Red Leaf Restaurant at Beyerskloof Wine Estate

Home of the famous pinotage burger

It’s been a long week and I’m dying to get out of the city for a bit. The drive to Beyerskloof Wine Estate gets more and more picturesque until we’re literally parking amongst the vines. The view from the restaurant is unbeatable: the deck looks out across the vineyard and over the rolling fields to the hills.

The entrance to Red Leaf Restaurant reveals a whitewashed courtyard with eclectically decorated tree branches hanging from the eves on the stoep as well as tables perfect for a sunny lunch. The signature red leaf can be seen along the walls leading to the restaurant. The attention to detail is mirrored inside with the tasting room on the right and the restaurant on the left.  

The restaurant has a modern, clean look with little touches of homely comfort that keep it inviting and friendly. The concrete walls and white tables are offset by the touches of colour throughout the room. We’re led to a table on the deck but for now it’s covered from the autumnal chill. Stopping for a moment next to the roaring fire I watch as a gust of wind sends autumn-red leaves showering down outside.

With meals like the slow-cooked pork belly with red cabbage and the cep and champagne risotto with prawns both sounding so good I struggle to choose. With a little guidance from the friendly waiter I decide on the mussel marinière, while my partner orders the restaurant’s most sought-after dish – the pinotage burger.

There’s a friendly atmosphere with the woman at the table next to us approving my food choice as she and her daughter were just finishing their mussels. It’s a family-style restaurant, perfect for a cosy lunch by the fire in winter or a sunny one on the wooden deck.

Eet en geniet

My mussels are delicious, cooked in chenin blanc with garlic and herbs and they come with home-baked bread to mop up the sauce. I sneak a bite of the pinotage burger; the onion marmalade and thick chips are wonderful. While we’re eating a group of about six people come in and they all order the pinotage burger and, after tasting it, I can see why.

After our generous meals we’re happily satisfied, but the malva pudding with créme anglaise is too tempting to say no to and we decide to share. It’s everything a malva pudding should be, an island of not too sweet sponge in a sea of light custard. I also enjoy a foamy cappuccino that comes in a mug the size of a small bowl, just the pick-me-up I need after our leisurely lunch.

This restaurant is where wine and food meet. The dishes are complemented by Beyerskloof’s range of wines in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. The wines are reasonable, at cellar door prices so this is a good opportunity to try Beyerskloof’s award winning pinotage (Oh, and try the pinotage burger with it.).

By Lindsay Callaghan

Red Leaf Restaurant is also open on the last Sunday of every month.

Subscribe to our weekly or monthly newsletter, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for more on Cape Town and surrounding areas.