The sustainability-focused Spier wine farm has taken its commitment to regenerative farming from vineyard to plate with the launch of Veld, a dinner-only restaurant that recently opened alongside the property’s newly renovated hotel. 

The restaurant’s approach extends to everything produced under Spier’s Farmer Angus label – from free-range eggs and grass-fed beef to house-made charcuterie, all raised without antibiotics, hormones or pesticides. 

“At Spier, regenerative farming is part of our DNA. Respect for the soil, our ingredients and the environment is woven into everything we do – it’s the foundation of how we source and cook,” explains Executive Chef Craig Paterson. 

The restaurant’s ingredients begin their journey in an on-site food garden established by resident agroecologist Megan McCarthy in what was once a horse paddock. Here, vegetables, salad leaves and herbs are grown specifically for Veld’s kitchen and Craig’s culinary philosophy reflects this proximity to source. “Our food is uncomplicated and flavour-focused,” he says. “As chefs, we aim to bring out the natural flavour of each ingredient – not overwork it, just enhance what’s already there.”

Starters on the menu include roasted beetroot with feta, spekboom and hazelnuts finished with maple Rozendal Farm vinegar dressing, and smoked snoek fishcakes accompanied by pickled West Coast mussels, fennel and bokkom tartare sauce. 

Main courses showcase springbok loin served with rainbow carrots and citrus jus, while vegetarian options include masala-roasted cauliflower steak. The daily steak cut arrives with triple-fried, hand-cut chips and salad. 

Desserts anchor the menu firmly in local flavours: think rooibos ice cream with honeycomb and Amarula crème brûlée with shortbread. 

The dining room itself features Staghorn ferns and indigenous orchids that cascade from handcrafted Madwa baskets suspended overhead, while contemporary local art adorns the walls. An open fireplace provides warmth during Stellenbosch’s winter evenings, creating a cosy and inviting atmosphere.  

Veld is open for dinner only at Spier hotel in Stellenbosch. Bookings can be made online.