The Old Austria Restaurant was started by Robert and Leena Wolf. Robert, an Austrian Chef, came to South Africa as part of the team opening the 5 star Elizabeth Hotel in 1971. After a year, Robert left the hotel to venture out on his own and start the Old Austria in 1972. The name originates from the first hotel Robert worked at in Austria. The Wolfs kept the restaurant small and intimate with Rob
ert in the kitchen and Leena serving the tables. In 1985 the Wolfs asked their regular patrons, the Raymers to run the restaurant for 5 weeks while they visited Austria. Soon after they returned, the Raymers bought the restaurant. Realising how demanding a new baby can be, they asked Chef Robert if he could help out just for 2 months. The matter was never discussed again and Chef Robert continued for the next 18 years until retirement. Originally located in the North End/Sydenham area, the restaurant always boasted an intimate atmosphere and a characteristic charm. In 1999, the perfect new premises presented itself at 24 Westbourne Road, Richmond Hill. The new site was a beautiful building, built by St. Cuthbert’s Church in 1910. The Church sold the building in the 1980’s and it is probable that the Raymers were only the 5th. owners of this historic building. Today, Old Austria is the longest running restaurant in Nelson Mandela Bay. Its current owners, Rupert and Esterleen Borman are originally from Port Elizabeth, but spent most of their professional careers in Johannesburg. Esterleen, a Registered Nurse and Rupert, a professionally trained Radiographer ended his corporate career as Head of Ultrasound for a multinational German company. Rupert attributes his love for the food business to his late Mother Sarah who was a Cook at the only hotel for people of colour at the time, the Alabama, located in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth. So much that her photo of her hangs in the kitchen of the Old Austria restaurant. When the Bormans first saw the restaurant they were immediately drawn to its unique charm and amazing ambiance. It was as if the building called them back home after having built a life in Johannesburg for over 20 years. The menu has a wide variety of traditional, favourite European dishes, steaks and seafood. Excellent service is engrained into the restaurant's culture and contributed mainly to the growth and popularity pattern of the restaurant over the years. Chef Wolf's grandson Andrew works as a Lead Waiter and the founder and his wife occasionally pops in on request to help the kitchen with current or new Austrian dishes for the menu. The success of the restaurant can be attributed to the devotion to detail for over 50 years. The restaurant is celebrating 50 years of existence in 2022. The Bormans bought the restaurant during Covid soon after the first hard lockdown and is focussed on getting it back to its pre-Covid glory. Rupert runs the restaurant with his dedicated staff and Esterleen is working as a professional nurse. The couple are both self confessed 'foodies' who loves travelling and the enjoyment of the finer things of life. They have one daughter Althea, who is working in Johannesburg as a Corporate Communications specialist of a multi-national company. The couple also has some of their respective family's children as unofficially adopted sons and daughters.
