New lunch spot on Simonsberg Wine Route, Stellenbosch
IF YOU DEFINE the Simonsberg Wine Route in Stellenbosch as including those cellars on either side of the R44 between the boundary with Paarl to the north and Stellenbosch suburbia to the south, before you turn east to the Helshoogte Pass in the direction of Franschhoek, then there are only a few places of note if you fancy a table for lunch on a wine farm. Kanonkop will prepare a snoek braai for groups of 20 or more, but most wine-routers exploring the western slopes of the mountain have tended to aim for a picnic at Warwick or a shady spot under the oaks at Muratie‘s Farm Kitchen, perhaps the garden venue at Delheim or the fancy offering at Quoin Rock. And now, with the arrival of summer 2023/24, there’s also the Lievland Café.
Lievland has a history going back to 1865, at least, and was renowned for some wonderful wines of one or other kind before falling into a state of dormancy, as it were. After the vineyards were acquired by the Conde (Stark-Condé) and Myburgh (Joostenberg) families in 2017, what followed was a restoration project involving much replanting and, most recently, the re-opening to the public, who are invited to taste and buy from the current range of Lievland beauties (such as the highly rated Old Vine Chenin Blanc). Also for sale are the MAN and Essay whites and reds, “everyday wines for wine geeks” that were previously only available via an online portal and delivery service.
In charge of the food preparation and service at the cosy, stylish Lievland Café is the renowned husband-and-wife team of Christophe and Susan Dehosse, the same talent and experience behind three more-established venues in Stellenbosch, namely The Vine Bistro at Glenelly, The Postcard Café at Stark-Condé and Joostenberg Bistro at Klein Joostenberg. Expect “classic and contemporary dishes” on the menu.
