Jeanette Clark

Food
From breakfast to dinner, enjoy dining under the oak trees in Boschendal’s werf or in the restored waenhuis. All dishes reflect the ethos of the wine estate’s executive chef Christiaan Campbell – ‘working with nature, producing real food’.

Check out the breakfast specials board – if you’re lucky you’ll get to sample the squashed avo with eggs on health toast, with a rocket emulsion and parmesan crumble. Eggs are poached to perfection and generously heaped avo has just the right balance of zest and sweetness. Stroll through the food garden to see the exact provenance of the fresh-picked produce used for your seasonal side order of charred beets with chimichurri or your chilli-pickled garden leaves.

The menu offers options to suit the time of day rather than starters, mains and desserts. Apart from breakfast dishes (some also served at lunch), try line-caught tuna with an anchovy emulsion, garden salad and spicy carrots, or roasted pork neck with charred spring onion emulsion, parsley relish and a radish salad.

Just off to the side of the tables comes the enticing smell from the smokeries, where brisket for the evening’s pizza offer is prepared. Other toppings include an above-average bacon and feta with kimchi gem leaves and an interesting take on chicken and mushroom that incorporates porcini powder cream cheese.

For dessert, the cinnabun ice cream with honeycomb is the best of three options.

Drinks
Early-morning patrons are covered with the usual hot drinks and fresh juices. An adequate list of local brews and cocktails is served along with wines from the estate. Try a glass of the Brut Non-Vintage MCC or splurge on a bottle of Playpen Pinot Noir.

Service
The Deli is first come, first served with no telephonic bookings taken. Staff are knowledgeable and welcoming.

Ambience
Boschendal is child-friendly, with ambient noise also coming from cyclists crunching across the gravel and laughter from groups enjoying a day outside.

Best for…
A quintessential weekend brunch.

(August 2019)

Eat Out critics dine unannounced and pay for their meals in full. Read our full editorial policy here.