Though Durbanville may not bask in the same fame as other Cape Town wine regions, it humbly yet consistently produces some of the country’s finest wines.
Its wine valley, a tableau of stunning estates, is peppered with some of the best restaurants in Durbanville, each presenting an eclectic blend of experiences and flavours, delighting families one meal at a time.
Dining amid vineyards in the Durbanville Winelands always makes for a good weekend plan.
Jéan Restaurant at Klein Roosboom
Just a short drive of 20km from Cape Town situates you in the heart of Durbanville Wine Valley, the home of Klein Roosboom.
This wine estate, bearing 300 years of history, offers a unique wine-tasting experience that’s elevated by its on-site eatery, Jéan. Nestled within tranquil vineyards, Jéan, one of the most well-known restaurants in Durbanville, crafts farm-fresh dishes infused with authentic South African flavours.
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- Location: Tygerberg Valley Rd, Durbanville
- Contact: 0860 572 572
- Restaurant Times: Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm
- Bookings: kleinroosboom.co.za/bookings
- Website: kleinroosboom.co.za
Pizza and picnics at Canto Wines
This small winery is situated in the rolling hills of Durbanville, where wines are produced and quality takes priority over everything else.
With stunning old dry land and low-yielding vines, only the best rows of grapes are harvested to produce the wooded chardonnay, merlot and MCC.
The state-of-the-art tasting room offers a fresh selection of cheeses, preserves and cold meats, and from Wednesday to Sunday, you have the option of indulging in a buffet menu at one of the buffet restaurants in Durbanville.
If you prefer to be outside, on Saturdays and Sundays, you can opt for a picnic by curating your own platter from the estate’s deli.
A minimum purchase of R180 from the deli will secure you one of the 10 available picnic spots on the lawn. This amount excludes wine and beverage purchases and there is a maximum of 4 people per picnic spot.
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- Location: Vissershok Rd, Durbanville
- Contact: 021 492 2821
- Tasting room times: Sunday to Thursday: 11am to 5pm | Friday and Saturday: 10am to 6pm
- Website: cantowines.co.za
Also read: The top 7 must-do things in and around Durbanville
Bon Amis at Bloemendal Estate
Bloemendal Wine Estate is another historic gem in the fertile Durbanville Valley.
The farm was established in 1702 and is one of the largest wine farms in Durbanville, complete with restaurants.
Among its expansive estate is the popular family restaurant, Bon Amis, a casual eatery that creates a special place for friends and relatives to gather.
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- Location: Bloemendal Road, M13 Tygerberg Valley Rd, Cape Town
- Contact: 021 976 2682
- Restaurant times: Tuesday and Wednesday: 9am to 5pm | Thursday to Saturday: 9am to 10pm | Sunday: 8am to 5pm
- Website: bloemendalestate.co.za
The Tangram at Durbanville Hills
Wine has been made in the Durbanville area since the end of the 17th century, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that Durbanville Hills Wines was established.
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- Location: Tygerberg Valley Rd, Cape Farms
- Contact: 021 558 1300
- Times: Breakfast: Monday to Sunday, 08:30am to 11am | Lunch: Monday to Sunday, 12pm to 3pm | Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm to 9pm
- Website: durbanvillehills.co.za
Bossa and LaRomatica at Meerendal Wine Estate
Meerendal Wine Estate, dating back to 1702, when sixty thousand vines were planted, is well established and a perennial favourite among visitors.
Now, more than three hundred years later, the farm continues its proud history with over one hundred and fifty thousand vines on the estate. This estate accommodates two local favourites among the restaurants in Durbanville wine farms: Bossa and LaRomantica.
From nachos, burgers and wood-fired pizzas to crunchy salads, seafood and prime cuts of steak, Bossa invites you to a family dining experience with a lively ambiance, friendly service, and a menu designed to cater to almost every palate and occasion.
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- Location: Vissershok Rd, Durbanville
- Contact: Bossa: +27 21 008 5669, [email protected] | LaRomantica: +27 28 008 5280, [email protected]
- Bossa Times: Monday to Sunday, 7am to 10pm
- LaRomantica Times: Monday to Friday, 11am to 10:30pm | Saturday, 8am to 10:30pm | Sunday, 8am to 5pm
- Website: meerendal.co.za
Hillcrest Wine and Olive Estate’s restaurant
Hillcrest Estate offers visitors a host of activities, delicious olives, award-winning wines and a casual-style restaurant that offers beautiful views of the surrounding vineyards.
The restaurant has a rotating wood-fired pizza oven and a braai pit for grilling. The kitchen is all about providing you with an authentic farm-to-table meal, with the menu’s dishes inspired by Italian-style cooking and Mediterranean flavour but created using the best local ingredients.
After a meal, guests are able to relax and enjoy the many tasting options on offer, guided by a member of staff, before perusing the shops carrying the estate’s exclusive range of olives, olive oils and exquisite estate-grown and produced wines.
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- Location: M13 Tygervalley Centre Service Road, Durbanville
- Contact: 021 975 2346
- Times: Tuesday to Thursday, 9am to 4pm | Friday and Saturday, 9am to 8pm | Sunday, 9am to 4pm
- Website: hillcrestfarm.co.za
De Grendel Wine Estate’s restaurant
De Grendel, meaning ‘latch’ or ‘lock’ in Dutch, is one of Cape Town’s oldest farms, stretching out over almost 330 hectares on the fynbos-covered slopes of Tygerberg Hill.
The unbelievable view of Table Mountain from the farm, 350 metres above sea level, is one of the best in the Cape Winelands. A beacon among sophisticated restaurants in Durbanville.
De Grendel’s restaurant specialises in contemporary Cape Town cuisine: a modern twist on traditional dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create unique dishes that reflect the vibrant culinary scene of the Cape.
Guests can expect a dining experience that is both sophisticated and approachable, with a menu that showcases the best of what the region has to offer. The glass-panelled eatery is ornamented with personal paintings and family photographs, adding to the overall homely ambiance of the space.
- Location: Plattekloof Road, Panorama
- Contact: 021 558 6280 | [email protected]
- Times: Wednesday to Sunday Lunch: 11:30am to 1:30pm | Tuesday to Saturday Dinner: 6pm to 8pm
- Website: degrendel.co.za
The Farm Eatery at Diemersdal
Six generations of Louws have practised the art of winemaking at Diemersdal since the estate passed into their hands in 1885. More than 12 decades later, Diemersdal is a well-known landmark in the lush Durbanville Valley, one of the Cape’s oldest wine regions.
Set in a beautifully restored stable, The Farm Eatery presents a unique dining experience that allows guests to taste and learn about the family’s rich history and winemaking traditions.
Sharing is encouraged with the carefully crafted tapas menu, but the simple yet elegant bistro-style menu is sublime. Chef Martin De Kock uses locally grown and sourced produce to create menu options with expressive combinations that make each dish a story unto itself. The restaurant gets bonus points for its creative kids menu.
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- Location: Plattekloof Road, Panorama
- Contact: [email protected] | +27 (0)21 976 1810 | +27 (0)81 399 6166
- Times: Lunch: Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 3pm | Dinner: Thursday to Saturday, 6pm to 9pm
- Website: thefarmeatery.co.za
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Picture: Durbanville Hills
