Melville has always been known for its character and creative soul, and one particular building has found a vibrant new rhythm.
Die Pienk Kerk, or “The Pink Church”, has transformed a once-sacred structure into a gathering place where food, music and storytelling meet under one beautifully restored roof. Today, the historic building hums with conversation, theatre, jazz and beautifully plated food, proving how heritage spaces can live boldly in the present while honouring the past.
At the heart of it all is owner and chef Yanni Briel, described by patrons as the restaurant’s “Chef, Soul and Spirit.” Briel is a chef, entrepreneur and design visionary whose career spans hospitality, retail design and the performing arts. Raised between Carltonville and the Free State, he has always balanced creativity with leadership, achieving top honours in drama through ATKV and nurturing a lifelong passion for film and acting.
His earlier ventures included running an Italian restaurant in the Free State and a cigar bar in Cape Town – experiences that shaped his love for atmosphere, storytelling and shared tables. At Die Pienk Kerk, he brings those worlds together, transforming a historic landmark into a living canvas where heritage, design, performance and generous cooking converge.
Under his direction, Die Pienk Kerk is a restaurant, performance venue and imagination room all in one.
“Die Pienk Kerk has always been about people first,” says Briel. “Yes, we care deeply about the food and the performances, but what matters most to me is creating a space where people feel welcome, relaxed and connected. Food, art and music have a way of bringing people together and when the tables are full and there’s conversation and music in the air, that’s when I know we’ve done something right.”
On performance nights, the restaurant shifts effortlessly into an intimate theatre space where audiences experience cabaret, jazz and storytelling up close.
Recent productions including Brendan van Rhyn’s Cathy Specific, a performance by Elzabe Zietsman and Stephanie Baartmans Hoort have all played to sold-out audiences, quickly establishing Die Pienk Kerk as one of Melville’s most intimate and sought-after performance spaces.
But the next performances promise something particularly special.
On 27 and 28 March, The Luyanda Madope Trio takes the stage for what promises to be one of the most atmospheric performances yet hosted at Die Pienk Kerk.
Led by acclaimed pianist Luyanda Madope, the trio features Phumlani Mtiti on saxaphone and Gontse Makhene on percussion and djembe, three musicians known for weaving together improvisation, storytelling and deeply rooted African jazz traditions.
Luyanda Madope is a respected South African pianist, composer and musical director whose work bridges jazz, African contemporary music and storytelling across stage, screen and broadcast platforms. A member of the acclaimed band Afro4, he has performed extensively across Europe and Africa and shared stages with international icons such as Marcus Miller and Jonathan Butler. Beyond performance, Madope has served as musical director for leading South African comedians including Celeste Ntuli, Loyiso Gola and Kagiso Lediga, while also championing jazz education through initiatives such as The Formation with Luyanda Madope on JazzuaryFM. His forthcoming debut solo album, An Ode to the Womb, explores themes of lineage, memory and heritage, marking a deeply personal new chapter in his artistic journey.
Phumlani Mtiti is a Johannesburg-based saxophonist who has performed with both South African music legends and contemporary artists across a wide range of genres. He leads his own ensembles and is a highly regarded sideman on the local jazz scene. Mtiti is also the co-founder of Ological Studies, the duo that won the 2011 SAMA for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, and is an in-demand studio musician who has recorded on numerous albums. Off stage, he is an educator who advocates for greater access to and participation in music.
Gontse Makhene is a Soweto-born percussionist with more than seventeen years of experience in the music industry. Known for his dynamic approach to rhythm and sound, he has performed internationally and collaborated with leading artists including Nduduzo Makhathini, Shabaka and the Ancestors, Salif Keita, Simphiwe Dana, Madala Kunene and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. A founding member of several influential musical projects and the creator of the Peanut Butter & Jam sessions, Makhene’s work spans jazz, experimental sound art and film scoring. His performances draw on deep African rhythmic traditions while exploring contemporary sonic landscapes.
The performance will showcase music from Madope’s latest album, An Ode to the Womb, a deeply reflective body of work exploring lineage, memory and inheritance. In the intimate acoustics of Die Pienk Kerk, audiences can expect a performance where every note carries weight and every pause tells a story.
Tickets are R400 per person, inclusive of a Pienk Kerk Burger or Yanni’s Artisan Pasta, with guests welcome to bring their own wine (no corkage). Seating opens at 5pm, creating an evening where music, conversation and dining merge into one memorable experience.
Growing Old Disgracefully – 17 & 18 April
International cabaret artist Tonya Koenderman brings Growing Old Disgracefully to Die Pienk Kerk on 17 and 18 April following sold-out festival performances. The show offers a humorous and candid look at ageing, reworking well-known songs with clever lyrical twists that reflect on memory, vanity and the realities of growing older. Tickets are R400 per person, inclusive of a Pienk Kerk Burger or Yanni’s Artisan Pasta (own wine permitted; no corkage), with performances starting at 5pm.
Given the venue’s growing reputation for sold-out performances, early booking is strongly encouraged.
Melville Art Mile Comes to Life
Die Pienk Kerk also forms part of the suburb’s thriving creative ecosystem and participates in the Melville Art Mile, which returns with its March edition.
This month’s Art Mile places culture at the centre of community impact, with the Joburg Artist Market serving as the central hub in partnership with Johannesburg Child Welfare.
Beyond the stage lights, Die Pienk Kerk continues to bring people together around the table.
Following an enthusiastic response from diners, the restaurant now hosts a Shared Harvest Table every Sunday for R175 per person. Designed for long lunches and generous platters, the experience celebrates conversation, community and the joy of lingering over good food.
True to its layered identity, the menu balances nostalgia with playful creativity.
Signature dishes include:
• Pienk Kerk Steak – 250g fillet marinated in red wine and balsamico
• Die Babalas Steak – bourbon-flambéed rump
• Mahi Mahi Miso Fish with quinoa rice and kimchi
• Pienk Kerk Prawns in a limoncello cream sauce
• Tannie Trudy’s Fish and Chips
Desserts include baked malva pudding, based on a treasured family recipe, and a silky espresso crème brûlée.
Thursdays also feature a nostalgic pensioners’ lunch special: Fish and Chips with a glass of wine — because good food should be generous, not precious.
A Place for New Friendships
More than anything, Die Pienk Kerk has established itself as a gathering place where heritage, creativity and community meet.
In a suburb long known for its artistic edge, the Pink Church has become a space where conversations stretch late into the evening, musicians find attentive audiences and neighbours become friends.
And if the growing list of sold-out performances is anything to go by, Melville may well have found its newest cultural sanctuary.
Die Pienk Kerk Restaurant & Coffee Shop
24 Chatou Road, Melville
Bookings Tel & WhatsApp: 063 693 6415
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, when the curtains open, a little magic.
