All Roads Lead To… The Avenue

Being over 30 in this city is seeing your social life dwindle to Netflix and takeaways.

Though there’s still some fire in your bones and a little swagger in your step, much of Windhoek’s social scene hinges on being able to drink by the gallon and party up a storm… in booty shorts.

Enter The Avenue.

A swanky new spot on upper Independence Avenue recently debuted on the culinary scene to bring us something a little more sophisticated.

Angled towards professionals on the ‘wrong’ side of 25, The Avenue is the doing of Maritza and Ryan Lehmann who are serving out of this world oryx carpaccio and realising a long held dream.

Spacious in its upscale, blue lit street-facing restaurant that leads to a more laidback green and thatched roof courtyard below the DJ booths, leather seats and red carpets of its discreet lounge, The Avenue offers three venues in one, each with its own distinct character.

With chefs Mighty and Cacora preparing meaty and meticulously plated Big Avenue platters, saucy and sensational chicken wings and delicious malva mounds as easy on the pocket as they are decadent on the tongue, The Avenue makes it its mission to train and employ recent matriculants while scooping up charming chefs from the Namibian Institute of Culinary Education (NICE).

“The Avenue is for working class people who want to listen to good music and we often hit the old school very hard,” says co-owner Ryan, who includes retro hip-hop, R&B, jazz and even rave as the possible order of the evening on special Thursday and Friday nights.

Fresh out of a weekend featuring DJ Samzo and incoming with Courage the Comedian on 17 June, DJ Kent on 3 August and Mi Casa billed for 2 September, Ryan asks “who says a restaurant must just be a restaurant? Why not eat and be serenaded by Lize Ehlers? Why not order a meal in our wonderful restaurant and hear the music coming out of the upstairs lounge and see what’s going on there?”

Emphasising affordability and eager to present a place where people can spend their hard-earned money on good, beautifully plated food, The Avenue’s prices and portions certainly reflect the plan.

“Times are tough and right now we need affordability,” says Ryan who recently showed two gentlemen the door and kindly asked they return when they’re sober. “We all wanna go somewhere, have a few drinks, a good time and not be bombarded by people falling over drunk.”

Well, that and kitchen that’s open until 01h00 on weekends.

Doing the Lord’s work on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, The Avenue will be serving their entire menu to the city’s night owls until the first hour of the new day.

Open since 19 May and currently expanding their menu which will include their take on traditional Namibian food, The Avenue has arrived.

Eager and thus far excellent.

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