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From picnic blankets under trees to sunny tables laden with good food and wine, outside dining spots are where we want to be now.
Western Cape Winelands
Farm to fork at De Meye
Though new owners, Leigh Williamson and Brendan Thorncroft, took charge of The Table at De Meye in 2019, the ethos at this much-loved winelands restaurant remains unchanged.
Celebrating seasonal hyper-local produce each week, Thorncroft whips up a three-course set menu to be served at country-style tables out on shaded lawns.
Invariably it begins with generous slices of Schoon sourdough topped with salted farm butter, followed by hearty main courses — think braised Karoo lamb or ballotine of free-range chicken.
But leave space for the honest, homely desserts that will fill any empty corners. Generous country hospitality is the signature here, with vintage plates piled high and served family-style at your table in the gardens. Expect lunch to be a long, lazy and languid affair. Just as it should be.
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Picnic pods at Warwick
There’s no shortage of estates offering winelands picnics, but Warwick certainly raises the bar. Thanks to its private picnic pods you’re not relegated to a chequered blanket on sun-baked lawns. Rather, you unpack your picnic spread in a shaded space set aside exclusively for you and your socially distanced group of gourmands.
In your picnic box — booking is essential — you can look forward to a spread of salads, pâté, preserves, charcuterie, cheese and freshly baked breads. A range of Warwick wines are available both by the glass and by the bottle.
Smokin’ hot at Spier
Chef PJ Vadas showcases the subtle art of smoky southern barbecue at this laid-back venue at Spier Wine Estate.
It’s a wide-ranging menu, running from snacks (don’t miss the superbly smoky jalapeño poppers) to the smokehouse meats that bring in hungry locals. The smoked beef brisket is a must.
But the sides are just as much of a reason to visit: how about fire-roasted broccoli with cider vinaigrette and smoked Stanford cheese? Or harissa-roasted carrots with lubne and za’atar? Perhaps perfectly tender beetroot sprinkled with feta, naartjies and pistachio dukkah? And to finish? Vadas is famed for his flaky pastéis de nata (custard tarts).
The best tables are out on the wide brick terrace, overlooking kid-friendly lawns. When you’ve filled your belly, take a turn past the Spier Artisan Studio to watch the ceramic artists at work.
Escape the hubbub at Babylonstoren
Is there a more glorious garden to wander in on a spring day than Babylonstoren? Here espaliered fruit trees give way to quiet fountains and veggie gardens so bountiful as to seem unseemly. If Eve lived here she’d nibble more than an apple, that’s for sure.
And visitors to Koos Bekker’s winelands bolthole are equally spoilt for choice when the hunger pangs hit. There’s the Babel restaurant, of course, all contemporary chic, clean lines and elegant plating. But both my wallet and my palate prefer the Greenhouse Restaurant, a relaxed space of generous simplicity: perhaps coconut-infused cauliflower soup, a pot pie of lamb and waterblommetjies, or a humble sandwich given due love and attention.
With tables scattered under the oak trees, and gurgling leiwater for the kids to splash about in, it’s a family-friendly haven amid Bekker’s garden of plenty. While you’ll want a seat in the fresh air, take a moment to admire the striking conservatory, custom built in France for the estate.
The Russian connection
Hazendal has evolved from a historic, though somewhat tired, estate to being a dynamic winelands destination. Today it’s home to rejuvenated gardens with a clutch of works by notable artists, the interactive kids’ "edutainment" centre Wonderdal, and the intriguing Marvol Gallery of Russian art. There’s also no shortage of spaces to eat.
Top of your list should be the Babushka Deli, where executive chef Michélle Theron serves up contemporary bistro cuisine alongside a compact menu of traditional Russian plates, a hat tip to the Voloshin family, who have owned the estate since 1994.
The best tables are outdoors, set well apart in the threshing circle but with lovely views over the farm’s original werf and across to the Bottelary Hills. Across the lawns the whitewashed walls of the historic cattle kraal today house the Pivnushka Beer Garden, a convivial space for flame-grilled fare, craft beer and fine winelands views.
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A feast of France
With a reputation for making the Joostenberg Bistro a must-dine in the winelands, chef Christophe Dehosse has of late focused his efforts on The Vine bistro at Glenelly Estate, the modern hillside winery perched on the outskirts of Stellenbosch.
Here Dehosse blends French flourish with local produce, and hungry locals can’t get enough of plates that run from pan-fried pork trotter galette and sauce gribiche to springbok rump with mushroom duxelle. For dessert, the superb tarte tatin, of course.
To drink? The Bordeaux-inspired wines of cellarmaster Luke O’Cuinneagain are superb, just like the vineyard views from tables out on the wide terrace.
Meanwhile, elsewhere
Sure, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are a little far from the winelands, but there are a couple of outdoor options in these two provinces that’ll make for great outdoor dining in a country-style fashion.
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Gauteng and North West
Italian garden dining
Lanseria offers more than an airport. For the past couple of years The Forum Company has been operating The Kitchen at L’antico Giardino in that neck of the woods and it’s built up a pretty loyal fan base.
Most business types know The Forum Company for its main events space at The Campus in Bryanston, but it has other spots dotted across the country too.
At whichever one you’ve been to you’ll have been served excellent food. But here you’ll get the good grub and enjoy it sitting under the trees in a cloistered, manicured garden. This is a proper farm-to-table place, and because the restaurant sources local produce from the surrounds, the menu changes often. But you can expect delights like shakshuka (served all day) and antipasti to pick at. It’s open only on weekends, so book online to nab a spot.
thekitchenlanticogiardino.co.za
Rich pickings and picnics
Pack the kids and the dogs in the car and head for Kleine Rijke. This gorgeous farm is a stone’s throw from Hartbeespoort Dam, so it’s an easy drive from town. It’s probably best known for its events space, created by acclaimed local designer David Krynauw and Khanya Architects. Its modern Cape Dutch vernacular style has met with much acclaim.
Architecture aside, the farm is also making a name as a weekend food escape. If you book in advance for a Saturday you get a feast box to enjoy picnicking on the lawn. On the Sunday it’s the same setup, just with pizzas.
The farm has been in the hands of the Pretorius family for generations and these days Jasmyn Pretorius keeps things going. She has also mapped out a 5km trail on the property, so should the post-lunch enthusiasm strike, there’s somewhere to amble.
KwaZulu-Natal
Midlands vineyards vibes
Abingdon Wine Estate has garnered a reputation, both for its award-winning wine (it was the first farm to produce a certified estate wine from KwaZulu-Natal grapes) and for its food (the restaurant was voted SA’s Best Kept Secret in the 2019 American Express Dining Awards), so dining outside beneath a cloud of blooming wisteria or a towering oak tree is as heavenly as it sounds.
It specialises in harvest boards and tapas, but we can highly recommend the pork belly bowl with crispy crackling and fresh apple sauce, and the deboned oxtail bowl, served with either dipping ciabatta or a puff pastry lid. Don’t pass on dessert either — the boozy Van der Hum crème brûlée especially. Obviously, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the wine list too.
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Picnic in the hills
Camp Orchards’ new restaurant The Harvest offers a few dining options. First, you can build your own plate or picnic by selecting from the deli’s harvest table, which groans under the weight of freshly prepared dishes and treats such as quiches and chocolate brownies. Otherwise, straight up, you can order a picnic.
Book your picnic for Thursday to Saturday and you’ll find it filled with goodies, including cured meats, chicken liver parfait, onion jam, chilli feta cheese, sourdough olive batons and pastéis de nata. For the kids, you can order a bento box with fresh nibbles — farm fresh and harvested daily. You can also stock up on pantry basics like bread, milk, eggs and cheese to take home.
It’s a perfect spot for socially distanced socialising.
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