Spring Eats: Where you should travel to for the best spring meals

Cape Town – Spring eating is all about tasting the environment you're in. If you're in the West Coast in spring, for example, you should be able to taste the blooming wildflowers in the dishes you're eating. 

There is no better way to immerse yourself in a destination than through eating. This way, you don't only get to see and taste the place you're at – it literally becomes part of you. 

In the spirit of spring and becoming one with the destination you're at, here are Traveller24's Top picks worth a day trip this spring season. 

1. Waterkloof Restaurant – outside Somerset West

Locally sourced ingredients paired with wines made use the ultimate sustainable practices ensures for a culinary climax at the iconic Waterkloof restaurant. The restaurant sits in a glass box in a rock face overlooking the entire False Bay, which makes the impeccable dishes by French chef Gregory Czarnecki taste even more otherworldly than it already is. 6-course degustation menu (Wednesday – Saturday) R600

2. The Living Room and The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français – Franschhoek

Using South African ingredients such as mebos, sour figs, buchu and nettles, Executive Chef, Margot Janse, creates small plates featuring dishes such as 'Prawn Popcorn' and 'Grazing Boards', the perfect spring nibbles. Janse has contributed greatly to the 'new' taste of South African fine dining and cuisine, putting our fusion food on a globally competitive scale. The unique eight course, contemporary African inspired surprise Tasting Menu is a must. 8-course tasting menu (Tuesday – Saturday) R850

3. Roots at Forum Homini– Muldersdrift

Like the name suggests, this restaurant inspects the ground roots of SA food and bubbles it up to its purest form. Most of the produce used in Roots is locally sourced from direct surrounds, ensuring superlative standards of freshness and quality. The food is fresh, but always South African inspired. This insures a familiar yet refreshing experience which is perfect for spring. 5-course breakfast (Monday – Friday) R1454-course lunch (Monday –Friday) R2256-course lunch (Sundays and public holidays) R4206-course dinner (Monday – Thursday) R3206-course dinner (Friday and Saturday) R420 

4. Mosaic at Orient - outside Pretoria

Award-winning chef Chantel Dartnall – voted SA's Chef of the Year – has enhanced South Africa's status as a gourmet destination on the international culinary map, thanks to her meticulous approach to modern fine dining and her incorporation of seasonal, local produce in her world-class dishes. Dartnall is known for her delicate dishes - both in visual and taste form. She loves incorporating colourful edible flowers into her dishes, making this one of our top picks for spring. Open for lunch Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. 

R625 for Petite Degustation Menu R735 for Discovery Degustation Menu R1185 for Grande Degustation Menu

5. Granita @ Kievits Kroon - outside Pretoria

The gourmet dinner menu at this highly popular Gauteng wine farm is a six course tasting menu which changes seasonally to include the freshest local produce available. Each course has been paired with a select wine from our award-winning wine list. The splendid setting of this farmstyle restaurant makes the food taste even better. 

Set menu with wine pairing (Monday – Sunday) R327 

6. Hartford House– Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal

The young chef Travis Finch focuses on incorporating the local flavours and produce is his masterpieces. The KZN inspired snacks are a fine dining version local's favourites, like the braaied amadumbi bread served with homemade butter. The Natal taste profile is continued throughout the meals with dishes of Wayfarer trout served with bowls of Drakensberg "mist", or locally grown spring pig and cheeses produced from the Midland's Nguni cows. 

2-course lunch (Monday – Sunday) R1803-course lunch (Monday – Sunday) 250 5-course dinner (Monday – Sunday) R500

 

7. The Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort - in the Groot Constantia Wine Valley

This fresh fine dining institution values an exploration of local ingredients, flavours and African food fables, Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort presents an unforgettable dining experience. The state of the art dining room and the cutting-edge kitchen sets the scene, where produce of the Constantia Valley and the region are presented as culinary creations in an intimate taste space. It's a place where the spirit of the environment can truly be tasted in every bite. 5-course tasting menu (Tuesday – Saturday) R5907-course African Origins set menu (Tuesday – Saturday) R820 

8. Oep ve Koep - along the West Coast in Paternoster

Chef Kobus van der Merwe goes further than only harvesting the local flavours of the environment, he also uses produce from the local people of the West Coast – like auntie Sophie from Dwarskersbos' most incredible preserved green fig. Van der Merwe's food is the perfect balance between comfort and haute cuisine, with a sincere West Coast flair. The menu changes every day, which means the spring menu will be as fresh as the season itself (as Van der Merwe forests and sources 90% of the ingredient himself, from the area).  NOTE opening times:Breakfast: Thursday to Sunday 09:00 to 10:45 (Wednesday to Saturday) and 09:00 to 10:30 (Sundays)Lunch: Wednesday to Sunday. Bookings to be made 24 hours in advance. 12:30 to 14:30 (Wednesday to Saturday) and 12:00 (Sundays)Dinner: Friday and Saturday (for groups of 8 or more) 18:00 till close (booking is essential)

5-course tasting menu R2957-course tasting menu R350

READ: Luxury road tripping up the West Coast

9. Bab el - Klapmuts, between Paarl and Stellenbosch

With the motto, "At Babylonstoren, we prepare your meal long before you arrive," you know you're getting the freshest taste of everything grown in their massive on-site garden on the day it was harvested. Meals are creative though always clear in structure.  The fruits and vegetables they harvest from the garden, for example, are often served with their skins on. 

Average meal cost (Wednesday to Sunday) R250 

READ: 5 Reasons to visit Babylonstoren

Name your favourite spring restaurant in SA. Email info@traveller24.com. You can also join us on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts.

Source: Spring Eats: Where you should travel to for the best spring meals