As though art, architecture, Italian design and horses aren’t quite enough, Equus Dine at Cavalli in the Winelands is also the greenest restaurant in the country.

The restaurant

The bar at Equus. Photograph courtesy of the restaurant.

Developed in conjunction with the Green Building Council of South Africa, Equus Dine at Cavalli is the first restaurant to apply for certification under the Green Star SA rating system. The restaurant embodies the nature-first qualities of the Cavalli wine and equestrian estate with all of the elegance and stature of its beloved horses. The estate is situated outside Stellenbosch and features an art gallery, tasting room, banqueting facilities and boutique too. It was always a dream of the owners, the Smith family, to have a restaurant.

The food

The restaurant’s facade. Photograph courtesy of the restaurant.

Chef Henrico Grobbelaar serves bistro-style lunches and fine dining dinners. Standout dishes include the poached linefish, venison loin, ponzu salmon skewer, rocky road malva pudding and marshmallow ice cream.

The style

The terrace at Equus. Photograph courtesy of the restaurant.

Designed and developed by Lauren Smith in collaboration with Bouwer Architects, the contemporary stone, steel and glass architecture is based on sustainable principles. The idea was to bring the indigenous Cape floral kingdom landscaping inside, most obviously through the green wall at the entrance. Timber, copper and tan leather make for a warm, soft interior filled with an expertly harmonised collection of high-end Italian brand name design elements, custom-made local furniture and original commissioned artworks by the likes of Egon Tania, Lyndi Sales and Australian Archibald award recipient Michael Zavros.

Does Equus Dine at Cavalli in Stellenbosch have what it takes to win the 2014 Boschendal Style Award? The winner will be announced at the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards on Sunday 16 November. (Buy your tickets now.) See the other nominees for the Boschendal Style Award here.