South Africans have become accustomed to the traditional coffee shop concept, where one can enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee, accompanied with a toasted sandwich, a slice of cake, a muffin and maybe a plate of pasta. But Natasha creator of tashas cafe, saw a gap in the market for a daytime cafe, that provides the consumer with restaurant quality food at affordable coffee shop prices.

 Natasha’s 14 years experience in the restaurant industry and her ability to create, co-ordinate and implement her vision, together with her relentless passion, was a natural ingredient to the success recipe of establishing South Africa’s first day time café, that offers superior quality meals and an authentic experience.

 Natasha believes that consumers are in search of something that touches their senses, offers a unique experience and feels right “something that goes beyond the sanitised all too recognizable feel of transitory non spaces we often face or the brand uniformity of restaurant chains of the past.”
Ever since the opening of tashas first store in Atholl Square, Sandton, it has grown from strength to strength, based on its principles of excellent food, efficient and friendly service, quality meals and beverages, that are fresh, innovative and affordable. The team behind tashas are full of raw energy and always there to satisfy our every whim.

The atmosphere of tashas cafe can be described as a vibey, friendly, relaxed space with a timeless look and feel that transports and reminds us of Europe.

tashas has established its name by opening stores in Atholl, Village View(Bedfordview), Melrose Arch(Melrose), Morningside Shopping Centre(Morningside), Brooklyn(Pretoria), Gateway Shopping Centre (Umhlanga), Rosebank @ The Zone(Rosebank), Constantia Village (Constantia).

tashas is a place where you can come everyday and indulge in the mouth watering menu that ranges from the refreshing fruit granitas(fruit ice drinks), the Golden Pear salad, complimented, to the salmon fish cakes. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, tashas offers you a variety of classics dressed as trendy’s, like mini burgers, hot dogs and even steak tartare. For the not so faint hearted try the quesidillas, pastas and the forever young health breakfast with the perfect cappuccino.

When you ask Natasha what is the key to a successful concept, she simply says “hands-on is the only way to manage a restaurant, because there are so many different aspects involved that need to be controlled at all times” she also says “quality ,cleanliness, service, presentation and food are all aspects that need to be addressed in order for the machine to run”. And lastly she adds, ”but definitely the most important, passion and love is the key ingredient required to making this type of business a success”.

Natasha Sideris, Luckiness(Kitchen staff) and Savva Sideris

This poem was written by Luckiness who works in the tashas kitchens as a salad lady. She wrote this poem for Natasha who has it laminated in her kitchen at the tashas Village View store. Luckiness has been with the tashas group for 10 years...

IT’S MY tashas
"It’s my tashas
I have watched it growing from dust to the finest
I have watched contractors in helmets and overalls busy building it
It’s my tashas, I saw it grow
I saw interviews taking place at another place
I saw successful staff doing their orientation work waiting to be completed.
I saw customers coming to tashas not knowing anything
I saw waiters saying Welcome to tashas
I saw customer’s moving into groups to avoid losing one another as the place was changing by the minute to tashas
I saw Maggie, Zoe, Nkosi, doing their training department by department
Learning the difficult menu’s, cocktails & drinks
I saw bar ladies working day after day
It’s my tashas
I saw waitrons, staff, bar ladies, getting ready to open it
I saw the executive manager, waitrons, kitchen, manager, bar ladies, official opening it
I saw tashas opening it in front of all the VIP customers, dedicated staff, local & international media.
I saw it grow
I’ts my tasha
I saw businessmen & women up and down from 60’s to the smoking area, lovers corner & computer stations commenting for good service.
I saw musicians, actresses, politicians having coffee, cakes, easy meals
I saw Americans turning it into a palace
I saw waitrons saying Welcome to tashas
I saw it changing from tashas to tashas Bedfordview
I saw it growing
It’s my tashas"
Luckiness- tashas salad lady