Route 62 Restaurants

Deep in the scenic Robertson Valley is an award-winning restaurant that has diners returning again and again.Enjoy long leisurely lunches with stunning views spanning the vineyards and Sonderend Mountains in the distance.The decor is simple and unpretentious and creates a charming and tranquil atmosphere. A large verandah complete with umbrellas provides a great place to enjoy al fresco dining.Country cuisine is the order of the day, created with care using seasonal ingredients and fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden. Portions are substantial and diners have a superb selection of the finest wines from the Robertson Valley to choose as an accompaniment.

One can easily fall in love with the Breede Valley while visiting Opstal Estate’s restaurant near Worcester. Here, fine dining and sweeping views of the stunning surroundings marry to create a memorable eating experience. The restaurant offers an outdoor deck for al fresco dining on sunny days and loads of atmosphere in winter with its cosy fire place. Guests can expect a menu that represents the best of traditional fare from breakfast through to dinner. The lunch menu is light with offerings like Calamari, gourmet sandwiches and salads as well as schnitzel and quiche. Dinner, which the menu refers to as the ‘Main Event’ offers sophistication on a plate. Carnivorous guests will be spoilt for choice between items such as Deboned Leg of Lamb, Roast Pork Fillet and Braised Lamb Shank. The speciality desserts are displayed on the specials board and the restaurant offers a selection of locally sourced wines. The venue also hosts conferences and weddings with cottages for overnight stays.

Pielow’s restaurant is a gem of fine dining located in the quaint town of Tulbagh. This intimate and elegant eatery promises guests fine food in a stunning setting. The restaurant forms part of the Oude Herberg guest house. Its tiny dining room exudes ambience with its quiet sophistication. In the summer the courtyard offers the best seating for a late evening of food and drink with friends, or an afternoon bite while watching the town’s rugby team in action. The contemporary menu incorporates the best local produce that can be sourced. Popular dishes include the roast pork with caramelised apples and the rack of lamb with home-made mint sauce. The list is vast with a great selection of local wines. Guests can also enjoy the fact that the restaurant has its very own patch of vineyard and bottles its own home groen shiraz and sauvignon blanc under the Pielow’s label.

Readers Restaurant is located in Tulbagh’s historic Church Street. Here patrons are delighted by the fine food on offer. The Curious Cats gift shop, that is housed with the eatery, gives Readers a quirky edge that is enough reason to return. The lime washed Cape Dutch Style stead sets the scene for the genuine Cape hospitality that is synonymous with Readers. In keeping with the Cape Dutch feel, the restaurant boasts wooden floors and crisp white table cloths on solid wooden furniture, all the elements for fine dining. Chef Carol Collins presents an exciting menu which offers traditional fare with a fresh interpretation. Signature dishes include the Springbok fillet with a Gooseberry and Amarula sauce and the Lamb Strudel. The Trio of ice-cream dessert is ever popular with exciting (if not a crazy) flavours such as curry and balsamic. The wine list supports the best of the Tulbagh region. Cat lovers will spend plenty of time post pudding inspecting the feline paraphernalia in the gift shop section of the restaurant.

Rijks Country House in the Tulbagh winelands of the Western Cape offers guests a fine dining experience that is all about country hospitality and making the most of the beauty of its natural surroundings. The wine estate has three restaurants to choose from, each offering something special. Que sera is the fine dining lounge and offers an la carte menu as well as a buffet breakfast menu while The Iceberg Terrace seats guests outdoors under the pergola for breakfast and light lunches. Both venues boast magnificent views of the vineyards. At night the terrace restaurant’s pergola is adorned with fairy lights and candles providing patrons with a romantic, star gazing dining experience. The Mon Ami dining hall hosts private functions. Rijks offers game, seafood and traditional South African dishes as well as an award winning wine list form its private cellar. Rijks Country House is open for breakfast through to dinner daily. Come with plenty of time to spare for wine tasting.

Located on the scenic Route 62, Wild Apricot Restaurant embraces traditional South African cuisine enchanted by elegant charm, period cutlery and a décor that whispers memories of a bygone era. Dine by romantic candle light and soft music drifting from the baby grand piano enjoying traditional creations such as tasty mutton pie and bobotie with a twist. For starters, try the Ostrich carpaccio drizzled with olive oil, fresh lemon and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Main meals entice with Kabeljou dressed in mushrooms and sour cream, slowly cooked in the juices from the onions and mushrooms. Round off the meal with an amarulla soufflé on a coconut crust, sprinkled with walnuts and amarulla liqueur. Dine in the elegant dining room of the Montagu Country Hotel and transport the palate to an enchanted era for an evening to remember.