Stellenbosch aims to be known as the Culinary Capital of South Africa.
With the combination of its dramatically beautiful winelands setting, its wealth of restaurants and authentic culinary experiences, and its famous hospitality, it’s already ahead of most other contenders.
What better way to rise to the top than hold a month of culinary celebrations? Stellenbosch now invites visitors to experience its new Restaurant Month during August.
‘Taste Stellenbosch Food & Wine’ will run from August 1-31 and is based on the popular annual Restaurant Week celebration. This year, however, diners, visitors and foodies will have a whole month to discover the culinary delights of the town – while taking advantage of fantastic deals and specials at a wide variety of local eateries.
“We are overjoyed to launch this month-long celebration of food, good times and the generous hospitality that you’ll only find in Stellenbosch,” says Visit Stellenbosch CEO, Jeanneret Momberg. “There’s something to appeal to every visitor, every taste and every budget – from fine dining and bistro chic to casual fare and cosy farm restaurants.”
Momberg encourages visitors from the Western Cape, the rest of South Africa and overseas, to plan a stay-over, and to take advantage of Visit Stellenbosch’s Stay Stellenbucks winter campaign. “Visitors can book and stay for four consecutive nights from August 4-11, and get double Stellenbucks to a maximum value of R2 400. Then use your Stellenbucks to pay for meals, wine and experiences at participating Stay Stellenbucks partners, getting more for less.”
Stellenbosch has earned its Culinary Capital status by consistently outperforming other destinations when it comes to restaurant offerings and awards, and regularly features (in terms of both restaurants and chefs) on the Eat Out Restaurant awards lists (Eat Out returns in 2022 after a two-year hiatus).
Stellenbosch has been enjoying an exciting ‘culinary renaissance’, with many new restaurants and eateries opening in town and in the surrounding winelands. “We are seeing chefs from other areas opening new restaurants in town, and gourmands flocking to Stellenbosch to discover, eat and explore,” said Momberg.
Stellenbosch is unique in that in the town centre, visitors can dine at more than 60 restaurants within easy walking distance of each other. Some offer elegant small plates, others fine dining, bistro fare or casual dining across a wide range of specialities including traditional South African, Japanese, Italian, Lebanese, Indian and French cooking to name a few. There are also excellent steak houses, a slew of new wine bars and eateries serving up healthy and plant-based dishes.
“Taste Stellenbosch offers visitors the chance to experience the wealth of culinary offers in Stellenbosch with plenty of added value this winter,” says Daniel Kriel, owner of De Warenmarkt and Taste Stellenbosch Chairman. “Winter is traditionally the low season for visitors, but restaurant month is a true celebration of our town’s finest culinary experiences, encouraging visitors to linger longer and discover the gems of Stellenbosch as a foodie destination, especially during the winter months.”
Local chef, restaurant owner, entrepreneur and a well-known culinary personality, Bertus Basson, said he was excited about the potential of the Stellenbosch Restaurant Month to position Stellenbosch on the culinary stage.
“Stellenbosch and surrounds have so much to offer as a culinary destination, and Restaurant Month is another opportunity to showcase our epicurean offerings and seasonal specials to visitors from far and wide,” said Basson.
