To Do
To eat
Stellenbosch has truly become the Food and Wine Capital of SA with 3 of the top 10 restaurants in the country. Numerous eateries offer exquisite food combined with award winning Stellenbosch wines. This truly is foodie heaven!
Food and wine are perfect partners, so it’s no wonder there is such an abundance of restaurants in the Stellenbosch region. Stellenbosch is wine and food country, and this truly is a paradise for any gastronomy-lover. There is an eatery to suit every budget and you will have a choice of traditional cuisine, an array of seafood and other delights, to suit every taste. Here one can eat at leisure and enjoy the tranquil surrounds with a glass of wine in the Heart of the Winelands.
Whether you want to dine amongst the vineyards or take the family to a relaxed setting amongst beautiful Cape Dutch buildings, the choices are endless. What can be better than sharing good food & wine with loved ones?
Below find the list of our favourite restaurants and gourmet picnic spot:
Jordan Restaurant
Menus at Jordan Restaurant change daily, but the format for lunch and dinner remain the same throughout the year. George sources only fresh, local produce, which means you get the best quality chef making your meal with the freshest ingredients. This dining experience will satisfy all senses from sight through to palate, ensuring a memorable occasion.
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Overture
Overture Restaurant is situated on Hidden Valley Wine farm with views of Table Mountain, the Stellenbosch Valley and Robben Island. The focus is on local produce. Menus will be changed by Chefs Bertus Basson and Craig Cormack every season. All there dishes are paired with Hidden Valley’s exceptional wines. They live and die by the saying: “perfection is often strived for but never achieved.” They push the boundaries of their creativity and knowledge to create experiences for their patrons.
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Terroir Restaurant
Terroir opened in October 2004, and over the years has become one of the most sought-after gourmet destinations in the Cape winelands, placing Stellenbosch prominently on the culinary map.
The unpretentious ambience and dressed-down décor belie multi Award-winning chef Michael Broughton’s rigorously disciplined approach to food. Classic pairings and intense depth of flavour characterize the chalkboard menu of ‘deceptively simple’ dishes influenced by what’s in season and, where possible, the use of locally grown fresh produce.
Terroir’s ongoing success has brought with it a string of prestigious awards, including an Eat Out ‘Top 10 Restaurant’ in 2009, 2010 & 2011.
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Rust & Vrede
As they say “It is not only in food or wine, but also the service is an important aspect”. Thus makes it even more of a challenge when all of this is happening on a historic and award winning Wine Estate.
By the time the doors opened they had selected the freshest ingredients and have personally selected the wines to compliment the menu.
The original cellar, a National Monument, has been converted into a kitchen. They also have a winemaker table in a private area which can accommodate a maximum of 8 people.
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Casparus Restaurant
Etienne Bonthuys is back – and in fine form at that. He continues to ask questions of his diners’ taste buds, most notably through his signature style of teaming meat with seafood. Quail is paired with raw salmon and strawberries, baby calamari is matched with shredded oxtail, and a lamb flank is dressed with mint and a lobster sauce. For the most part, the flavours work beautifully but they might be a bit whacky for some. Not a problem: more conservative guests can get their fix with traditional, stick-to-your-ribs stuff like beef fillet with bone marrow and red wine sauce. A starter of a light hake soufflé with shimeji mushrooms and red pepper sauce is top-drawer cooking.
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The Big Easy Restaurant
Stellenbosch is synonymous with good wine and it’s no surprise that this famous university town is where Ernie Els has chosen to open his restaurant, The Big Easy, named after the man himself. Nestled among the quirky architecture on South Africa’s second oldest road, the oak tree-lined Dorp Street, once the ‘wagon road to the Cape’.
As you’d expect, The Big Easy places the utmost importance on serving great food and fantastic wine. There is a distinctly French influence and the emphasis is on using the finest, freshest ingredients to produce world-class food in this historic setting.
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Warwick Estate
Warwick strives for simplicity which doesn’t mean that you should compromise on flavour. The Gourmet Picnic experience was designed to provide a balance between the freshest seasoned ingredients and a flavour profile that will satisfy the most sophisticated Gourmand. This Gourmet Picnic can also be combined with a “Big 5 wine safari” (only available during summer months), which is a tour through the Grape Varieties at Warwick Estate, while sipping on a glass of Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc at The Penthouse.
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