Garden Café and Artisanal Bakery open at La Motte, Franschhoek
NOPE! The La Motte Estate in Franschhoek is not closed. Although operations at the Pierneef restaurant and various other visitor attractions were suspended for renovations expected to be underway until sometime in 2024, an Artisanal Bakery and Garden Café now operate from Wednesday to Sunday at the farm’s Jonkershuis. Dating back to 1752, the Cape Dutch building has been extended with glass and steel to offer both inside as well as outside seating in shaded gardens scattered with over-sized wooden acorns and featuring old oak trees, a pond and a playground for youngsters.
Master baker Markus Färbinger of the île de païn café-style restaurant in Knysna oversees the kitchen with its wood-fired oven. Available for take-away purchases, the variety of breads also form the basis of the Café’s breakfast and lunch-time menus, with the drinks list including the range of La Motte wines at cellar-door prices. Arrive before the kitchen closes at 3pm and perhaps try the ‘plankie steak‘ with the consistently good Pierneef Syrah Viognier, or one of the summer salads or sandwiches with the just-released Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc (Café dishes R95 to R260).
