Spring in the Winelands brings a shift in pace – the vineyards begin to green, the days stretch a little longer and the landscape starts to emerge from its winter lull. There are still cooler days, though, when a fireplace, good food and good wine remain a particularly good way to spend an afternoon.
Die Stoep, set on the historic Vriesenhof estate in Stellenbosch, suits the season well, particularly with a group of friends around the table. Once the manor house of the late Jan ‘Boland’ Coetzee, the space retains a sense of its original character. On cooler days, the fire brings warmth to the dining room, while through the windows the farm is beginning to show the first signs of spring.
Food Built for the Table
Die Stoep’s cooking philosophy stems from heritage simplicity, using seasonal local produce, with wood-fired dishes and open-flame cooking as an anchor of their offering.
With so many tasty-sounding options, we decided to order a few things, put everything in the middle and share.
We started with crispy artichokes, lamb riblets and steak tartare. It’s a good opening trio – something crisp and snackable, something richer from the fire and the clean, savoury hit of the tartare. These are recognisable dishes rather than reinvention, but there are enough local references and touches from the kitchen to give the menu its own identity.
The seared yellowfin tuna continued in that vein, followed by burrata and Tenderstem broccoli. Special attention is paid to the veggie sides and they are dishes in their own right – helping build a complete meal rather than simply filling space beside the protein.
Our larger dish was the fire-roasted yellowtail, in a parsley and fermented chilli sauce, with apricot and pineapple atchar – another local nod. With cooking over flame being central to Die Stoep’s approach, the fish cooked this way felt appropriate and was delicious.
Wine, Close to Home
The estate is best known for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Pinot Noir, Grenache and Bordeaux-style blends rounding out the list, giving you plenty to move through as the food changes.
Save Room for Dessert
For dessert, we had a split decision at the table, so we ultimately ordered two – the goat’s cheese and amaretti cheesecake, finished with fresh raspberry, and the coal-roasted dark chocolate and oranje potjie fondant, served with melktert ice cream.
This dessert specifically is built to share, and while chocolate and orange isn’t a new pairing, the coal-roasting and the potjie pot presentation make it distinctly South African, with the melktert ice cream being a table fave.
Die Stoep at Vriesenhof
The South African references show up naturally through ingredients and cooking methods, and the simple pleasure of putting dishes down for everyone to reach across for.
As spring settles into the Winelands, the stoep itself will increasingly do most of the convincing. And when there’s still a slight chill in the air, there’s the option of heading indoors — fire going, farm views through the glass, plates moving back and forth across the table. It has the easy feel of eating in someone’s home, if that home happened to come with a serious kitchen and a cellar full of Vriesenhof wine.
Take friends, order across the menu, and don’t rush it.
Paradyskloof Rd, Stellenbosch, Western Cape
