Restaurants and Delis in Eastern Cape

The Naked Truth about the Sex Shop
Ronnie Price bought the farm 25 clicks from Barrydale in the Klein Karoo in 1989 after a career in sales and other things, including a spell at M-Net. He was 39 at the time and he wanted to chill. The shop came much later - it will be 12 years old in November this year.

It is a strange story, not mind-blowing strange, but decidedly off the wall. And what happened afterwards turned an oddball act into one of the most sublime roadside marketing stratagems known to man.

The farm was doing fine and there was this building by the road that it seemed sensible to turn into a sort of Farm Stall to earn some welcome small change.

Preparing for the time when that would happen, Ronnie painted on the wall facing Barrydale: 'Ronnies SHOP'. A few years later he saw that someone had added in a scrawl the word SEX. He knows who did it now, but he did not then, and now he is not saying. At any rate the shop, SEX or not, was still not open, yet people were beginning to arrive.

“We had customers but we didn't have a business,” Ronnie told me.

Well, that spurred him on to some serious thinking. The crowds rocking up were almost too good for a padstal, so he switched thought and came up with the idea of a bar, a bar miles from anywhere with a name miles from the truth but apparently compelling.

“When we were ready we phoned around to tell all our friends that we were now open and put an 'OPEN' sign outside. We were drunk for the next six months.” The place took off like nobody could believe.

And it has never let up since then.

The shop, the bar, the watering hole, whatever you want to call it has been featured on television programmes in literally dozens of countries. It is without a doubt a major asset to the Klein Karoo. Newspapers, magazines and radio stations sent reporters to find out what goes on behind the green door. And they found it. People go there for a happy time, and sex does not come into it.

Ronnie says that so strong has been the pull of that name that he has never had to spend a cent on marketing.

Busloads come from morning till night. Some days they record more than 200 arrivals. They come for food and for refreshment and, of course, out of rampant curiosity.

The food side is run as a franchise by Denise Ladegaard. It has the almost equally mad name of The Road Kill Café. This name, according to Ronnie, was suggested by Dieter Sowade, then the owner of Avalon Springs. It is a name that, in the spirit of fun, does not seem to put anyone off.

In fact Ronnie says that for all the so-called traditional conservatism of people in the neighbourhood he has had no direct complaints about the names of the shop or the café.

“There was one story,” he recalls, “of an elderly lady in Barrydale who did take offence but she didn’t speak to me. She asked the local Dominee if he could close us down. The Dominee said ‘it’s just a name, they don't actually sell sex there’. To which she is supposed to have replied ‘but they do sell strong spirits’. The Dominee reminded her that her own Bowls Club sold alcohol. ‘Shall I then have that closed down too?’ he asked.”

“And that was the end of that.”

Story by Peter Dearlove, Montagu Mail

In the relaxed atmosphere of the hotel we have created an indoor/outdoor restaurant, Café Bacchus, where visitors can enjoy food and drinks in a leisurely surrounding. Here people can escape from the rat race, stress and mechanical mindedness of our times. Café Bacchus specializes in a variety of mouth-watering cakes, including freshly baked cheese, carrot or chocolate cakes. It is not unusual to find travellers that turn off from the N2 into Storms River Village in order to enjoy our delicious light lunches. All this in a beautiful garden setting with a magical fountain in the middle, complimented by an enchanting statue of the delightful Bacchus himself.

While refreshing at Café Bacchus visitors would often find a hive of activity at the adjacent swimming pool. The swimming pool area, surrounded by four palm trees, makes an impressive setting, an ideal place for a model photo shoot. Many visitors at Bacchus can’t resist the temptation and join guests in the swimming pool.

The mischievous Bacchus has the nasty habit of overthrowing the itinerary of even the most rigid traveller. After being seduced by Bacchus many visitors stay over at the Inn for a day or two.You are welcome too !

The New York Times rated De Oude Martha as the best restaurant in the Tsitsikamma. After ruling the roost in the kitchen for 32 years, Martha finally retired on the 31st of January 2004. Today the Inn still remains loyal to the legacy Martha Makwela left and continues in the tradition of good, home cooked food.

Relax in our a la Carte restaurant where the décor is a blend of today and yesterday.
Where the welcome and the service is good and a new generation of women from our village are teaming up to provide a dining experience with cuisine for the entire family
We use only fresh, often organic and local ingredients with lots of fresh herbs from our garden mixed with a detail of love to create our mouth watering meals Our aim is to offer freshly made meals, warm and attentionate service and food that is constantly good so that one time customers will become regulators and ambassadors.
We invite you to visit a "well kept secret" in the Tsitsikamma

Enjoy a champagne breakfast or or blow out lunch in the Gamtoos Valley. Situated just 7 km outside Patensie en route to the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, Padlangs Country Restaurant and Shop is definitley worth a visit. Anne and her team only use freshly- picked seasonal produce to create their scrumptious signature dishes.

Tuck into a hearty Leeuloop Breakfast or enjoy high tea with yummy baked delights served in bone china and silver. The milk tarts, lemon meringues, muffins and Greek chocolate cake are all made by local farmers' wives. Tannie Shirley's chicken pies are really made by Tannie Shirley!Cooked lunches are on offer on Sundays and the Saturday menu includes tripe and home-baked bread. In the kitchen is Cordon Bleu chef Sharelda van Niekerk so your à la carte meal will be something special.

The shop has involved the local communities by offering jams, preserves and home-baked pies as well as decorative items and gifts. Enjoy an afternoon with friends in the warm atmosphere of their cigar lounge or pick your own fruit in the surrounding citrus orchards. Padlangs is wheelchair-friendly and the playground will give the kids a chance to work off some excess energy. Open Monday to Sunday 08:00 to 17:00, including public holidays.

Has all that exploring in the fresh Karoo air has given you a rumbling tummy? Head to Tower Café at the Bethesda Arts Centre. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week, the menu has home-cooked nosh to suit all palates. Karoo lamb, chicken curry or cottage pie are typical local fare, while lighter meals of soups, salads, and toasted sandwiches are also on offer. Vegetarians are thoughtfully catered for with an inspiring selection of dishes such as moussaka, tortilla, Thai butternut soup and vegetable curries. Yum!

Die Stal is an awesome spot for a relaxing lunch for the mountainous views and home cooked food alone. The delicious bistro style meals and wines are value for money too. A must when you visit Montagu!

Need to know? There are no credit card facilities so remember to take cash. Open for breakfast and lunch from 8am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

Grab a farmstyle breakfast, light lunch or afternoon koffie en koek at this cute little roadside coffee shop and padstal (farmstall) in Montagu's Langstraat. They're licenced so you can linger over a glass of wine or beer.

If Miss Helen was here today she would certainly approve! Her fondness for beer is almost as legendary as her Owl House, which is just over the river from The Sneeuberg Brewery & Two Goats Deli. Owner André Cilliers sells handcrafted goat and cow’s milk cheeses, home-brewed beer, venison salami and freshly baked bread under the shade of enormous pepper trees.

Here you can grab picnic baskets filled with your choice of foods to be enjoyed at your own leisure somewhere in the picturesque village. The deli stocks goat and cow’s milk cheeses, venison salami, preserves and other deli products. Try Andre's hand roasted coffees too!

In this idyllic setting André serves cheese lunches that comprise a range of cheeses, salamis, breads, salads and preserves. In winter wholesome stews, curries and soups are on offer in addition to the cheese lunches. Vegetarian meals are also provided.

Saanen goats are milked twice a day to produce organic chèvre and foudjou, feta, caprino, Gouda and cheddar. The goats are milked at 8am and 4.30 pm daily and guests are welcome to visit during milking - children are most welcome!

Need to know? The Two Goats Deli is fully licensed and stocks a selection of wines, beer and other beverages. Open daily from 10am with booking for lunches preferred but not essential. Open in the evening as a pub only. Getting there is easy - from the Owl House cross over the dry Gats River following the road as it winds past the Old Mill till you see their sign.

CTFM, a vibrant Restaurant, Fish Market, Teppanyaki & Sushi Bar with chic yet informal surroundings, brings a feast of delicious flavours to its customers. The décor places strong emphasis on Cape Town’s picturesque landscape and captures the soul of bygone days in various fishing harbours.

The menu offers a wonderful combination of both South African and Japanese dishes. There's the old favourite fish and chips, the chic fresh oysters, the unusual Prawn & Avocado salad, the delectable Salmon Teriyaki and the classic seafood curry. The seafood platters come highly recommended and you can even pick your own ingredients from the fresh seafood displayed on ice. For those who aren’t that partial to seafood, there is also a choice of meat & poultry as well as a number of vegetarian dishes. Children are also catered for.

The Sushi Bar with its conveyor-belt of tasty treats will leave you hooked. The conveyor-belt was the first in its kind in South Africa and is a firm favourite amongst Sushi lovers. Seat yourself down while California rolls, sashimi, fashion sandwiches and other tempting portions pass slowly by – all colour coded plates to make it easy for customers to stick to their budget – however small or large that may be!

The extensive menu also includes Teppanyaki and Tempura dishes. Teppanyaki diners sit at communal “hibachi” tables that surround a large table top iron grill. This dining style allows them to view the chef as he prepares the meal with amazing skill using the traditional tools of the trade- a knife, a fork and two metal spatulas. Patrons can watch master chefs prepare these popular Eastern delights such as Teppanyaki-style Prawns and chicken, beef on noodles, fried rice, to name but a few. Tempura is also an old-time favourite that displays the Japanese art of making crisp, deep fried seafood and vegetable morsels, which boasts a lacy texture and subtle taste.

The combination of fish market and restaurant means customers have the option to order a variety of seafood from the fresh fish market with its display of live lobster, prawns, oysters, mussels and fresh fish to be specially prepared for you in preferred proportions or to utilise the “take-home” option for those who wish to have a BBQ at home or simply cook up using grandma’s secret recipe.

The Cape Town Fish Market is fully licensed with a fun and vibrant atmosphere. For those who wish to indulge in wines from the famous Cape vineyards, one can enjoy one of the many wines which CTFM has on offer. Wine connoisseurs are able to savour a carefully selected range of the finest South African wines available. Whether it be a quick sushi lunch, a romantic lobster dinner for two or maybe a fresh tuna steak to impress those at home, the Cape Town Fish Market is the place to go!

Situated within the Cock House Guest House, an 1820 Settler National Monument, is the gracious Norden's Restaurant. The gleaming yellowwood floors and period style decor make it an irresistible setting for a memorable meal. Complete your evening with coffee and liqueurs in the elegant drawing room, warmed by a roaring log fire on winter evenings.

Cooking at Norden's follows traditional lines and makes full use of seasonal ingredients and local produce. Home-baked wholemeal bread, stocks and plenty of herbs from the garden to flavour soups and sauces, and after-dinner rum chocolate truffles. The innovative menu combines the best of South African and international influences and is superbly complimented by the excellent wine selection.

Need to know? Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily except Monday lunch. Sunday Buffet lunch.

Gino's is an Italian restaurant offering pizza and pasta along with steaks, regular specials and vegetarian options. Popular with families and students, it is a firm favourite amongst Grahamstown folk and is often buzzing. Take aways are available. Open daily from 12h00.

Almost an institution in Grahamstown, ‘The Rat’ is a favourite hangout for Rhodes students. The buzzing laid back vibe is great for an afternoon pub-lunch, a sun-downer cocktail on the deck or a few rounds of drinks with your friends. The Rat and Parrot is well worth a visit for the warm atmosphere and friendly service alone.

Need to know? Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday from 12h00, Sundays from 11h00 till 22h00 .

Situated in the heart of the friendly and picturesque village of Montagu, Jessica's Restaurant is a popular place to dine with friends and loved ones. The beautifully restored Victorian home offers a contemporary, yet romantic dining room. On warm summer evenings dinner can be enjoyed under the stars in a landscaped garden with terraces, wooden deck and water feature.

Enjoy personal service from owners Werner and Adele and delicious dishes such as salmon trout tartar, Thai marinated prawns, followed by their popular Karoo trio. Crispy roast duck and lamb noissettes are the chef’s specialities. End the evening with berry parfait or their rich dark chocolate soufflé. A carefully selected local wine list complements the excellent food.

Offering a choice of scrumptious breakfasts and light lunches, as well as their famous Dutch apple tart and other blow out cream cakes, Kloof Restaurant & Padstal has become a landmark on Route 62.

A perfect halfway stop between Cape Town and Oudtshoorn, this padstal provides clean toilet facilities for visitors and an enclosed garden with  swings and jungle gym for tots to work off some excess energy. The farmstall offers a wide variety of the best products that Montagu has to offer, be it dried fruit, jams or preserves. A good variety of gifts are also available at very competitive prices. Next time you travel along the Route 62 in South Africa make sure to stop for breakfast, lunch or a coffee break. You won't be disappointed!

Café Fresh is a unique addition to the eateries in the picturesque town of Montagu. Run by two South Africans who recently returned from a few years in the UK, they bring style and culinary delights from far and wide to this delightful restaurant. With a relaxed atmosphere and great menu it is ideal for everyone and families with kids are very welcome. Decent play areas and other distractions will keep them entertained!

The Red Coffee Pot is a quaint little restaurant and coffee shop with a pretty garden. Breakfast and light meals are served from 8h30 till 17h00 and daily dinner from 19h00 till 22h00. Come and enjoy their home cooked meals and hospitality. In the evenings they have a blackboard menu. The restaurant is unlicensed.