Where to eat (and drink) in Stellenbosch

Looking for some great food to soak up all that Stellenbosch wine? From swanky vineyard restaurants to authentic Xhosa cooking lessons, we've picked the best spots to line your stomach

Terroir at Kleine Zalze Estate
Where better to opt for a wine pairings menu than at an award-winning vineyard restaurant? And the wine isn't just confined to the drinks menu – it's often used as part of dishes, too.



Since 2004, chef Michael Broughton has been devising the best ways to cook locally-grown ingredients (yes, grapes included) to reflect the restaurant's laid-back luxury atmosphere and showcase Stellenbosch's wealth of natural produce. The result is delicious – and inventive: tuck into line-caught fish with mountains of dressed salads, or springbok wellington with parsnip puree. And the setting isn't bad either: dine outdoors, under ancient oak trees, and soak up views of the working vineyard.


Dine With Locals tour
Forget restaurants for an evening: feast on some home-cooked comfort food instead. Stellenbosch's Dine With Locals initiative offers a bitesize chunk of authentic interaction with locals – and a hearty dinner.



You'll be welcomed into the home of a local resident for an evening of home cooking and lively conversation, connecting with your hosts over shared plates of boerewors (sausages), hoenderpastei (chicken pie) and koeksisters (local-style doughnuts). Hosts are from all walks of life and are happy to answer your burning questions about South Africa – and you might even make some new friends too.


Overture at Hidden Valley Estate
Overture's menu features just four main dishes – but what it lacks in range, it more than compensates for in ambition. From the unfussy favourites (roast hake with roasted vegetables, braised karoo lamb knuckle) to the ambitious – and, for some, slightly alarming – fried pig's head and trotters, it champions locally-sourced ingredients and traditional cooking methods.



Stellenbosch foodies flock here for the matured sirloin with monkeygland glaze (don't worry, this South African staple sauce doesn't involve monkeys at all!) and Cape Brandy soufflé – oh, and the incredible award-winning wine list.


Route 360 Kayamandi Township Tours
This township tour company wanted to offer something different on their day trips: the chance to interact with residents and even pick up a few skills along the way. Its cooking and baking lessons are hosted in township homes, by locals who are just as curious about you as you are about them!



Options include a private Xhosa cooking lesson with Mama Swartbooi in her home; the chance to see first-hand how a ‘Smiley’ (sheep head) is prepared (and what it tastes like...); and getting your hands dirty at the communal Foodpods vegetable hub. If you're not culinary-inclined, try the pottery, performing arts or jewellery-making days. Email for details


Waterkloof Estate Restaurant
If the food at Waterkloof is half as good as its location, you know you're in for a treat. It's known as the 'restaurant in the sky' for its lofty spot overlooking the vineyard – with glass walls and uninterrupted valley views. When you've stopped gawping, tuck into French-inspired haute cuisine – the tasty minimalist fare complements the wine list perfectly.