, which I understand can be converted and have a stage pulled out for intimate performances.
I asked for permission to go inside and had the opportunity to meet and hear the internationally acclaimed Socca Moruakgomo, Botswana’s renowned Jazz artist in rehearsal. This live music encapsulated the BotswanaCraft experience and made my morning.