Our story
A rom-com, meets a foodie adventure.
Welcome to Col’Cacchio — where our three-decade-long story unfolded over a wood-fired oven, the flavours of Italy and a whole lot of South African charm. Love at first bite, since 1992.
1992 — the first oven
Two hearts. One oven.
A famiglia ever since.
Kinga Baranowska and Michael Terespolsky opened the first Col’Cacchio in Cape Town in 1992 — two people united by a passion for crafting more than just a meal, but a celebration of love and irresistible food.
Our menu has always been inspired by the flavours of Italy and blended with South African charm: signature wood-fired pizzas, hand-rolled pastas and gourmet salads. Lovingly curated to bring our famiglia together.
Buon appetito,
Kinga & Michael
Three decades on
Some of the dough that built us.
What we do every day
The non-negotiables.
Three things have stayed the same since the first oven lit in 1992.
01 — the dough
Secret-recipe dough, hand-stretched.
Our dough recipe has lived only on our menus for over three decades — the same flour, the same hydration, the same overnight cold ferment, the same hand-stretch at the bench, in every restaurant and every GO kitchen. Wood-fired to order. No press, no shortcut, no exception.
02 — the produce
Handpicked, never compromised.
From handpicked tomatoes to fresh basil from the right farmers — every ingredient is chosen for the same reason we opened in 1992: because it tastes the way Italian food should.
03 — the famiglia
It's about more than the meal.
Long tables. Big portions. Kids welcome. Birthdays celebrated, anniversaries observed, Tuesdays redeemed. We've always been about family, connection, and the moments worth sharing.
The team behind the dough
Who runs the famiglia.
Co-founder
Kinga Baranowska
Managing Director & Chief Product Officer
Co-founded Col’Cacchio with Michael in 1992. Still hands-on with menu development and brand voice today.
Group CEO
Etienne Pieterse
Chief Executive Officer
Leads the group strategy — from the Pizzeria heritage to the national GO rollout. “It's not just fast food; it's a curated experience.”
Group COO
Marli Pretorius
Chief Operations Officer
Runs day-to-day operations across all 26 stores and the international footprint. Heads of new-store openings (most recently Tribeca Mall, Mauritius).