Mont Marie restaurant offers an exceptional wine tasting and culinary experience in a luxurious setting overlooking lush green lawns and the stunning farm dam.
It’s not often that you stumble across a treasure right on your doorstep. It’s a Sunday morning and we took a scenic drive through Stellenbosch, looking for a quiet little café for breakfast.
We took the Blaauwklippen road off the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West and drove past rows of farms. The lush greenery and vineyards is a strong contrast to the rest of the parched Western Cape that is currently suffering from a severe drought. Just past Klein Dasbosch farm, owned by Whitey Basson, you will arrive at Mont Marie’s entrance on the left.
The restaurant’s entrance hall leads to a bar area, a private wine cellar and of course, a terrace overlooking the dam and the backdrop of the Blaauwklippen valley. The terrace stairs lead down to the dam as well as loungers for those who wish to sunbathe, footpaths for nature lovers as well as the farm gardens.
One of the best features of this restaurant is the playground where adults can have their meal with their little ones nearby. The playground is surrounded by a wooden fence, blending in perfectly with the farm feel, leaving children in a safe area. The swings and ducks on the dam is always a winner with children, making this a truly child-friendly restaurant.
We were greeted by friendly and polite waiters who truly seem to love their job. We sat down, ordered americanos and admired the exquisite nature scene in front of us. I must say their coffees is a touch above the rest! The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We ordered Eggs Benedict and a 3-Egg Omelette and told the waiter that we do not eat pork products. With a smile, she suggested that we replace the bacon and ham with salmon. It’s very rare to see waiters with this amount of enthusiasm and level of empowerment.
I expected exorbitant prices due to the location and being a wine farm restaurant, yet the prices are market average. The quality of the gourmet food is outstanding, it was delivered hot, within 20 minutes. The stylish presentation of the dishes are “Instagram ready” and add that extra touch of luxury to the already amazing experience.
After lunch, we took a stroll down to the dam and through the nearby fields. The restaurant is surrounded with vineyards, lush plains of grass and the grey mountains in the distance overlooking the farm dam.
We headed back to the entrance hall and took the stairs down to the wine cellar. We were greeted with wine barrels, proudly displaying the Mont Marie logo. It’s clear that these wines are not commercial and only the best care is taken in production. The cellar also contains a private lounge and wine tasting area.
The whole experience was quite remarkable. The venue is perfect for couples, families, business lunches, friendly gatherings and small weddings.
Mont Marie | Blaauwklippen Road | Stellenbosch | info@montmarie.co.za
http://www.montmarie.co.za