Myog Frozen Yogurt Bar in Cape Town

The scoop on the Kloof Street boutique that’s dishing up wholesome, delicious frozen delights

“We wanted to offer something different, a healthy alternative to regular ice cream,” an easy-going, heavily-accented Joris, one half of the founding team behind the charming city centre frozen yogurt bar Myog, offers up as an explanation for their recent venture into FroYo.

Hailing from France, this amiable entrepreneur and his business partner and long-term friend, Jean-Eric – who both relocated to the Mother City after being captivated by its energy while on holiday here – established the quaint small-scale soft-serve boutique on Kloof Street in December 2011 (it's located in the Lifestyle on Kloof centre) to offer health-conscious and fitness-obsessed locals a refreshing new dessert option that’s as nutritious as it is delicious.

The natural frozen treats, which are crafted locally by a Cape Town dairy product producer (Joris and Jean-Eric supplied him with a personal favourite recipe after much research and experimentation), are as genuine as they come, free from artificial additives and made from fresh milk only. Thus, each smooth, heavenly bite is rich in calcium and protein, low in calories and sugar and a good source of live probiotic cultures.

But a focus on health and quality isn’t the popular sit-down and takeaway bar’s only appeal. Top-notch service, an inviting, vibrantly-decorated interior and a wide variety of choice in sizes, tastes and toppings are highlights too. What’s more, the owners pride themselves on the fact that Myog is a small, non-commercial neighbourhood venture that enjoys a loyal following of regulars with whom they have personal relationships (one particular fan has returned for his fix every evening since the outlet opened, for instance).

Nine unique frozen yogurt flavours (and counting) are on the menu (four at any one time), all of which are created from real products and several of which were dictated by customers’ requests. The 98% fat-free, plain alternative, as the most wholesome, is their signature flavour and is available every day. Though, the small parlour, which is halaal-certified, also rotates monthly through its eight other options, some of which include coconut, berries, peanut butter, Nutella and South African rooibos, to appease those with a taste for something slightly more decadent.

“Our aim is to offer people a choice, so, if they want to indulge in something a little naughty, like Nutella, they have that option too,” explains Jean-Eric, who claims to have always had a soft spot for the creamy dessert.

Similarly, healthy, fresh seasonal fruit – think juicy mango, kiwi, strawberries and pineapple – and nuts are at the forefront of their broad selection of locally-sourced toppings (there are 20 available at any given time). But with kids, inner children and sugar addicts in mind, Myog also offers a generous selection of sticky sweet sauces and tasty treats, including fudge, Oreo cookies, Peppermint Crisp, Gummi Bears, Smarties, marshmallows and yogurt-covered peanuts. What’s more, with a new costing system in place, customers can now choose as many tantalising toppings as they want, all for one set price.

In addition to standard soft serve in cups, the quirky enterprise – which stays open until 11pm every day to accommodate those who work late and those in the mood for an after-dinner delight – also whips up blended frozen yogurt shakes and sizeable parfaits (which include yogurt, muesli, fruit and honey or berry coulis). In essence, though FroYo is the common theme, the ever-ambitious partners aim to offer an original, diverse choice and to keep adapting to patrons’ tastes and wishes.

And though the fresh and fun shop is growing in popularity daily, Joris and Jean-Eric are committed to staying true to the parlour’s original identity and ultimately remaining a small, honest enterprise. At the end of the day, their overarching objective is to simply continue offering customers what they’ve come to expect from and love about the Myog brand: wholesome, guilt-free frozen treats.

Tip: Myog runs a happy hour special every day from 7pm to 8pm: during this convenient after-work hour, visitors get to upsize their serving for free and enjoy a medium for the price of a small or a large for the price of a medium. What’s more, the boutique also offers a great morning deal that entitles loyalty card holders to two stamps for every one frozen yogurt bought.

The Bill: A highlight of Myog’s pricing structure is that you always know exactly what you’ll have to pay before the fact, so there are no nasty surprises. A small, plain frozen yogurt costs R20 and R30 with toppings, a medium, unadorned tub is R25 and R37 if toppings are added. A large goes for R30 plain and R45 with toppings (loyalty card holders get their 11th frozen yogurt free).

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If you are looking for the leaders in frozen yoghurt in Cape Town, check out Marcel’s Frozen Yoghurt

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