Franschhoek

1 Aug, 2016

Franschhoek – the list of most loved by locals

Wineries
La Chataigne has an easy-on-the wallet range of elegant wines. An authentic family-run farm with the prettiest hand labelled bottles. 021 876 3220
La Motte hosts a posh wine tasting experience, beautifully done and designed to make you feel quite special. 021 876 8000
Môreson Wine Farm is a favourite … Everybody loves their fun and affordable Miss Molly range of wines and sparkling. 021 876 3055
Rickety Bridge Winery… A charming farm with some delectable chenin blanc, the budget-friendly Foundation Stone range and a pinotage for those out-of-towners who are keen to try this endemic varietal. 021 876 2129
Stony Brook … has a rare and irresistible authenticity. One of the least commercial wine farms that you will visit. Take home a case of “The J” for everyday quality quaffing. 021 876 2182
Glenwood Vineyards is one of the award winning farms that has maintained its charm, boutique-sized appeal and friendliness. Treat yourself to the chardonnay which is draped in gold medals. 021 876 2044
Colmant Cap Classique & Champagne must not be missed by the bubble-lovers. 021 876 4348
My Wyn is the most small-scale and hospitable wine farm you will ever visit. 021 876 2518
The wine tram visits many of the key wineries so is an excellent way to go wine tasting. It can be wild especially on weekends. You will often find real party animals on board including hen and bachelor parties. At least it is always a happy tram! www.winetram.co.za

Breakfast
On a beautiful day, it is worth skipping your guesthouse breakfast to sit on the beautiful veranda at
Café BonBon who are deservedly proud of their signature eggs benedict (make sure to book a table outside if the weather is good) 021 876 2679
Scared Ground is in the busy quad where one books and departs on the Wine Tram. Good coffee and a menu with something for everyone including superb eye candy.

Lunch
Café BonBon for all seasons and occasions. Sit outside, soak up the rays and views on a sunny day or cosy on down in the fire-warmed interiors during the winter. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner or even plan to get married here. 021 876 2679
For a light meal, tapas and beer (but also serving wine), we love TukTuk, the Microbrewery. No bookings, just pop in between 11am and 11pm. Don’t miss the guacamole cheese nacho’s.
An amazing buffet with fabulous views, can be found at Leopards Leap. 021 876 8002
Môreson Bread and Wine .. farmyard perfection on a sunny day. 021 876 3692
Sacred Ground ticks the box for a more informal café-style stop. Sandwiches, homemade hearty soups and salads are on offer alongside the whole baby trout, spring rolls or squid.
Glenwood Vineyard’s restaurant Rendezvous has the most magnificent setting amongst restaurants of magnificent settings. 021 876 2044
The Country Kitchen at Mont Rochelle proposes a tempting menu of “bites”, tapas, light meals and mains so if you share there will be no dish-envy problems. 021 876 2770
Don’t miss the newly redone Boschendal, an historic estate lovingly, creatively and authentically renovated and maintained. De Werf is the formal restaurant which has a suitably elegant sense of occasion in a décor style that could be described as quirky traditional. Also featuring The Farm Shop for light meals, breakfast and deli shopping. Explore the exquisite gardens and mountain bike trails for the energetic. 021 870 4272
Maison serves up inspiration in food, wine and atmosphere. A treat for lunch or dinner or some Shiraz shopping. 021 876 2116

Dinner
Café des Arts serve delicious, hearty, simple food including legendary duck, beef fillet and lamb chops. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 021 876 2952.
Allora has a crowd-pleasing menu with friendly service and consistent quality food. Italian-inspired but a much wider choice than pizza and pasta. The specials are always worth a whirl. 021 876 4375.
Roca Restaurant with it’s dramatic staircase that sweeps you up celebrity-style to a vaulted space with panoramic views filled with the theatre of sky, mountains, vigneron and farmlands. Choose wines from the farm and delectable food from pork belly to seafood curry and Norwegian salmon. Roca is also a great lunch or sundowner option. 021 876 3384 (ask to sit at the window)
The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais features amongst the top50 in the world and in this year’s TopTen in South Africa. It is an expensive but superb experience. 021 876 2151.
Racine is Reuben’s more casual restaurant and his PopUp while the new venue is created. We love the small menu that still features the signature chilli-salted squid and a favourite side-order, the truffle mashed potatoes. Look out for the Winter specials (which include the famous gorgonzola tart). 021 876 2393
Le Bon Vivant is a treat. Beautifully crafted and creative menu options in a stylish setting. 021 876 2717

Foliage celebrates the art and craft of foraging so from forest to wetland to fynbos veld, many of the ingredients on your plate will have wild roots. Indigenous, ingenious and irresistible, this forage is unmissable. Deservedly in this year’s TopTen Best Restaurants in South Africa 021 876 2328

Must-Do’s
Go wine-tasting on horseback at Paradise Stables. An unforgettable four hours with dreamy views and superb horses. 021 876 2161 or 084 586 2160
Join Haut Espoir’s Facebook page so that you are the first to know about their fabulous full moon hikes.
Watch sport (and the locals) at Taki’s or the Station Bar.
Shop for gifts for you and your friends at Masquerade.
La Bri private gourmet picnics are a marvellous way to lounge around on a sunny afternoon. Chic picnic style in bespoke baskets complete with table cloths, checked blankets and delicious treats. Order wine from the La Bri team. High on taste in all senses. 079 7156126
Hire a bike from the friendly crowd at Franschhoek Cycles and go mountain biking 021 876 4956
Do the Franschhoek Parkrun at 8am on Saturdays (starts at Rickety Bridge, finishes with coffee in their restaurant). Very convivial and chatty, the 5km route is postcard perfect (try if you can to look up at the dawn light playing on the mountains) and truly rural (dodge the cow pats).
The Saturday Morning Farmer’s Market is charming and disarming.
The Hoek Coffee Bar claim to be the home of the best flat white and it’s true. This pocket-sized café is for the locals by the locals and an absolute must-visit for their perfection in percolation. Try to get there before the budgie-smuggling cyclists dominate the limited capacity.
Take a hike in the magnificent Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve. If you call Andreas (082 3441096), he will bring the coffee, the routing and a fountain of knowledge on fynbos, birds, geology and local history. Look him up on Facebook at Gantouw Tours.

Top Festivals,most loved by locals
Franschhoek Literary Festival is a cerebral workout that may cause some liver strain too. 19 to 21 May 2017
Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival, The Magic of Bubbles 3 & 4 December 2016. So achingly stylish but who can resist all that cork popping and frothy mousse.
Uncorked This is a fun farm to farm festival where each venue attempts to outdo the others with great specials on wine sales, free tastings, funky food pairings and entertainment. 24 & 25 September 2016
Open Gardens blooming envy for the green and wanna-be green-fingered. 21 to 23 October 2016

Transport 
Winelands Experience
For wine farm visits and airport transfers
021 876 4042

Call 072 735 3035 and in minutes, a TukTuk will scoot on over to transfer you to anywhere (within a ten kilometre radius).
www.tuktukfranschhoek.co.za
info@tuktukfranschhoek.co.za

Hair Salon
I only hear great things about Brigitte and team at Kymric Hall. Most of my friends and their daughters will only go here. They love it and the results. 021 876 2487