Franschhoek is a small and cosy town near Cape Town, South Africa, known for its vineyards. However, in between all the wine tasting you should eat something too, so here are some of the best restaurants in Franschhoek for every budget.
Beer and food at Tuk Tuk Microbrewery
After a day of wine tasting with the Franschhoek Wine Tram, we felt like a beer. Hey, we’re Belgians! Luckily there was still one free table at Tuk Tuk Microbrewery.
Tuk Tuk Microbrewery is an energetic pub that serves good beers and solid food. This small craft brewery, situated on the bustling main street in Franschhoek, can definitely be called a hotspot. The place has an industrial (copper pipes, exposed brick walls) yet warm feel. You can watch the beer being brewed in the copper equipment or check out the sports broadcasts on TV.
Brecht ordered the CBC tasting menu and liked the CBC IPA best. I, however, preferred their dark lager called Tuk Tuk Dunkel. We shared a plate of cheese nachos, which were delicious. That convinced us to stay for dinner as well, so we ordered a cheeseburger and some croquetas with a heavenly sauce on the side. Including the food, a couple of beers each, and the tip, we spent R530 (~ $44 ~ €36) at Tuk Tuk Microbrewery.
Whether you’re hungry or thirsty (or both), Tuk Tuk Microbrewery is the place to be! Check out their website for more information, including opening hours.
Bistro-style dinner at The French Connection
The other guests at 3 on Roux B&B recommended us to check out The French Connection, a charming bistro-style restaurant. We didn’t end up going there, but apparently it’s a pretty popular restaurant in Franschhoek, rated 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor.
As the name suggests, they serve a bunch of French dishes and some all-time favourites like fresh fish and steak. The price of the mains at dinner range from R140 (~ $12 ~ €9) to R220 (~ $18 ~ €15), with a different menu for lunch. Check out their website for more information.
Bold combinations at Le Bon Vivant
When asking our lovely host at 3 on Roux B&B for fine dining recommendations, she suggested Le Bon Vivant. This modern restaurant is run by a Dutch chef who loves to be creative with flavours, combinations and presentation.
The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner. Choose your favourite dish from the a la carte menu or let the chef surprise you with a carefully designed five course surprise dinner. Prices for a main are around R230 (~ $19 ~ €15), with the surprise dinner costing R530 (~ $44 ~ €36) without wine and R675 (~ $56 ~ €45) with paired wines.
Too bad Le Bon Vivant was closed when we were in Franschhoek, because we would have loved to try his “Bitterballen“, a very popular Dutch appetizer. Check out their website for more information.
Fine dining at Ryan’s Kitchen
Update: Ryan’s Kitchen is closed for now. Not for good though, they’re opening a new venture soon.
At Ryan's Kitchen you’ll find contemporary South African food. The menu is based on local ingredients and changes every 2 weeks. There’s a 2 course minimum when dining here, but you can pop by for lunch as well.
When you have trouble choosing, go with the Chef’s Selection, a 4 course menu selected by chef Ryan. If you wish, you can opt for paired wines with every dish, which we can definitely recommend. To give you an idea: mains cost around R230 (~ $19 ~ €15), and the Chef’s Selection with wine is R740 (~ $61 ~ €50).
We really enjoyed the Chef’s Selection, as we each got different starters and desserts with different matching wines. We tasted each other’s dishes and ended up trying quite a range of options on the menu.
The atmosphere is modern and homey, with an open kitchen. The staff was very friendly. It can get pretty busy at Ryan’s Kitchen, so make a reservation beforehand. Check out their website for contact information and opening hours.
There is a wide range of restaurants in Franschhoek, pretty remarkable for such a small town. From pub food to fine dining on a wine estate, there’s something delicious for every budget. It’s the Culinary Capital of South Africa for a reason. We certainly enjoyed our time (read: wine and dine) there! Have you visited yet? Tried the bitterballen at Le Bon Vivant by any chance or maybe had dinner at an exquisite restaurant not in this post? We’d love to read about your experience in the comments! You know, for when we visit Franschhoek again.
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