Pam’s favourite Cape Winelands Restaurants

The winelands are blessed with some of the finest restaurants the Cape has to offer.  As such we strongly recommend that you make a plan to spend a few days in our wine region.  Note that these regions are very close to Cape Town – so it is very easy to do a lunch in any of them even if you are Cape Town based for your holiday.

FRANSCHHOEK:

1. Current Favourite: PIERNEEF AT LA MOTTE – see the What’s new in the Cape Winelands section more details
2. La Petite Ferme - Highly recommended for excellent food and the best view of the valley. When booking always request a terrace table which will allow you to have the vest view of the Franschhoek valley and the vines.  On arrival always ask to sit in the garden and order your meal from there.  When the food is ready, they will call you through to your table.  The menu boasts good old fashioned dishes cooked in innovative ways.  It is always a treat to spend the afternoon here – and if you have the time, do not plan to leave, just relax and take your time, after lunch you can retire back to the lawn and the view.  They do not open for dinner and as such expect you to spend the afternoon with them.  As such if you are in a bit of a hurry, it is always best to let your waitress know when you put your food order in.  Book well in advance as they are extremely popular. Open for lunch only – open daily. Tel +27 21- 876-3016 (Franschhoek) www.lapetiteferme.co.za
3. Le Quartier Francais – Currently voted as South Africa’s TOP restaurant by Eat-Out Magazine, voted by UK magazine RESTAURANT as one of the TOP 50 in the world, winner of Chef of the year award many times.  They have  split up their offerings into two  restaurants on the property – The Common Room is the more casual side of the food offering – lighter tapas style meals outside on the terrace or inside with wonderful decor…….the verdict on this new spot – excellent!!! The second restaurant is the award winning one called The Tasting Room, which only opens in the evening.  Here they offer a tasting menu of a number of courses – 6 or 8.  This meny changes regularly and it is well worth the drive to enjoy the award winning chef Margot Janses’ cuisine.  Note that you have to be a serious foodie to enjoy the Tasting Room – it is all tasting portions, foams, twirls and whorls and taste sensations – this restaurant does not work for those into Soul Food and hearty portions!  www.lqf.co.za Booking in advance essential. Tel:  +27-21-876-2151 . Note they are now requiring your credit card details in advance due to the high number of ”no shows” that restaurants have to deal with in the Cape (For bookings for the tasting room only).
4. Reubens in Franschhoek – relaxed fine dining with innovative combinations, good size portions and something on the menu that will appeal to most tastes.   Reuben worked at a number of restaurants in this town working his way up in the kitchens,  before departing for a stint overseas.  The town has lured him back and he opened his first restaurant to much acclaim.  In summer dine in the outside courtyard and plan to stay for three delicious courses.  Reubens has now also opened in the One & Only Hotel in Cape Town, and in the small Country Hotel in Robertson.  There are fears that he will spread himself too think – but things seem to be going well at the moment. Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Note that they also have Reubens Deli in Franschhoek which serves lighter and excellently priced meals. www.reubens.co.za Tel  +27-21-8763772
5. Grande Provence – To me, this is one of sthe most beautiful restaurant in the winelands.  The decor is elegant and modern.  If dining there in the evening – dress up a little and turn the night into a special occasion.  Chefs seem to turn over every couple of years here and the current chef is as Australian named Darren Roberts.  His resume seems quite impressive – so I am hoping that the food will match up to it!  Note that the menu has changed to one where you have to have a minimum of 3 courses – so only head in this direction if you have a good appetite!   Grande Provence is also home to a wonderful contemporary art gallery that propotes South African and African artists – it is well worth a browse around while you are there. Open daily for lunch & dinner.  Closed on Sunday nights during winter.  www.grandeprovence.co.za Tel  +27-21-876-8644
6. Bread & Wine on Moreson Wine Estate-  is a relaxed venue on a wine farm near Franschhoek offering interesting innovative dishes at reasonable prices. Spend the entire afternoon on the outside terrace enjoying their feta stuffed bread with rocket or pap gnocci or carmelised corn biltong accompanied by chilled Franschhoek wine. The aim is to produce simple food with heaps of flavour.  They bake their own bread daily and chef Neil Jewell has his own Charcuterie on the estate.  The meats are also available for sale from their deli.  He is the inspiration behind the seasonally influenced and locally inspired menu.

Moreson Wine Farm Franschhoek.  Open daily for lunch.  +27 21-876-3692 .  www.moreson.co.za

1. The main road in Franschhoek has many wonderful little restaurants on the pavement – chose the one that you fancy most – nearly all of them are really good.  It is wonderful to sit on the pavement in Franschhoek with a great glass of wine and enjoy the world go by.  One of my favourites is the French Connection Bistro on the main road – excellent and relaxed with great mountain view. Tel:  +27-21-876-4056.  Another favourite is the Salmon Bar – which has just moved to a venue on the main drag.  Here they serve fresh Franschhoek trout (they are in partnership with the main trout farm in the area) and salmon done in various ways.  They also bake their own bread and the combo is delightful and really well worth stopping at for a nice light meal. www.salmonbar.com

STELLENBOSCH REGION:

For years, Franschhoek was the main gourmet hub in the winelands.  Stellenbosch is now giving it a good run for its money with many award-winning restaurants opening.

1. Pam’s new favourites in the Stellenbosch region: Sofia’s (Somerset West), The Long Table and Tokara: see the New Restaurants in the Winelands section for more details
2. OVERTURE @ Hidden Valley estate – Stellenbosch: Wow – these guys definitely have the best view out of any restaurant in the winelands.  Combine this with gorgeous contemporary architecture and a great chef and you have a winning combination.  Chef Bertus cooks in an open plan kitchen for all to view.  You can pop in to chat to him as you progress through the delicious tasting menu.  On offer is a tasting menu from three to seven courses (ie don’t come here if you are not hungry – there is no option of doing just one course! The idea is to come and spend the afternoon with them!).  This menu changes daily based on what is seasonal and what is fresh; as well as by what inspires them to try out each day.  The focus is on having fun in the kitchen and being creative.  The portions are generous and I found that 3 courses was more than enough for me! The prices are good and offer great value for money.  Presentation is beautifully done.  Each morsel is a taste sensation and I loved the presentation of the chocolate mousse in a jar – reminded me of eating nutella straight from the jar as a child! Book well before you come – the secret is out that this is one of our top restaurants.  It is a gem! Open Tues to Sun for lunch, dinner Thurs & Fri nights. Tel +27-21-880-2721. www.dineatoverture.co.za or www.hiddenvalleywines.com  Click here to read my blog on Overture
3. Rust en Vrede Restaurant – is located on the multi award winning Rust en Vrede estate.  The estate is best known for its red blend which has been listed by US Wine Spectator magazine as one of the top 100 wines in the world for many years.  The restaurant has coverted the old wine cellar to create a beautiful space for a fine dining restaurant.  Note that this restaurant is only open at night – which means – it is best to experience it if you are staying over in the Stellenbosch region.  There is  huge attention to detail – they had plates made specially for their dishes, only use Riedel glasses and even have Laguiole knives to make the experience unforgettable!   The chef is the enormously talented David Higgs who is paired up with a top Sommelier Neil Grant.  Together they craft a memorable food and wine journey.  There is the choice of a 4 course a la carte menu or a 6 course wine and food pairing menu.  In summer you would need to book well in advance as this restaurant has been listed as one of our top restaurnts in the country since opening. www.rustenvrede.com/restaurant Open Tues – Sat for dinner only.  Tel no: +27 21 881 375
4. Jordan – it was with great sadness that we saw the closure of Jardine last month – it was a foodie institution in Cape Town.  However, when you see the new venue that George Jardine has moved to, who would blame him!  His open plan restaurant has a view of vines and mountains in the distance.  It must be an inspirational space to work in!  George has a loyal following of foodies and is known for his creativity.   The new restaurant represents fine dining in a tranquil setting with gentle rolling hills in the distance.  Jordan has a well deserved reputation for excellent red and white wines and an almost cult like following for their 9 yards chardonnay (I too am a groupy!).   Note keep space for the cheeses at the end – they have an amazing variety of cheeses in a special cheese fridge and you get to go and chose the ones you want in the fridge – great fun and really delicious assortment.  Location: Jordan Wine Estate Stellenbosch.  www.jordanwines.com Tel 021-8813612
5. Middelvlei Boere Braai – Sat & Sun lunch only – this is an absolute must to try and include if you find yourself in Cape Town or in the Cape Winelands region over a weekend.  This is your opportunity to try a very local experience of enjoying a traditional Braai (BBQ).  On Middelvlei wine estate (45 minutes from Cape Town) they offer a three course braai every weekend on the lawns in front of their tasting room.  Plan to come and relax for the entire afternoon.  It is very kiddy friendly.  We would highly recommend the experience so that you have an opportunity to taste and enjoy one of our local experiences.  Booking essential:  +27 21 883-2565 or  info@middelvlei.co.za.  www.middelvlei.co.za Read more about the experience on our blog. 
   
6. Terroir – with so many new restaurants opening – I must confess that I have not been to Terroir for some time.  Terroir is home to the talented chef Michael Broughton who was tempted down to the Cape from Johanessburg.  This restaurant chalks up its menu every day on a black board and bases its daily dishes on what is fresh and what the chefs are inspired to create.  It is always a delightful experience and the food represents a wonderful culinary journey.  The setting is lovely and relaxed – I esspecially enjoy sitting outside at this spot – it has a real country like feel to it – fabulously fussy food, in a relaxed setting with friendly knowledgeable staff.  Location: Kleine Zalze Wine Estate, Stellenbosch.  Open daily for lunch and dinner. Tel no: 021 880 8167 www.kleinezalze.com
7. Delaire Graaf (on Delaire Graaf wine estate – Hellshoogte Mountain pass Stellenbosch) – I watched them build the new drive way into this estate for a year and a half and must admit I was very curious to go and check out what the end result was.  The Graaf family are diamond dealers and the budget for the revamp of Delaire was extremely high.  The end result is quite simply gob smacking.  This estate always boasted one of the best views of the wine region.  Take the stupendous view and add innovative modern architecture, a cellar enclosed in glass for the public to view, a refined tasting room, a glamorous restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating and a high calibre art collection with sculptures dotted around the garden – you have a winery that is now a destination that must be included on a visit to the wine region.  The restaurant is not cheap – starters at around R100, mains from R160 plus!  I have now been to this restaurant many times.  The setting and the décor are unbeatable!   This is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon.  It is gob smacking in terms of the views and the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous.  The food is good – it has never completely blown me away though.  The service seems to vary on each visit – sometimes excellent, sometimes average.  However nothing detracts from this being a mind blowing experience to visit! You feel like you are royalty and living the good life by simply spending an afternoon here.  www.delaire.co.za Tel: +27-21- 8858181 or info@delaire.co.za Note that as we go into summer, I would highly recommend booking in advance.  Open for lunch Tues – Sun, open for dinner Tues to Sat.
8. Cuvee on Simonsig Wine Estate - This is a delightful addition to the Stellenbosch region – gorgeous décor and fine dining. The restaurant offers all courses as either a starter size portion or a full size portion and offers a wine pairing with each.  My recommendation is to order the starter size portions – this way you can sample more of their delicious dishes.  Additionally, although the décor is beautiful inside, the view of the vines surrounding the restaurant is restricted  - so either book for a table next to a window with a view or for an outside table.  I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and would recommend a trip to Simonsig.  Tip: Simonsig was one of the first estates to make champagne in South Africa and as such it is definitely worth doing a wine tasting while you are there, and ordering a few bottles of champagne to take home.  We fell in love with the Simonsig Brut Rose.  Simonsig Wine estate Stellenbosch wine region.  Closed on Mondays.  Open for lunch Tues – Sun.  Open for dinner Wed, Fri & Sat.  www.cuveeatsimonsig.co.za Tel +27 21 888 4932.

PAARL REGION:

1. Babel on Babylonstoren Estate– this is currently my absolute favourite new addition to the Winelands – see the What’s new section above.  The emphasis on freshness from harvesting a few hours before from their organic gardens makes each item taste so much better then anything I have experienced.  I would highly recommend you book and then start by ordering the freshly harvested salads – I love the theme of Red, Yellow and Green salads – as a foodie you need to order all 3 when you go!!  Book for this immediately if you are going to be anywhere in the area!
2. Cosecha @ Noble Hill Estate “Cosecha” is the Spanish word for “Harvest” in Spanish.  It reflects their location in the middle of the vineyards. This is a delightful addition to the Cape Winelands for a number of reasons.  The farm owners are from California and as such they have introduced their favourite cuisine – Mexican to the wine region.  This is unlike any offering we have had previously in South Africa.  The dishes are a celebration of fresh flavours and they strive to try and create the authentic dishes.  This is a challenge as some items such as Mexican cheese are not found here.  To overcome the challenge of using the correct chillies – they are now growing their own.  The restaurant offers extremely good value for money – in fact it is actually cheap for what you get.  As such it would work for locals and foreigners during this credit crunch time! We completely over ordered – as we assumed the “Light and Fresh” section would be starter size portions and ordered 3 of these and 1 of the “Warm and satisfying” section between the 3 of us – what arrived was a feast! The portions are substantial and each dish was delicious.  My two favourites were the Tiger Prawn Taquitos (R48) and the Beef Enchiladas (R75).  The mouthwatering description of the Tiger Prawn Taquitos was “A traditional Mexican street food from the coastal regions: sauteed prawns mixed with chillies, lime and coriander, wrapped in flour tortillas and served with fresh guacamole……..it was so delicious I am going to have to sneak back there very soon! Note that they also do picnics for those who wish to have slightly less adventurous food! Location: Paarl wine region.  Tip: They are very close to Glen Carlou & Backsberg wine farms – so it is a good idea to combine a tasting at these two estates with a visit to Cosecha.  Note that you must head into the Noble Hill Winery tasting room to taste their wines and their innovative flavoured olive oils.  Tel +27 21 874 38 44 www.noblehill.com Note closed on TUESDAYS (also on Mondays during winter)
3. Marc’s Mediterranean Cuisine and Garden (Paarl Town) – this is a favourite of mine from years ago.  It has a lovely relaxed atmosphere – with relaxed dining and dishes with a Mediterranean flair – however there is a great foodie chef behind the scenes and everything that seems to come out has great flavours.  They also boast a good wine list – which is crucial when you have wine makers hanging out for lunch and dinner in your restaurant!  129 Main Street Paarl.  Closed on Sundays.  Open lunch and dinner for the rest of the week.  Tel 021-8633980 www.marcsrestaurant.co.za
4. Bosman’s Restaurant at the Grande Roche Hotel (Paarl Town) – this is the quintessential fine dining experience of yesteryear.  Here you can order from the a la carte menu or go with the tasting menu’s (recommended if you are a foodie!)  Prices vere towards the high end of the scale, but then it is located in a grande old five star hotel – so it is too be expected.  Dress is smart (but no ties and jackets required).  There is something super stylish about going to dinner at the Grande Roche – but try and take someone with a business expense account to treat you!! Location: Grande Roche Hotel, Plantasie Street, Paarl.  Reservations essential: Tel 021 863 5100 www.granderoche.com