This day started out as a normal day. We were staying in the Winelands for the weekend and decided to visit some wine farms. A visit to Boschendal estate was suggested by a friend, so we decided to have a look and see what it was about. I did not have any expectations of the wine estate but when we arrived at the farm, untainted beauty and the vastness of the grounds blew me away.

We visited on a Saturday and the farm was quite busy. As we drove up to the parking area, staff were preparing picnic areas on the grounds. I could see myself spending lazy days in the sun under those ancient oak trees. We parked our car and then headed for the farmhouse for brunch. Boschendal estate offers a deli, café, picnics on the grounds or The Werf restaurant as options to eat at.

We sat down at the deli with the intention to have brunch. I decided to look at what was in the other old farm house as I noticed chefs baking bread and other food on a grill outside. As soon as I opened the glass doors and stepped into the restaurant, I knew that we needed to change venues.

Never judge a book by its cover:

The building is very unassuming from the outside but when you enter, you are in for a sensory treat. The light interiors have a hint of colonialism with South Africa heritage traits. The interiors are simple but tasteful navy, beige and white colour palette with lots of wood in-between. The hanging crockery and interesting paintings turned into artwork gives the restaurant a modern twist.

Brunch turned to lunch as The Werf restaurant only opens at 12pm, but we enjoyed a glass of wine on the terrace and taking in the fresh air.

This restaurant packs a punch!

We all know small plates/tasting menus are all the craze right now, which is what is served at The Werf. I love it that you can order smaller portions and try more dishes instead. The food served is organic with authentic flavours as the dishes are kept simple. Produce is sourced from the biodynamic garden and farm animals located adjacent to the restaurant.

This is authentic fine dining at its best. We had lunch on the terrace, overlooking the farm mountains in the distance.

But The Food!

We had beautiful farm bread with butter to start with.

Next, we were given a complimentary dish by the Chef. This dish with its textures, hard granadilla seeds balanced with soft gel, yet distinct green and herb flavours represents summer to me. I could have easily eaten an entire bowl of this dish for lunch.

For ‘mains’ I opted for the slow cooked beef brisket. The brisket was served with charred beetroot and house yoghurt. The beef was cooked to perfection. The sweetness of the sauce with the beetroot was well balanced with the sourness of the house made yoghurt.

My husband chose a fish dish that consisted of Yellowfin tuna and mussels in frozen Kefir and a marmite broth. And yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, the fish was served in a marmite broth. I am not marmite fan, but had to try the dish. This fish was soft and flavourful and not ruined by the marmite 😊. I may even order this dish the next time I visit.

Side servings please:

Option one was roasted carrots, citrus & cumin, savoury honeycomb. Unusual combination, sweet honey comb balanced with citrus and cumin. Option two was the Werf food garden salad with a house dressing. This salad was simple, but the flavours of the greens did all the talking.

We enjoyed the recommended wines with our lunch. We had coffee and biscuits to end our meal.

After that palatable meal, we explored the gardens before going wine tasting.

Boschendal estate garden is a few hectares and can be enjoyed by all visitors.

Boschendal Estate Farm stops:

Wine tasting and desert was next. We enjoyed wine tasting outside under the trees. We choose different wine tastings so that we could try a few different wines and bubbly. I preferred the premium wines over the standard wines. We only discovered later that the Manor house also offers flagship and historic tastings and there are also tours of the Manor house at Boschendal Estate.

And Finally:

We sat outside under the shade of the Oak trees for some late afternoon treats. The deserts were just what we needed after the wine tasting. I opted for gluten free chocolate cheesecake and my husband choose lemon meringue pie. It was one of the best gluten free chocolate cheesecakes I tasted. I am still dreaming about that cheesecake.

Our last stop was the deli. As we were staying in Stellenbosch for the weekend, we picked up some wine and fresh produce from the Boschendal estate deli for the next day. The shop stocks with fresh organic produce from the farm and a daily selection of freshly baked goods.

A day well spent at Boschendal Estate:

In conclusion, this was a well spent day. Boschendal estate is so special because it is one of the oldest farms in South Africa and is set on land with sweeping mountains views. They cater for locals, tourists, couples, groups and families alike. This was one fun filled day with happy memories of good food, good wine and fantastic desert. I will be exploring the winelands more in future and seeing what else it has to offer. Until then!

Mrs L.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

Tips:

There is so much to do at Boschendal Estate farm, I feel like we barely scratched the surface with this visit. Have a look at their website to see what else they offer. The café and restaurant was quite full on the day, so it would probably be best if you go early or make a booking. Order a taxi or have a designated driver in your group if you are going wine tasting.

Where we stayed:

We stayed in self catering accommodation close by, so we could visit quite a few farms in the area. Accommodation located on the R310 road, in the centre of the Winelands area offers stunning views of the Simonsberg Mountains. There are many wine estates to choose from. Do some research before you go and decide what you want to do, as you can easily spend a whole day at just one farm.  We also tasted olives and olive oil at another local farm.