Rockets Menlyn opens despite six-month setback

Sunset views, luncheons, rooftop outings and weekend drinks have happily come back since Level 1 and Pretoria is getting a taste of this branding from popular restaurant Rockets.

The much-anticipated opening of Rockets Menlyn occurred on Wednesday on the rooftop of Time Square Casino hosted by the talented DJ and radio host Ayanda MVP.

The well known Rockets Group now has 13 establishments ranging from male grooming saloons, Rockets Man, Rockets Lolita’s, and Rockets Express. The Rockets brand started in June 2007 in Rivonia as its flagship restaurant opening on 4th Avenue.

Having many spots in and around Johannesburg deciding to bring their lifestyle brand and experience to Pretoria locals.

The location is not only stunning, giving great views of the buzzy suburb of Menlyn, matched by the gorgeous interior which follows the blueprint of Rockets Bryanston on design and décor.

Initially, the launch of their new establishment was set for May or June but due to the Covid-19 pandemic that was a setback to nearly six months.

Founder and owner Sean Barber said they had been looking into Pretoria for some time particularly that property markets and the area of Menlyn has seen quite a development over the last few years. The Rockets brand expansion was always leading to Pretoria and happily filling up the needed sensory experience.

Their restaurants have it all and for newcomers, they can expect top class service, great food, music and views finding little to no reason to leave early.

Barber said: “Our business model has always been threefold, you can come in to have drinks before dinner, and then have the dinner. The food is what we do, that is what we are best at. Then after that, you can have a relax in the lounge or you can have a dance in the club.

“Guests can expect an all-round dining and entertainment experience.”

Rockets Menlyn in Times Square Casino, Pretoria. Picture: Sandisiwe Mbhele

The new restaurant is the 1 500-square-metre floor atop, beautifully incorporates indoor greenery, meets raw industrial finishes such as the copper and steel with a high-class finish. The design is a collaboration between Barber and architects Soda Custom.

Marketing director Celeste Matsose said the Rockets brand went through a major shift in its early years as it became more urban, young and filled with pop culture.

“The next available market we weren’t servicing was Pretoria. There was an existing contingent who were already travelling from Pretoria to Bryanston to come to party. So going forward there was a need to create super venues with entertainment being a key part,” says Matsose.

As the lockdown caused a lot of strain on the restaurant businesses, Matsose says the main reason they managed to get through it was due to the relationships they had built over the years, including their suppliers, the staff and landlords. And it shows, Matsose says what they learnt during the pandemic was to streamline their businesses and cut some stores they deemed did not belong in the Rockets name anymore.

“While we cut, we also expanded and the final thing that got us through Covid-19 was the unwavering belief system. You got to believe you going to make it through which is what we did.”

The next pit stop for the mega-brand is Durban, there are plans to develop a beachfront Rockets next year.

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