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Set on the grounds of one of the Cape's oldest farms, Babel is a vision in white surrounded by lush fruit and vegetable gardens and a gorgeous backdrop of mountains. Everything about this farm is stylish: the restaurant is in a converted cow shed, and the menu includes inventive dishes influenced by whatever is bountiful in the garden that day. Expect bold flavors and unusual combinations.
Klapmuts Rd., Paarl, Western Cape, 7670, South Africa
Known For
- Lots of choices for vegetarians
- Bold flavors and unusual combinations
- Spectacular farm setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon. and Tues., Reservations essential
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As is the case for Avondale, the vineyard where the restaurant is based, Faber places a heavy focus on being sustainable. The menu changes often but always features carefully composed dishes using ethically sourced meat and fish, plus herbs and vegetables harvested from the estate garden. If the whole roasted cauliflower is on the menu, give it a try—you won't even miss eating meat. You can order à la carte or opt for a six-course feast with wine pairings from the farm.
Lustigan Road, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Excellent selection of wines
- Children's menu available
- Unpretentious fine dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Wed. and Sun.
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This popular restaurant and bar boasts a truly incomparable setting, right on the rocks on the edge of a natural rock pool in the Atlantic Ocean. Dine on the deck and you'll hear the crashing of the waves and maybe spot some whales swimming by. On the menu are classic tapas dishes like spicy lamb meatballs and crispy shrimp, all served with something from the extensive wine list or the superb cocktail selection. It's an absolute must while you're in Hermanus.
8 Marine Dr., Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Idea spot for sundowners
- Wonderful ocean views
- Laid-back atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Thurs.
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In the Coopmanhuijs Boutique Hotel, this small restaurant exudes the elegance of a French bistro with its white tablecloths and pretty wrought iron patio furniture. The menu combines classical French cuisine with uniquely South African ingredients in dishes like twice-baked cheese and biltong soufflé. As well as à la carte dinners, a three-course set menu is available. Bring along that bottle of wine you bought—the staff is happy to cork it for you.
33 Church St., Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Al fresco dining
- Decadent desserts
- Tender lamb neck
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Sister restaurant to Cape Town's fêted La Colombe, the food, ambiance, wine selection and service at La Petite Colombe are simply impeccable. The decor is sleek and understated because the true work of art is the food—an 11-course banquet showcasing French cooking techniques and the finest ingredients. Also on-site is the tasting room for Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, whose red wines in particular are revered. Reservations are essential.
Dassenberg Rd, Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Excellent wine list
- Elaborate tasting menu
- Vegetarians are well taken care of
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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For the true flavor of West Coast life, come to this open-air seafood restaurant on the beach south of Lambert's Bay. You'll watch fish cooked over blazing fires, snoek smoked in an old drum covered with burlap, and bread baked in a clay oven. Prepare to eat as much as you can of the fixed-price meal, using your hands or mussel shells as spoons. Be sure to try some of the local specialties like bokkoms (pungent dried fish) and waterblommetjiebredie (water-flower stew). Crayfish cost extra, but don't order them unless you have an enormous appetite. The restaurant consists of nothing more than a circular boma (enclosure) of packed muisbos (a local shrub whose name means "mouse bush") and haphazardly arranged benches and tables.
Elands Bay Rd., Elands Bay, Western Cape, 8130, South Africa
Known For
- Fish sizzles on grills and in giant pots
- You won't find a more laid-back setting
- It's all-you-can-eat
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This restaurant here has big shoes to fill because its predecessor, Bosman's, was highly regarded. Luckily, Chef Kevin Grobler and his team will have no problem continuing to wow guests. In the opulent Grande Roche Hotel, the elegant restaurant serves beautifully presented dishes featuring innovative ingredients. The Madeira-glazed quail with salt-baked beetroot is marvelous. The wine list is similarly impressive. Lunch is a more laidback affair, and there's also a delectable high tea served every afternoon.
Plantasie St., Paarl, Western Cape, 7646, South Africa
Known For
- Award-winning wine list
- Extraordinary service
- Decadent tasting menu
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When you arrive at this gorgeous old Dutch farmhouse, a staffer greets you and suggests a pre-dinner drink on the rose-trellised terrace. Chef Fabio Daniel serves contemporary French cuisine that also draws on his Brazilian and Italian heritage. For a real splurge, opt for the Estate Experience, with four to five hours of culinary surprises. They won't tell you what's on the menu, but you won't be disappointed. An incredibly knowledgeable sommelier, interesting wine pairings, and surprisingly reasonably priced wine list complete the picture.
Annandale Rd., Stellenbosch, Western Cape, 7600, South Africa
Known For
- Apératifs of the terrace
- Amazing tasting menu
- Exquisite service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. No dinner Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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This relaxed venue is always buzzing with folk from the wine industry, locals from the area, and up-country visitors. The menu changes regularly but tempts with favorites such as Karoo lamb, the "Hollandse" pepper fillet, and the decadent crème brûlée. Dishes are served tapas style, meaning you can taste a little of everything. As you'd expect for a restaurant in this area, the selection of wine is also impressive. Inside, burgundy walls are cozy for winter, and outside terrace seating offers soothing mountain views during summer. With more than 25 years under its belt, the restaurant has become a Cape Winelands institution.
Winery Rd., Somerset West, Western Cape, 7130, South Africa
Known For
- Cozy setting
- Impressive wine list
- Local favorite
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations recommended
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Right at the entrance to the town, this laid-back eatery is a great lunch stop, especially if you're traveling with kids. It serves pizza, pasta, and hearty meat dishes at tables in a shady, tree-lined garden. There's an excellent play area for kids. The attached tasting room offers juice and candy pairings, wine pairings, and tastings from the on-site craft brewery.
54 Voortrekker Ave., Robertson, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Wide-ranging menu
- Hearty breakfasts
- Family-friendly atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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$$ | | Eclectic
This relaxed establishment offers rustic, slow-cooked country food with a twist; their dishes are hearty and big on flavor. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are used to make up their menu, and local boutique and garagiste wines are supplied by the Wine Kollektive next door. The atmosphere is laid-back—enjoy alfresco dining in the shaded courtyard or sit in the cozy dining room. The menu is not broad, but there's likely something for everyone. For breakfast you might have a duck egg frittata with chorizo, olives, capers, rosa tomatoes, and Camembert, or soft-poached eggs with brown mushrooms and Greek yogurt. Dinner gets off to an unusual start with a tapas platter with stewed lamb hearts, panfried chorizo, marinated West Coast mussels, and chili prawns. Service is friendly and efficient.
Short St., Unit 7, Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape, 7306, South Africa
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
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In one of the village's original stone fishing cottages, Burgundy is one of the town's oldest and best-loved restaurants. Unsurprisingly, there's plenty of seafood on the extensive menu—try the creamy abalone with fresh sage—as well as a large choice of grilled meat dishes. The real reason for its popularity though, is the outdoor terrace with ocean views. It's not unheard of to spot whales right from your table.
Marine Dr., Hermanus, Western Cape, 7200, South Africa
Known For
- Good vegetarian selection
- Bustling atmopshere
- Al fresco dining
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$$ | | Eclectic
When Topsi Venter, doyenne of the Cape culinary scene, decided to hang up her apron and retire, it seemed appropriate that one of her former students, Chris Hoffman, should take over her popular restaurant. Chris peeled his first potato while apprenticed to Topsi and then went on to work at other restaurants. He has carried on with Topsi's tradition of delicious no-fuss food in a town in love with fine dining and foodie fuss. The blackboard menu changes regularly, and the food is rustic and hearty. Look out for slow-roasted duck served with stir-fried couscous and a spicy apricot sauce, or mushroom, basil, chili, and lemon pasta. Malva pudding (a South African traditional baked sticky pudding) is an all-time favorite and served with a delicate crème anglaise. In this valley of wonderful wines it's great to be able to BYOB, but they also have a small wine menu.
7 Reservoir West St., Franschhoek, Western Cape, 7690, South Africa
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Headed by former La Colombe chef Charné Sampson, Epice is inspired by a culinary adventure through India. The menu—a 10-course tasting feast—features spices from the subcontinent married with dishes from around the world, such as cumin-infused Welsh rarebit and chili-ginger Wagyu shortrib served with roti. For the slightly less famished there is a "reduced menu"—eight small courses. Reservations are recommended.
Berg and Wilhelmina Sts, Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Indian-fusion food
- Beautifully presented dishes
- Unpretentious setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues.–Thurs.
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$$ | | Eclectic
In a deeply rural setting between Robertson and Ashton, this 200-year-old fruit and wine farm is home to a rustic restaurant where the menu consists of country-style cuisine made with seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs from the garden. You might start with a sage risotto with crispy parma ham or lightly smoked springbok carpaccio dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Main courses might include seared salmon trout fillet with Asian-inspired flavors of soy, ginger, and sesame, served with jasmine rice. Desserts are as admirable, their sauces as stellar as those of the savory variety. Try the "dream of Africa," a freshly baked fondant of Belgian chocolate served with vanilla yogurt cream and Merlot syrup. The wine list does not disappoint, presenting a selection of the Robertson Valley's best, augmented with French Champagne. Plan ahead, as open hours are limited.
Off the R60, Klaas Voogds East, Robertson, Western Cape, 6705, South Africa
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed to nonguests May–Sept., No lunch Mon.–Sat., No dinner Mon.–Tues.
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$$ | | South African
La Borie Wine Estate is nestled in the Paarl valley, with Paarl rock as its backdrop. Harvest, the on-site restaurant, offers elegant, relaxed dining for the whole family. You know you're in luck when you go to a restaurant headed up by Matthew Gordon, a fine chef who knows the business inside out. Enjoy an eclectic mix of South African cuisine on the oak-shaded terrace. Ingredients are sourced locally or grown in the restaurant's own garden. Look for free-range organic lamb, mussels, and fresh line fish. The menu also features scrumptious vegetarian options such as grilled large black mushrooms with a parsley crust and brown herb butter. The wine list includes wines from La Borie's own cellars and from KWV Wine Estate. Harvest is the winner of a Klink Award for best restaurant on a wine farm and has been voted among the top-10 most child-friendly restaurants, with a fabulous kids' menu that manages to avoid the tedious and overprocessed options so many other restaurants dish up.
La Borie Wine Estate, Taillefert St., Paarl North, Paarl, Western Cape, 7646, South Africa
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Try to reserve a window table for views across the vine-clad valley at this restaurant atop a working winery built into the mountainside. The three-course menu is distinctly South African but rooted in French techniques, with dishes like venison loin with Cape Malay jus. A lot of the produce is grown on the farm, and the aim is to get you to try different flavors with the wines to see which combinations appeal to you most. The restaurant is also open for brunch on weekends.
Lambrechts Rd., Franschhoek, Western Cape, 7690, South Africa
Known For
- Two- and three-course menus
- Delicious steak tartare
- Smart wine pairings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed., Reservations essential
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$$ | | Eclectic
If you're keen to escape the crush in Hermanus, head to Heaven, situated on Newton Johnson Family Vineyards. It's up the picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Road, where vines and fynbos cover the slopes and where you may wish you owned a country home. The view is wonderful, the service is attentive, and there's a good selection of local wines. The menu, which changes often, always emphasizes the best seasonal produce. Starters could include hot-smoked yellowtail and slow-braised beef tongue. Mains, served with hand-cut chips or a green salad with mature Gruyère, include winter root vegetables with cheese and hazelnuts, cashew-crusted hake, and pork loin with braised lentils. The restaurant is big on foraging. Michelin-star chef Eric Bulpitt heads the team and sends them out into the garden for fresh herbs and the fields for wild greens and waterblommetjies (literally translated from Afrikaans, this means "water flowers").
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Rd. (R320), Hermanus, Western Cape, 7200, South Africa
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner Mon.–Thurs. No lunch Sat.
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At this seafood restaurant, expect fresher fish than you'll find just about anywhere else. It's prepared simply, usually with salsa verde or just garlic butter. Everything is cooked on a wood fire, and most dishes arrive on huge platters. Beer-battered hake and chips—served on newspapers, of course—makes the perfect lunch. The restaurant is small, so reservations are advisable.
382 Crescent Rd., Pringle Bay, Western Cape, 7196, South Africa
Known For
- Down-to-earth dishes
- Warm, welcoming dining room
- Local hang-out
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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The setting on a golf estate and wine farm is pretty, but it's the excellent food and service that really stand out here. The menu changes regularly to make use of the fresh, local produce such as West Coast mussels, Karoo lamb, and venison, and there are tapas-sized portions as well as main meals. The wine list is small but includes several nice ones by the glass; try the barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc, one of the estate's best-kept secrets.
Strand Rd., Stellenbosch, Western Cape, 7600, South Africa
Known For
- Delicious hot and cold tapas
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Accessible fine dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Wed., Thurs., and Sun. Closed Mon. and Tues.