Then you’ll be wanting to make a booking at Groot Phesantekraal in the glorious Durbanville Valley. Breakfasts and lunches are served from Tuesday to Sunday at prices so appetising it’s best not to hesitate.
Think of it as tasty, traditional old-school dining but for the 21st century. Nostalgia on plate with a side serving of contemporary creativity. A remix of taste traditions, spliced and diced for freshness, flavour and originality, and where you get to savour genuine farm flavours in season and locally sourced, but with a surprisingly delicious and inventive twist.
Kapokbos (wild rosemary)-flavoured salt is one example and it’s sublime sprinkled on crispy potatoes. There’s South Africa’s iconic gem squash that comes spruced up with Parmesan cream, also farm-grown and -produced ketchup on local mushrooms to try. Fancy spekboom chermoula as your relish or pumpkin ginger jam?
The Brink family, owners of Groot Phesantekraal, together with chef Germaine Esau and his team, look forward to receiving you in their gorgeous, Dutch-tiled restaurant. So why not swop your regular routine for the inviting 18th century cobblestoned stable that’s been converted for cosy comfort. Here, you can turn calmly inwards to the warming wood fires as you choose from the varied menu that boasts eggs, dairy and meat (including venison), figs, quinces, honey and olive oil, all right from the farm, alongside top-rated own-grown and made wines.
Give yourself over to the welcoming fragrance of vinkel en koljander (fennel and coriander), the caramelising call of slow-roasted beef marrow or rump of lamb or the ozone freshness of today’s fish catch. And that’s not even to mention the kweper of koejawel (quince or guava) wafts you can expect with dessert.
For breakfast, treat yourself to chicken livers, smashed avo or tomato smoor and toast. Homemade granola with farm yoghurt, fynbos honey and cinnamon-stewed apples or a full fry-up starring pap-en-wors. You get the vibe.
Lunch dishes include venison tartare served with pickled mustard, fried capers, sour cream and chives; smoked snoek and mussel chowder; duck parfait; goat’s cheese soufflé and more.
There are heartwarming and generous plates for fish, meat and vegetable lovers and being a family restaurant, there are loads of options for the children too.
Each lunch dish has been prepared with Groot Phesantekraal’s award-winning, food-loving wine offerings in mind.
And we haven’t even identified the desserts. Rooibos posset anyone?
To see the menu, click here.
When visiting the farm, make a turn at the bright and modern tasting room to sample and stock up on fine wines by remarkable young winemaker Richard Schroeder.
Or click here to buy online.
To make a restaurant reservation, send an email to restaurant@grootphesantekraal.co.za.
Trading hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 08h30 to 16h00 (kitchen closes at 15h30)
Contact details
E-mail: restaurant@phesantekraal.co.za
Tel: +27 (21) 825 0060
Address: Groot Phesantekraal Farm, Klipheuwel Way (R302), Durbanville, Cape Town
To find out more about all the perks of joining Groot Phesantekraal’s popular wine club, The Wine Herd, click HERE. Members receive 10% discount when dining at the Groot Phesantekraal restaurant.