Roxanne Reid
  • Home
  • Book author
    • Travels in the Kalahari >
      • Photo gallery: Travels in the Kalahari
      • Book reviews: Travels in the Kalahari
    • A Walk in the Park >
      • Photo gallery: A Walk in the Park
      • Book reviews: A Walk in the Park
    • The Essential Guide to Self-Editing >
      • Book reviews: Essential Guide to Self-Editing
    • Betrayed
    • Book reviews online
  • Editing & proofreading
  • In the media
    • Travel features
    • Health features
    • Online media
    • Media kit
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Links
  • Contact

Where to eat in Swellendam restaurants

23/10/2019

4 Comments

 
Where to eat out in Swellendam restaurants
By Roxanne Reid
You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to restaurants in Swellendam in the Overberg, about 200km east of Cape Town. This South African town has more than 35 restaurants where you can get anything from pastries to pizzas, toasted sarmies to bobotie, even a fine dining experience. Here are some ideas about where to eat in Swellendam restaurants.

Field & Fork
Restaurants in Swellendam: Field & Fork Swellendam
Photo: Field & Fork
Field & Fork Swellendam is housed in a historic building adjoining part of the museum. It’s one of the town’s fine dining establishments. Wooden floors and tables create a warm ambience inside and service is both friendly and polished. It’s not cheap, but we were lucky to visit in August when they were running a winter special of a three-course meal for a 40% discount on their normal prices.

My caramelised onion, beetroot and goats cheese in phyllo tart was scrumptious, the other starter of salmon and cream cheese roulade understandably less piquant. My husband ordered a main of fillet of Black Angus beef with beans, cauliflower puree and shiitake mushrooms with a cabernet jus that was cooked medium rare and tender, just the way he likes it. I had duck breast with spiced cabbage, baby spinach and toasted almonds that was also tender and tasty.

For dessert we chose double cream vanilla ice cream with toffee sauce and toasted almonds, and an Amarula crème brûlée with Madagascan vanilla bean, just the right texture. I highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you visit when the winter special is running to make it more affordable.

The Conservatory at Schoone Oordt
Where to eat out in Swellendam - The Conservatory at Schoone Oordt
Photo: Schoone Oordt
The five-star Schoone Oordt Country House, built in 1853 and lovingly restored, has a conservatory restaurant that’s elegant but relaxed rather than stuffily formal. The menu is definitely in the fine dining category with items like risotto, crème of cauliflower soup with cumin, Kudu loin with roasted winter vegetables, and honey panacotta with ginger sorbet and poached pear.

If you’re lucky enough to be staying at the guest house, you’ll find that the kitchen staff continue the gourmet theme at breakfast, with a spread that includes fresh fruit salad, creamy yoghurt, home-made granola, muffins, scones, cheeses – and that's just the first course. Second course might be flapjacks with berry coulis, followed by a delicious tower of mushroom, tomato, bacon and egg – a novel and attractive twist on the same-old, same-old hot breakfast.

Note that the Conservatory is only open for dinner in summer (closed from May to September).

Powell House
Swellendam restaruants - Powell House Sellendam
This restaurant used to be the home of a chap called Powell and if you have an interest in rugby and cricket from the Danie Craven era, you can read a bit about him on the wall in the front room. Three rooms make up Powell House Swellendam and by far the nicest is the sunny one at the back where you can hear the tinkling fountain outside. You can also sit on the outside porch in front.

​We enjoyed our lunch, the sort of tasty home cooking we’d been looking for. My ostrich bobotie with rice and sambals was good, a filling meal. Our other choice was chicken schnitzel, which came with two veg and some mushroom sauce. Although the sauce was good (nothing like the floury mess that masquerades as mushroom sauce in many restaurants), we thought the dish was a bit pricey at R145. (Note that when I checked the prices listed on the website’s online menu in October 2019, they appeared not to have been updated in a while and were lower than what we paid. For instance, the chicken schnitzel was still listed as R110.)

Other menu options for lunch include gourmet burgers, toasted sarmies and salads. The dinner menu has things like bobotie, steak, curries, fish and prawns, but no burgers.

Ikigai Artisan Coffee Bar & Deli
Ikigai Artisan Coffee Bar & Deli, Swellendam
You know you’ve found somewhere good when you return for more of the same the next day. The Ikigai Artisan Coffee Bar & Deli has a nice clean look and vibe, with tables outside and inside, as well as sofas where you can enjoy your cuppa. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means ‘a reason for being’ or the things that make your life worthwhile. And most people would agree that good coffee definitely makes life worthwhile.

Having enjoyed really good flat whites made using Origin coffee beans by a barista passionate about her coffee the day before, we returned for brunch the next day and discovered the food was good too. Choose from croissants with scrambled egg and bacon, quiche, tarts, muffins and open sarmies. My Greek lamb on wholewheat sandwich was delicious, tender lamb topped with tsatziki. My husband enjoyed his chicken and avo on ciabatta. Between us we polished off multiple cups of flat white, they were that good.

​Hot tip: there's also an Ikigai in Riversdale.
The Old Gaol on Church Square 
Restaurants - The Old Gaol restaurant, Swellendam
The day we lunched at the Old Gaol on Church Square was cold and everyone else had scuttled inside where a fire was burning. We sat outside on the wooden deck under the trees to enjoy the view of the Dutch Reformed church opposite and the Langeberg mountains in the distance. [Update October 2020: the Old Gaol has moved to 241 Voortrek Street and another restaurant has taken its place on Church Square.]

Service got off to a slow start, but when our food arrived it was good. I’d been disappointed that the signature bobotie wasn’t on the menu that day, but hubby’s chicken wrap and lemon meringue pie were tasty, as was my spicy butternut soup which came with freshly made roosterkoek. These traditional breads are baked daily in a wood-burning oven behind the restaurant and it may be the first time I’ve had such a perfect one, light and airy. Kudos to the roosterkoek baker.

Regulars on the menu include Cape curry, lamb shank, oxtail and traditional melktert. The Old Gaol is one of few restaurants in Swellendam open for lunch on Sundays and makes a perfect place to take the family because there’s a play area out back and a special kiddies menu.
Tredici 
Where to eat in Swellendam: Tredici
You can see Tredici from the N2 between Cape Town and Knysna on the Garden Route; it’s worth making a stop, either for a meal or some high-class padkos. The architecture would seem more at home in Florence than Swellendam, but it’s a welcome addition to the foodie scene here nonetheless. It’s a deli, patisserie, bakery and restaurant rolled into one, and it’s full of savoury and sweet treats.

​We enjoyed a sophisticated breakfast of mushrooms on wholewheat ciabatta with oven-roasted baby tomatoes and rocket, and bacon and scrambled egg on ciabatta. For a light lunch, there are salads and sandwiches with ingredients like Gruyere, caramelised onions and ricotta – yum.

For more about this place, see Tredici in Swellendam: a taste of Europe.
La Belle Alliance 
La Belle Alliance, Swellendam
Picturesquely situated on the banks of the Koornlands River, La Belle Alliance family restaurant is very popular for outdoor eating on the patio and deck – especially for Sunday lunch when few other eateries in Swellendam are open. The setting is perfect: a canopy of stinkwood trees for dappled shade and a view overlooking the river if you’re lucky enough to get one of the tables on the deck extension.

The building that houses the restaurant used to be a Masonic Lodge and you can still see the Masonic symbol on the gable.

The menu is a mix of traditional dishes like bobotie and lasagne with lighter options like sandwiches, as well as hearty breakfasts. I enjoyed a toasted chicken sarmie, while hubby had a burger and a yummy lemon meringue pie. Service was prompt and friendly, but we didn’t feel rushed. We’d have liked to linger longer, but there were still so many things to do in Swellendam!
Picture
Other Swellendam restaurants we didn’t get to experience for ourselves but locals recommended include: La Sosta (historic Cape Dutch building housing a fine dining Italian restaurant that closes in winter), fine dining establishments Drosdty Restaurant, the restaurant at the Rotterdam Boutique Hotel and Koornlands, and the perennially popular Woodpecker Pizzadeli (for affordable, family-friendly pizzas, pasta and burgers).

We’ll be back soon to try some of these.
Want to know where to eat in Swellendam in the Overberg, South Africa – gateway to the Garden Route? Here are some of the Swellendam restaurants, from fine dining to coffee shops. They include the Old Gaol restaurant, Field & Fork Swellendam, Tredici, Ikigai, Powell House Swellendam, La Belle Alliance Swellendam and The Conservatory at Schoone Oordt Country House. #restaurants
Want to know where to eat in Swellendam in the Overberg, South Africa – gateway to the Garden Route? Here are some of the Swellendam restaurants, from fine dining to coffee shops. They include the Old Gaol restaurant, Field & Fork Swellendam, Tredici, Ikigai, Powell House Swellendam, La Belle Alliance Swellendam and The Conservatory at Schoone Oordt Country House. #restaurants
You may also enjoy
Paternoster restaurants worth visiting
​20 things to do in Swellendam in the Overberg
​
Why to visit Totties Farm Kitchen near Knysna

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
4 Comments
Allan Macphail
12/12/2019 01:29:15 pm

Hi Roxanne
I enjoy your posts. They’re very helpful to a newby Tour Guide. Can let me know why restaurants don’t make South African deserts? It’s always Malva Pudding but there’s so much more!🤔

Reply
Roxanne
16/12/2019 07:05:10 am

I really couldn't tell you about the desserts, Allan. I suppose it's mostly about what's popular and sells? Coffee shops often have milktart too, and there's a place in Askham in the Kalahari that sells the most wonderful koeksisters.

Reply
Annelie
5/11/2020 11:42:27 am

Hi Roxanne, please add Drostdy Restaurant to your list. It is rated #14 out of +4 900 restaurants in the Western Cape province on TripAdvisor. #2 in Swellendam. Friendly regards, Annelie Godin

Reply
Roxanne
5/11/2020 12:04:56 pm

Hi Annelie, while I appreciate your enthusiasm for your restaurant, I only include places I have experienced for myself. Unluckily, despite twice trying to experience the Drostdy, I've not yet managed to hit it on a day when it has been open (pre-Covid, obviously). Maybe one day :-)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Get email links to the latest posts

    Buy my books
    The Essential Guide to Self-Editing, amazon.com e-book
    E-book 2017
    A Walk in the Park, amazon.com e-book
    2nd ed e-book 2015
    Travels in the Kalahari, amazon.com e-book
    E-book 2012​

    About 

    I'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel.
    My travel buddy and husband Keith is the primary photographer for this blog.
    We're happiest in the middle of nowhere, meeting the locals, trying something new, or simply watching the grass grow.
    Use this website to discover new places to go, revisit places you've loved, or take a virtual tour of destinations you only dream about.

    Categories

    All
    Baviaanskloof
    Books
    Botswana
    Camping
    Cape Town
    Chobe
    Conservation
    Drc
    Eastern Cape
    Etosha Namibia
    Food
    Free State
    Garden Route
    Gauteng
    Issues
    Kalahari
    Karoo
    Kenya
    Kruger National Park
    Kwazulu Natal
    Lesotho
    Limpopo
    Linyanti
    Malawi
    Mozambique
    Mpumalanga
    Namaqualand
    Namibia
    Nature Parks
    Northern Cape
    Okavango
    Overberg
    People
    Photography
    Richtersveld
    Tanzania
    West Coast
    Western Cape
    Wild Creatures
    Zambia
    Zimbabwe

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    January 2010
    November 2009


Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without written permission from roxannereid.co.za

Privacy Policy and GDPR compliance
​* We promise that we take data safety seriously and use your private data only to offer a personalised experience
* If you subscribed to our newsletter, you will receive our newsletters. You can always unsubscribe by following the link in email or by emailing us
* If you gave us your name, it will only be used to personalise the newsletters
* We have never sold, we are not selling, and we will not sell any of your personal data provided to us
* The blog uses cookies to track activity. It is anonymous except for telling us your location and what you did on our blog
​
Photo used under Creative Commons from berniedup