The Touchwork team is pretty small at the moment and COVID of course means that we don’t get to see one another very often at this point in time, so when we do get the opportunity to meet up we invariably end up going out for lunch. Case in point, this round of the most excellent steak and chips from the venerable Jonkershuis restaurant situated on the historic Groot Constantia wine estate.

The grand old estate of Groot Constantia is of course South Africa’s oldest producing wine farm, having been crafting wines since 1685. First established by Simon van der Stel, the then VOC Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, Groot Constantia has endured through the ages and is now a major Cape Town tourist attraction (a member of Cape Town’s Big 6 to be exact), with the grounds being home to the Cape Dutch Manor House, the famed Cloete Cellar, two restaurants, a wine tasting center, wine and cultural history museums, and walking tours of the vineyards and modern-day production cellar.

The Jonkershuis restaurant in particular is nestled in the historic core of the estate, situated right next to the picturesque Manor House. Surrounded by ancient oak trees, the restaurant enjoys sweeping views across the oldest wine producing vineyards in South Africa, down the valley to the enveloping coastline of False Bay. The interior is sparsely and respectively decorated, staying true to the historic nature of the site, while the food itself is a clever mix of grand and homely, with a special eye on reflecting the rich Cape Malay heritage of the city.

As you might imagine then, the food was particularly good, the wine particularly excellent, and the company and conversation pretty top notch. Oh, and we were even blessed with a spectacular double rainbow for a bit.

(Plus, as an added bonus, this was the perfect opportunity to take possession of my newly ordered work laptop, a delightfully powerful Lenovo Legion 5 which now means that at long last my decade old Fujitsu Lifebook can finally get some rest).

Related Link: Jonkershuis Restaurant | Groot Constantia | Cape Town