Top 10 places to wine and dine on Cape wine farms – among the vines
According to the critics who wined and dined unannounced and paid for their meals before the 2017 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards were presented, the following are the best restaurants in the winelands of South Africa, i.e. on the farms, among the vines, rather than on the high streets or back roads of the towns and villages that punctuate the Cape winelands. The emphasis is on freshness, authenticity, exquisite flavours. These are artists at work, and fine art comes at a price!
IN CONSTANTIA
Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia
Constantia Main Road. Signature experience is tapas for two. Upmarket lunch and dinner. Views from top of Constantia valley. Modern, contemporary décor.
Top 10 Eat Out Award
Tel: +27 (0)21 794 8632 Email: address Web: address
La Colombe at Silvermist
Hout Bay Road, Silvermist Lodge and Organic Vineyards, Constantia Nek. Contemporary, upmarket lunch and dinner: gourmand menus, classic menus, vegetarian menus. Beautiful setting, indoors and out. Marvellous views.
Top 10 Eat Out Award
Tel: +27 (0)21 795 0125 Email: address Web: address
IN PAARL
Faber at Avondale
Lustigan Road, off Paarl/Franschhoek road (R301), Klein Drakenstein. Lunch and dinner. Fine dining.
Nominated for Eat Out Award
Tel: +27 (0)21 202 1219 Email: address Web: address
IN SOMERSET WEST & SIR LOWRY’S PASS
Camphors at Vergelegen
Lourensford Road. Contemporary upmarket, Vergelegen’s signature restaurant Camphors takes its name from the giant trees (planted in 1700) at the front of the historic homestead. The fine-dining venue overlooks beautiful gardens and the menu reflects a modern take on classical dishes – lunch and dinner – that complement the estate’s wines.
Top 10 Eat Out Award
Top 20 SA Cellar Classification – Top Wine SA
Tel: +27 (0)21 847 2131 Email: address Web: address
Waterkloof
Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Road. Contemporary upmarket. On a mountain slope with good views – literally taking quality dining to new heights. Open-plan kitchen. Classic lunch and dinner menus with a modern French twist. Seating both inside and outside on the elevated balcony.
Top 10 Eat Out Award
Tel: +27 (0)21 858 1491 Email: address Web: address
IN STANFORD
Springfontein
Moore Road, off Queen Victoria Street (main road), off Stanford Drive, off Hermanus/Gansbaai road (R43). Home grown and foraged herbs and vegetables, locally sourced fish and meats, with a hint of mollecular gastronomy. Fine dining. Lunch and dinner.
Nominated for Eat Out Award
Tel: +27 (0)28 341 0571 Email: address Web: address
IN STELLENBOSCH
Indochine at Delaire Graff
Helshoogte Pass. Contemporary upmarket lunch and dinner. Asian-inspired cuisine. Fine-dining food theatre in an intimate setting. Lunch and dinner.
Nominated for Eat Out Award
Top 100 SA Cellar Classification – Top Wine SA
Indochine Tel: +27 (0)21 885 8160 Email: address Web: address
Jordan
Stellenbosch Kloof Road. The Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine is contemporary upmarket with a patio overlooking vineyards and dam next to the cellar and tasting room. Vegetable and herb garden, wine-barrel fish smoker, wood-fired oven, walk-in cheese room, preserves and breads. Signature dishes on lunch and dinner menus include smoked yellowtail, steamed Saldanha mussels, seared ribeye and springbok potroast.
Top 20 Eat Out Award
Top 20 SA Cellar Classification – Top Wine SA
Restaurant Tel: +27 (0)21 881 3612 Email: address Web: address
Overture at Hidden Valley
Annandale Road. Contemporary, upmarket lunch and dinner. Refined plates next to bold, open-fire grilled menu items. Situated on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. Modern décor with open kitchen. Terrace with great views of the valley.
Top 10 Eat Out Award
Tel: +27 (0)21 880 2721 Email: address Web: address
Terroir at Kleine Zalze
Tegno Road (off R44). Contemporary, upmarket lunch and dinner with seating inside and out. A gourmet destination set under oaks, overlooking a golf course. Refined but relaxed. Unpretentious yet classic.
Nominated for Eat Out Award
Top 20 SA Cellar Classification – Top Wine SA
Tel: +27 (0)21 880 8167 Email: address Web: address
• BUT THERE’S MORE!
The following places to eat at are also good to great, based at some more of the Top 100 cellars in South Africa, some of them more suitable for those who are very hungry or not in the mood for splashing out:
BOT RIVER
• Forage, Wildekrans
• Gabriëlskloof
CAPE PENINSULA
• Bistro Sixteen82, Steenberg, Tokai
• Buitenverwachting, Constantia
• Cape Point Vineyards
• Catherina’s, Steenberg, Tokai
• Constantia Glen
• Jonkershuis, Groot Constantia
• Open Door, Constantia Uitsig
• Simon’s, Groot Constantia
DARLING
• Cloof
DURBANVILLE & SURROUNDS
• Altydgedacht
• Cassia, Nitída
• De Grendel
• Diemersdal
• Poplars, D’Aria
• Tables at Nitída
ELGIN
• Fresh, Paul Cluver
• Pool Room, Oak Valley
FRANSCHHOEK
• Bread & Wine, Môreson
• Franschhoek Cellar (Bellingham)
• Pierneef à La Motte
• Racine, Chamonix
• Rhone, Boschendal
• Werf, Boschendal
HEMEL-EN-AARDE, HERMANUS
• Creation
• Newton Johnson
• Sumaridge
PAARL
• Glen Carlou
• Goatshed, Fairview
• Red Table, Nederburg
• Trading Post, Anura
ROBERTSON
• Café Maude, Bon Courage
SOMERSET WEST
• 95 at Morgenster
• Stables, Vergelegen
STELLENBOSCH
• 96 Winery Road, Ken Forrester
• Beyerskloof Bistro
• Cattle Baron, Saxenburg
• Cucina di Giovanni, Eikendal
• Cuvée, Simonsig
• Delaire Graff
• Eight, Spier
• Ernie Els
• Forest Courtyard, Warwick
• Garden Restaurant, Delheim
• Guardian Peak
• Hartenberg
• Longtable, Haskell
• Mulderbosch
• Neethlingshof
• Postcard Cafe, Stark-Condé
• Rust en Vrede
• Tokara
• Zorgvliet
TULBAGH
• Governor’s, Rijk’s Country House
WELLINGTON
• Seasons, Diemersfontein
• For more info about these restaurants, see here.