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.

 

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