In the Winter months, there is nothing better than a great meal and a glass of wine by the fire. Luckily plenty of restaurants have picked up on this trend and created cosy winter hideaways, with excellent winter specials to enjoy by the fireside for a full belly and body warming experience.
Here are five of the best restaurants that seem to just understand the winter ambiance that we need on these cold, cold nights:
1. Col’Cacchios (Stellenbosch)
Widely renowned, Col’Cacchio has a range of restaurants around the country as it specializes in Italian food with their thin-based pizza and wide variety of pastas and salads. What sets Col’Cacchios apart from their competitors is that are determined to make your dining experience as healthy as possible with nutritious and fresh food, options for yeast-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, wheat- and gluten-free pizza bases, and wheat- and gluten-free pasta. There are also no added preservatives or added MSG in their dishes. The Stellenbosch branch has excellent ambiance, with a warm fireplace, and you can choose one of their specials with their range of wines which includes the Barista Pinotage.
If it is French and Belgian cuisine that you are craving for, try La Madeleine in Pretoria. It blends together elegance with nostalgic and a pinch of modernism. It is all about simplicity and the relationship between the chef and the patrons, that there isn’t even a printed menu, as Chef Leusch visits each table individually to say the specials of each day. The menu usually varies according to season but one can expect the likes of Cognac-infused crab bisque, scallops on a bed of butternut puree with crushed hazelnuts, lamb brains and sweet bread in winter or ravioli. Enjoy all of this in their cosy restaurant by the fire, with a glass of choice Pinotage.
3. The Lodge at Prince’s Grant (KwaDukuza)
The Lodge at Prince’s Grant is a world-class restaurant at the popular coastal golf course estate on the Dolphin Coast. They offer delicious local cuisine, seafood, curries on their expansive menu. The restaurant is also perfect to enjoy a meal and bask in the warm atmosphere, centred around their fireplace and cosy interior.
4. Kloof Street House (Cape Town)
Visiting Kloof Street House is like an experience, the vibrant restaurant is an old Victorian house, with a collection of interesting rooms and spaces. They boast three fireplaces, a varied dinner menu for a romantic dinner and the venue is also open to live jazz over Sunday lunch. Their excellent specials to warm you up this Winter include Bouillabaisse, Osso Bucco, and pan-fried Patagonian calamari; plus a two course set-menu winter special currently taking place.
A post shared by Kloof Street House (@kloofstreethouse) on
5. Ghazal Restaurant (Johannesburg)
If it is authentic Indian food that you are looking for, Ghazal has been serving up dishes since 2008. They have a wide variety of curries, as well as a delicious puffed garlic naan that you have to try. They have a comprehensive wine list that includes the Barista Pinotage, which is the perfect wine to pair with your scrumptious curry that you can enjoy in front of the fire at the beautiful restaurant.
Wherever you decide to dine these Winter months, make sure you have a glass of quality Pinotage to warm you up. Barista Pinotage is a unique distinctive wine that is coffee-flavoured and produced with enough care to make it a taste you will remember and be one that you would ask for more of. Have a taste today!