The Cape West Coast offers a veritable smorgasbord for food and wine lovers, the emphasis being on fresh ingredients, quality produce and traditional, hearty fare. The region boasts its own wine route and is renowned for its fresh seafood and quaint restaurants.
Dining on the West Coast
Yzerfontein
Route 27 Roosterkoek
A stop at Route 27 Roosterkoek for authentic padkos and moerkoffie hits the spot. Road trips are all about long open roads and the constant look out for a farm stall to stretch the legs and sample interesting products from the region.
Roosterkoeks, freshly baked and filled with delicious cheese & jam, complimented the steaming traditional moerkoffie, a strong and powerful morning brew.
The Roosterkoek is made fresh daily and while you wait you can see it being made right there on the coals! With so many styles, flavours and fillings to choose from, you can’t go wrong by taking a shot left at the R27 Roosterkoek padstal.
Open 7 days a week | Monday – Saturday 09:00 – 17:00 and Sunday 09:00 – 16:00
Where: R27 West Coast Road, Yzerfontein
Contact: (c) +27 (0)72 447 9344
Die Strandkombuis
Located right on the famous sixteen-mile beach, this open-air restaurant specialises in the freshest of seafood, basted with butter and grilled on open fires. Served in 3 courses on groaning tables set out in the centre of the restaurant, you will find yourself in culinary heaven.
Starters include chunky seafood soup, homemade pates and konfyte and huge loaves of freshly baked bread just out of the oven. Be careful not to fill up here, though, as you won’t want to miss out on the next course of grilled yellowtail, freshly picked mussels, smoked snoek and other heavenly delights. Dessert is just right – a decadently sweet koeksister washed down with strong coffee that was brewed on the fire. Lunch is served at 1pm, but come a little early so that you can enjoy a stroll on this beautiful shoreline.
Where: R27
Contact: +27 (0)22 451 2206 | strandkombuis.co.za
Langebaan
Die Strandloper
At this open-air, laid back restaurant you can dine with sand underfoot and blue skies above, right at the water’s edge of Langebaan Lagoon. An extensive array of the freshest seafood and classic South African dishes made from local produce are all cooked to perfection out in the open by friendly chefs. Serving multiple courses over several hours, to the accompaniment of live traditional guitar music, lunch starts at 12am and spans the afternoon. Traditional treats include paella potjie, angel fish and snoek, grilled haarders, fresh mussels and waterblommertjie bredie.
Where: R45
Contact: +27 (0)22 772 2490 | www.strandloper.com
Boesmanland Plaaskombuis
Situated right on the beach at Club Mykonos, Boesmanland Plaaskombuis the perfect venue to relax and enjoy a hearty feast. Gather around big tables and sit on tree stumps while you gaze out at the picturesque lagoon, with the aromas of open air cooking whetting your appetite. Using ingredients that have been available for the past 100 years in Boesmanland, the buffet table groans with a vast array of traditional South African dishes, fresh seafood, shellfish and perfectly prepared meat dishes, all cooked to perfection.
Where: Langebaan, Club Mykonos
Contact: +27 (0)22 772-1564 | +27 (0)82 773-0646
Darling
The Marmalade Cat
Open daily for breakfast and lunch and on Friday nights for pizza, this unique eatery is popular with locals and visitors alike. Easy to spot on Darling’s main road, here guests are greeted by the enticing aromas of freshly baked goods and a kaleidoscope of gifts and collectables.
Start your day with one of their delicious omelettes, enjoy a leisurely lunch in the flower-filled courtyard or pop in for afternoon tea – this quirky venue is sure to put a spring in your step.
Where: R315
Contact: +27 (0)22 492 2515 | www.marmaladecat.co.za
Hopefield
Die Plaasmol
Die Plaasmol offers not only good food but also fun for the whole family. Kids will love feeding the farm animals, the stunning nursery offers a wide range of plants and flowers and the curio shop is stocked full of irresistible goodies and knickknacks. Bring along your appetite when you visit as the restaurant is known for is hearty home-cooked meals and the bakery produces the most tempting sweet treats as well homemade honey, jams, sweets and cookies to take home.
Where: R45
Contact: +27 (0)22 723 0543 | www.plaasmol.co.za
Paternoster
Voorstrand Restaurant
This quaint little restaurant on the beachfront in Paternoster is housed in an original old fisherman’s cottage built out of wood with corrugated roofing.
With a lovely verandah for al fresco dining, the menu focuses on fresh seafood, but also offers meat dishes, Malay curries and burgers. Whether you are looking to spend a leisurely day or a romantic evening, this charming beach restaurant set in a historic 114-year-old cottage overlooking endless unspoilt beaches is a perfect choice.
Where: R45
Coordinates: -33.071050, 18.035531
Contact: +27 (0)22 7522 038 | www.voorstrandt.com
Citrusdal
Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort
Situated close to various wine farms, the Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort has a wide selection of locally produced wines on its wine list – including Cederberg Wines, Piekenierskloof Wines, Org de Rac and Tierhoek.
Interestingly, wines from the Cederberg Mountains owe their quality to the fact that the region is 100% germ-free. Winters are too cold and summers too hot for germs to stand any chance, affording grapes the opportunity to grow in near-perfect conditions. Kloof Restaurant in the resort’s lodge serves signature local dishes like Biltong Boerewors Steak and Kloof Ostrich Burger. Ingredients are locally sourced as far as possible.
Where: N7 Piekenierskloof Pass, Citrusdal, 7340
Contact: +27 (0)22 921 3574 | [email protected] | www.piekenierskloof.co.za
Velddrif
Russells on the Port
Russells on the Port is an intimate 90 seater restaurant situated in a luxurious 6 roomed villa overlooking the berg river basin.
Their menu is seasonal and has fresh contemporary dishes with global influences. Flavours are big and natural focusing on the essence of the main ingredient.
They have their own vegetable garden and pride ourselves on preparing fresh produce. Dishes of west coast seafood, lamb rump, crispy pork belly and locally sourced game are staples
Opening hours and to book your table for Upmarket Dining at Russells on the Port
Tuesday to Saturday: 08:00 until 21:30
Sundays: 08:00 until 19:00
Opening hours of the Guest House
7 Days a week
Where: 1 Bronwen Avenue, Port Owen, Velddrif
Contact: +27 22 783 0158 | [email protected] | russellsontheport.co.za
Darling Wine and Craft Beer
Darling’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the vineyards’ elevation, particularly in the high-lying Groenekloof ward, have a significant effect on the grapes grown here, making the Darling region very well suited to the production of cool-climate wines. Hot summer mornings ensure phenolic ripeness, while late afternoon sea breezes cool the vineyards, producing stunning wines with concentrated flavour, depth and intensity.
Groote Post
Groote Post is a stunning historic 18th-century farm which produces the only Cap Classique and noble late harvest wines in the region. The farm incorporates a game camp and offers game drives and a bird hide and in spring it’s covered in a kaleidoscope of wild flowers.
You can enjoy a sumptuous traditional meal at Aunt Hilda’s Kitchen or take a picnic onto the lawns.
When: Mon – Fri: 8am – 5pm | Sat & Sun & public holidays: 10am – 4pm
Where: Darling Hills Road
Contact: +27 (0)22 492 2825 | [email protected] | www.grootepost.co.za
Darling Cellars
Situated just next to the train station, darling Cellars offers a very wide range of wines, from entry-level to acclaimed blends, there is something for everyone. Enjoy a relaxed tasting, while the children enjoy the playground or wander through the beautiful garden. You can join them afterwards for a picnic
When: Mon–Fri: 9am – 5pm | Sat: 10am – 2pm
Where: R315
Coordinates: -33.439234, 18.522525
Contact: +27 (0)22 492 2276 | [email protected] | www.darlingcellars.co.za
Cloof Wine Estate
Cloof produces intense, bold-flavoured wines from grapes grown under extreme conditions and their wines include their award-winning Crucible Shiraz (single-vineyard), Very Sexy Shiraz, Cloof Pinotage and some unusual red blends. They also serve delicious tasting room lunches daily.
When: Mon–Sat: 10h00 until 16h00
Where: R315
Contact: +27 (0)22 492 2839| [email protected] | www.cloof.co.za
Darling Brew Tasteroom and Brewery
While in Darling, you may want to tantalise your palate with a taste diversion by popping into their Tasteroom and brewery. Here the aim is to pair each of the Darling Brew craft beers with a selection of inspired light meals that enhance the unique flavours found in the artisan beers.
Where: 48 Caledon Street, Darling
Contact: +27 (0)21 286 1099 | [email protected] | www.darlingbrew.co.za
