Category Archives: Restaurants

Urban Wines and Bistro, Cape Town

After a busy year, Deon and I at last have some time to explore new restaurants again.  We discovered a little bistro close to home in Durbanville recently.  It is called Urban Wines and Bistro, situated at the corner of New Street and Koeberg Road.

Lisa, the owner, comments: “Urban Wines is a dream I have had for many years.  A dream to create a space where people are inspired by what they experience, where friendships are made along with great memories through the experience of damn good wine and coffee.”  At this little bistro you taste, eat, drink, shop and experience Urban Wines.

Interior

It was love at first sight when we entered.  It is a beautiful, creative space which serves breakfast, lunch, drinks and coffee.  They have special events during the week, e.g. wine tastings on Wednesdays and Fridays, steak nights, or simply visit them with friends and enjoy a bottle of wine over cheese and charcuterie.  There is no wine list, you have a choice from the wine displayed on the walls.  There is indeed a wide variety to choose from.

The menu is out of the ordinary and the light meals are created by a talented chef, hiding in the kitchen.  Deon ordered a bunless beef burger, topped with melted mozzarella, smothered in a spicy tomato relish and served on a bed of cucumber ribbons, with a side of zingy courgette and corn warm salad.  It sounds like a mouthful, but it was excellent, and Deon did not even miss the traditional burger with a meat patty.  This was gourmet par excellence.

Bunless Burger

I ordered a hash brown veggie pizza which was a crisp potato hash brown, topped with grilled courgette, aubergine, asparagus and roasted tomato.  It was not only beautifully presented, but also very tasty.

Hash Brown

While we were halfway through or lunch, the power suddenly went off and we realized that it was time for South Africa’s famous loadshedding to kick in.  The manager took it all in her stride and soon we were eating lunch by candlelight.

It was a great Friday afternoon.  Well done, Urban Wines Bistro, we’ll be back soon.

Arugula Bistro and Bread

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We recently discovered a new restaurant in Welgemoed, Cape Town.  It is called after the rocket plant, Arugula.  We were hesitant to try this restaurant, as it is situated in a shopping complex, but it turned out to be a little gem. As we entered the restaurant, we were immediately attended to by friendly staff.  We were seated at a window table which had a beautiful view over the Simonsberg.  … Continue reading →

Slipway Waterfront Restaurant, Saldanha

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We have visited SlipWay Waterfront Restaurant in the main harbour of Saldanha many times and every time we visit, we love it.  The restaurant is not all that visible from the road, but there are sign boards to guide you to this beautiful little venue, situated on the lagoon. When our friend from France visited us for a couple of days, we decided to take him to this little gem … Continue reading →

Spek & Bone (Bacon & Beans) Restaurant, Stellenbosch

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There are certain streets in Cape Town that are very inspiring to foodies – Breë Street in the Cape Town CBD area and Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, are two of these fascinating streets. Spek & Bone on Dorp Street is owned by South African chef and TV personality, Bertus Basson.  In Afrikaans we have a well-known saying – “jy werk vir spek en bone” – meaning you are working without getting … Continue reading →

Barrique Restaurant at Vredenheim Winery and Wildlife

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If you like traditional food, Barrique Restaurant is where you should go.  It opened in 1998 and is situated in the Stellenbosch winelands, a beautiful setting surrounded by the Helderberg Mountains. As you enter the Vredenheim estate, you are met by a variety of game such as gems buck, ostriches and zebra. There is also a Big Cats Park with lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah and caracal.  They also have Angus … Continue reading →

De Grendel Restaurant

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Deon and I decided on Friday to visit De Grendel Restaurant in Plattekloof.  Before we left, I googled the wine farm and read that it has been in the Graaff family since 1891. Today the farm is owned by Sir De Villiers Graaff and is known for its award-winning wines.  The chefs are Ian Bergh and Garth Davids who serve food with locally sourced ingredients, changing the menu every day … Continue reading →

Fyndraai Restaurant at Solms-Delta, Franschhoek

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As we are at last entering winter in the Western Cape, Deon and I are getting more housebound (read lazy) and prefer to stay at home on Fridays. But last Friday I felt like exploring and Deon suggested that we find a restaurant around Franschhoek. It was a lovely sunny day and we enjoyed the scenic drive to Solms-Delta where we would have lunch. When we entered the restaurant, called … Continue reading →

Durbanville Hills Wine Estate

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Deon and I recently re-visited Durbanville Hills Wine Estate, one of our favourite wine estates in the Durbanville Wine Valley.  It has magnificent views, great food and excellent wines.  Their Chef’s Platter was launched to celebrate the 2016 summer season.  We were a bit late for this experience upon our almost autumn 2017 visit, but the chef informed us that we could have the platter for lunch.  The platter was … Continue reading →

Café Felix, Riebeeck Kasteel

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On Friday, 17 March, we decided to celebrate my birthday a day early, as we would both be working on Saturday.  I wanted to have lunch in one of Cape Town’s oldest towns, Riebeeck Kasteel, named after Commandor Jan van Riebeeck, the Dutch founder of Cape Town.  The town of Riebeeck Kasteel was laid out around the Dutch Reformed church and the Royal Hotel, South Africa’s oldest hotel. The Riebeeck … Continue reading →

Cucina di Giovanni at Eikendal

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The restaurant Giovanni is situated on the Eikendal Wine Estate close to Somerset West in the Western Cape.  On a rather windy Friday afternoon, we were seated at a table close to the dam with its impressive fountain.  The scenic view of the Helderberg mountains encouraged us to forget about the slightly uncomfortable breeze. The restaurant seemed to be very popular, especially with families, as many children were having fun … Continue reading →

Terrace Restaurant at the Lanzerac Hotel

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Deon fondly remembers the lunches he and fellow student friends enjoyed under the trees at the Lanzerac Hotel when studying at Stellenbosch University.  Those lunches took place many moons ago. Today, as it was Friday again, after a hectic week at work for both of us, we were off to the Postcard Café at Stark-Condé wines in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch.  Deon made a reservation earlier the morning.  Strangely, when we arrived … Continue reading →

Greek Style on a Friday

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We love Greek food and the ambience of a Greek restaurant.  And yes, we love Greece with its relaxed atmosphere, the magnificent islands and blue water and last, but not least, its moussaka and meze! During Johan and Paula’s visit last year in October, we attempted having lunch at Spiro’s, a Greek restaurant in Hout Bay, but on our way we spotted another interesting looking restaurant in Kloof Street and … Continue reading →

Vrede & Lust

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On a very hot Friday afternoon during the December holidays, we were off to Vrede & Lust Wine Estate, situated on the Simondium-Klapmuts Road, close to Franschhoek.  On a previous trip to Franschhoek, we noticed this wine estate and it has been on our restaurants-to-visit list for quite a while. The trip to Vrede & Lust was not so peaceful as the name of the wine estate suggests, as there … Continue reading →

Lemon Butta, Willowbridge

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We read a few very negative comments regarding Lemon Butta restaurant, situated at the Willowbridge Life Style Centre, Bellville. We decided to try the restaurant last Friday as we were at the centre for some Christmas shopping.  The ambience is not too bad, but should you choose to sit outside on the patio, your view would be of the cars in the parking area.  So, we were seated inside the … Continue reading →

The Bakery, Jordan Wine Estate

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After our visit to Jardine Restaurant in September 2016, next on the list of restaurants headed by acclaimed chef George Jardine, had to be The Bakery at Jordan Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. It is a scenic trip along beautiful vineyards and blue mountains on the way to the restaurant via Stellenbosch Kloof Road.  The restaurant itself is situated in a picturesque spot with massive willow trees, green lawns and ducks floating … Continue reading →

Diemersdal – Third Time Around

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Why do we always return to Diemersdal?  It must be the beautiful scenery, or the cosiness of the restored stable in which the restaurant is situated – or it could be the always changing menu which draws us back to this graceful wine estate.  Whatever the reason, it is always a happy event when we visit the eatery, especially on a beautiful summery day with blue skies. Chef Martin de … Continue reading →

Bistro on Beach

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Today was the second time in a short while that we visited Bistro on Beach, a small restaurant situated at the Melkboschstrand beachfront. We were on our way to the popular Orca restaurant on both occasions, but on the first attempt the restaurant was closed and on the second it was full and we had to wait for more than an hour to be seated. Bistro on Beach is beautifully … Continue reading →

The Greek Fisherman, V & A Waterfront

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We haven’t been to the V & A Waterfront in a while and decided that it was time for a visit.  Lunch would be at an old favourite, The Greek Fisherman.  The restaurant opened its doors in 1992 as an informal and hearty Greek restaurant.  Their Meze was fabulous and therefore the restaurant was always on our to-do list during our visits to Cape Town. After moving to Cape Town … Continue reading →

The Local Grill, Val du Charron

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Described on their website as simply nirvana for carnivores, is not really what I have in mind when I visit a restaurant for lunch, but the beautiful setting of the restaurant, situated 7 km from Wellington, makes up for the statement on their menu. The Local Grill is the restaurant at the Val du Charron Wine and Olive Estate.  The estate was established in 1699.  The farm was named Val … Continue reading →

Luigi’s Restaurant, Paarl

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Waking up on Friday to a glorious sunny day, we decided to take a slow drive to Paarl and enjoy the scenic view while the good weather lasted. Luigi’s Mediterranean Inspired Restaurant was on our lunch menu.  It was not long before we reached Paarl and started searching for the restaurant, situated on 311 Main Road.  It took us a while to locate Luigi’s, as you have to enter from … Continue reading →

Restaurant Jardine, Stellenbosch

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It was Friday and Deon’s birthday, 9 September 2016.  Both reasons to find a new restaurant for lunch.  Since moving to Cape Town at the end of 2010, we visited quite a number of restaurants.  Many of these restaurants were great, others not so great, but after today, we have two that are competing for the first position on our own Best Western Cape Restaurant list. We love a variety … Continue reading →

Beleza Restaurant

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We had visitors (my brother Johan and his wife Paula) for a couple of days and on the Friday of their visit, we decided to have lunch at a Greek tavern in Hout Bay, called Spiros. However, on our way to Hout Bay, while waiting at a robot in Tamboerskloof, Deon spotted a Portuguese Restaurant in Kloof Street, Beleza (“beautiful” in Portuguese), and on the spur of the moment we … Continue reading →

Five Guys

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Since discovering our local Tyger Waterfront, we cannot stay away.  On Friday we were contemplating staying home, but then decided to go for a quick lunch at a restaurant we spotted at the Waterfront a while ago.  It was a chilly day, but we preferred to sit outside where we had a view of the water.  We were seated on the deck in a sunny spot by a friendly waitron. … Continue reading →

Oude Wellington Restaurant

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My mom from Port Elizabeth came to visit us for a week and naturally we had to find interesting restaurants to make her visit as pleasant as possible. Early Friday morning Deon googled to find a restaurant with a fireplace.  The name, Oude Wellington Restaurant, came up with good reviews. So, off we went to experience a new adventure.  As we were a little early, we drove around in Wellington … Continue reading →

George’s Greek Restaurant

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Going Greek again, after the previous Friday lunch at a Greek restaurant, we were in the mood for everything Greek.  We even watched our favourite film, Shirley Valentine, again! Situated between Somerset West and Stellenbosch on Helderberg Road, we found the unpretentious white building George’s Greek Restaurant is situated in.  A donkey with a wide grin welcomed us on the patio. On the inside the family owned restaurant is decorated … Continue reading →

Opa Greek Tavern

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Our love for Greek food was ignited in Port Elizabeth when we first visited Zorba’s Taverna in Central.  When visiting Cape Town, we could never resist The Greek Fisherman, a Greek restaurant at the V&A Waterfront.  We spent a couple of weeks in Greece in 2010 and what a feast it was to live on a diet of Greek food. It was Friday again and time to search for a … Continue reading →

Avontuur Estate Restaurant

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It was Friday again and time for adventure.  We were heading to Avontuur Estate Restaurant, which was a very suitable name.  The Afrikaans word Avontuur, translated into English, indeed means Adventure. Avontuur Estate is situated against the Helderberg, between Stellenbosch and Somerset-West in the Western Cape.  When you drive up to the building in which the restaurant is situated, a beautiful tranquil scenery of mountains, white washed buildings and pure … Continue reading →

Curry in Cape Town

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What do the three restaurants, Indian Chapter; Moksh and Annapurna have in common?  The answer is easy – curry.  Whether you like tandoori, madras or vindaloo, or a cashewy korma if you prefer your food less spicy, these three Cape Town restaurants are well-known for delicious curries. The first Indian restaurant we visited in Cape Town after relocating from Port Elizabeth at the end of 2010, was Annapurna. This restaurant, … Continue reading →

Gastao’s Restaurant

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Gastao’s Restaurant I love the unexpected – well, if it is positively unexpected.  It was Friday again, but we decided not to have lunch at a restaurant this time.  Having lunch at home seemed like a very good idea. Around twelve in the afternoon Deon asked if I wanted to accompany him to Edward Street in Bellville as he needed something at one of the shops in that very interesting … Continue reading →

Flavours Restaurant, Devon Valley Hotel

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We visited this restaurant last year with a guest from Port Elizabeth and when Deon asked if I could suggest a restaurant for lunch last Friday, I remembered the awesome view at Flavours Restaurant, which is situated outside Stellenbosch.  Flavours is part of the Devon Valley Hotel.  We ordered tapas upon our first visit, which was very good.   As it was a very hot day, it thought that it would … Continue reading →

Café des Arts

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Café des Arts Franschhoek is one of the destinations that we love to visit on a regular basis.  Maybe it is because of the scenery, the excellent restaurants or perhaps Deon and I have the tendency to form habits easily. Whatever the reason, today we decided to have lunch at Franschhoek once again.  As we were driving towards Franschhoek, we saw many possibilities for Friday lunch. Babel Restaurant on the … Continue reading →

Reuben’s

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Franschhoek in our beautiful Western Cape has always been a favourite and on my birthday this year Deon treated me to lunch at Reuben’s – celebrity chef Reuben Riffel’s restaurant on the main road. The restaurant itself is beautiful, with high ceiling and beams, elegantly decorated and the bar area features a wing of an old DC 10 aeroplane as the bar counter.  There is a shop where you can … Continue reading →

Tokara Wine Farm

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When we moved to Cape Town, one of the first restaurants we visited was the delicatessen at Tokara, situated outside Stellenbosch on the R310 in the Helshoogte Pass. I always wanted to return to Tokara and we decided to revisit this beautiful wine farm today, 11 March 2016. Tokara was purchased by GT Ferreira and soon became known for producing excellent quality wines. The scenery all the way to Tokara … Continue reading →

Boschendal Farmshop & Deli

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My brother and sister-in-law from Rheebok visited us on the last weekend of February 2016. We had to find a new venue for lunch. This time, after a Google search, we decided to visit Boschendal in Franschhoek, one of the oldest farms in South Africa. The first owner of the farm was Jean le Long, a French Huguenot. He was granted the land by the Dutch East India Company in … Continue reading →

Harvest at Laborie Wine Estate, Paarl

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Exploring the Paarl valley – that was our mission for February 2016. On the third Friday of February we had our usual Friday lunch, this time at Harvest Restaurant, Laborie wine farm in the Paarl valley. Named after the district of La Bri in France, the farm became the property of Isaac Taillefert in1691. The architecture of the beautiful buildings which includes the restaurant as well as a guest house … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day at Glen Carlou Restaurant, Paarl

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As it was Friday again, we decided to head towards Paarl for an early 2016 Valentine’s lunch. We reserved a table at Glen Carlou Restaurant, but as we had some time to kill before lunch, we popped in at Koöperasie Stories between Paarl and Franschhoek. It is an amazing French style shop which sells furniture, crockery, linen and everything else. It could be easy to spend a morning in this … Continue reading →

The Red Table, Nederburg

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Last Friday, the first Friday of our hottest month February, we decided to have lunch at Nederburg, Paarl. The Red Table restaurant serves bistro-style food inside the beautiful Manor House or outside on the terrace if you prefer the stunning views of the Nederburg vineyards with the backdrop of the Drakenstein mountains. In winter it would be lovely to dine inside in one of the beautiful old-worldly plush dining rooms … Continue reading →

Delheim Wine Estate

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Delheim, located in the area of Stellenbosch, is the perfect venue for an outside lunch in summer or a cosy dinner in winter inside next to the huge fireplace. The original farm was called Driesprongh and purchased in 1938 by Mr Hans Hoheisen who planted the first vines. My mom was visiting us early January 2016 and we decided to take her to Delheim for lunch. Every time we visit … Continue reading →

Revisiting Diemersdal Farm Eatery

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We have been at Diemersdal Farm Eatery before, in fact, a couple of times, but when we heard that our friends Kobus and Erna from Port Elizabeth would pay us a visit in December 2015, we decided to introduce them to Diemersdal Farm Eatery. During the December holidays it is quite difficult to find a table at a restaurant like this, as it is usually fully booked. But, we were … Continue reading →

Durbanville Hills Restaurant

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It is usually a problem to book a table for lunch this time of the year, as many restaurants are closed for the festive season and others are fully booked. When I phoned Durbanville Hills Restaurant in our Durbanville Wine Valley to book a table for four on 28 December 2015, I was happy to hear that they had a table available for lunch. At the wine estate, there were … Continue reading →