Picnic Lunch at Vergelegen Wine Estate
- R130 per person excluding drinks and tips
- R10 per person to enter the estate
12:00 to 14:00 (November to April)
Address: Lourensford Road, Somerset West
Tel: (021) 847 2125
Web: www.vergelegen.co.za/
Vergelegen is a very beautiful wine estate near Somerset West and in one of its corners intimate picnic lunches are offered in the forest. After arriving at the estate you walk through the beautiful grounds past rose gardens, ancient oaks, libraries and herb gardens to get to the picnic restaurant area.
Here you order some drinks and are then escorted to a fairly private little table in the camphor forest. Your waiter will bring out your drinks and a large picnic basket and then pretty much leave you to your own relaxing devices. The tables feel fairly private among the massive trees which also offer shade on hot days.
The food is tasty although not overly substantial. The starters have a seafood focus and include Franschhoek salmon and peppered mackerel. You also get a fresh baguette to supplement the main course which includes sliced beef, chicken, black forest ham, couscous, and some salads. Finally there is cheese (blue and brie) crackers, marble cheesecake and coffee to round off the meal.
The food is expensive for what you get (no choice, not very much, quite tasty), but the wonderful location makes this a good experience. Make sure that you take advantage of the setting by going for a good post-lunch walk.
- Make sure that you explore the rest of the stunning estate. There is a lot to see so take advantage of it
- The picnics are popular in season and bookings are essential
- If the weather isn't hot take a warm top with because it can get chilly in the forest
- Take the N2 from Cape Town past the Cape Town International Airport
- Take the left ramp at Broadway Boulevard / Stellenbosch exit # 43
- At the robots on top of the ramp turn left towards Somerset West / Helderberg on to the R44
- At the next traffic lights (about 500m) turn right into Somerset West
- At the fourth set of traffic lights (about 1.5km) turn left into Lourensford road
- Proceed for 3.5 km up Lourensford road and turn right into the Vergelegen entrance (well signposted)
- Proceed along this tarred road and over the small bridge spanning the Lourensford river
- The security office is on your left and they will direct you further (get the estate map from them)
Once inside the estate you should go through the first room into a courtyard and then turn left through the herb garden, past the library, through the rose garden. The reception for the picnic area is a little open fronted hut.
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