Fireside Cooking in and Around Cape Town

Fireside dining holds an undeniable allure for those seeking a memorable meal. In South Africa, the love for braai (barbeque) runs deep, with many weekends spent gathered around the fire.

Some local restaurants in Cape Town have taken notice of this trend and elevated the fireside dining experience to new heights.

Our team has gathered some of our Top 5 picks for Fireside Cooking Experiences in and around Cape Town that are sure to create wonderful memories for friends, families and special guests.

1. VUUR Restaurant

2. Middelvlei Boerebraai

3. Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery

4. Muisbosskerm

5. Feugos Restaurant

VUUR is an exclusive use fire cooking experience situated in the Cape Winelands on Remhoogte Wine Estate. They converted an old stable into a small intimate show cooking restaurant situated in a wildlife camp on the wine estate. They only do one lunch table per day, serving a maximum of 10 people inside their stable or 12 people offering a 7-course meal paired with the amazing wines of Remhoogte Wine Estate.

The Menu options

• Standard Menu option consists of 2 snacks, 2 starters, 2 main dishes and a dessert each paired with a glass of wine.
• Heritage Menu option with the inclusion of some improved menu options and a vintage wine flight from Remhoogte Estate.

Cost:

• Standard Menu: R1850 per person
• Heritage Menu: R2 900 per person

Both options include food, wine and gratuity.

Trading Hours: 

• Tuesday – Saturday: Lunch only from 1pm

Where to find them:
Remhoogte Wine Estate
Stellenbosch, South Africa

Email: mytable@vuurrestaurant.com
WhatsApp contact number: +27 83 600 4050

Join in the Boerebraai fun at Middelvlei where our resident braai expert will prepare your chops, boerewors and chicken sosaties to perfection. As if the appetising aromas of potbrood and braaibroodjies are not enough, Ben’s homemade pâté and Ouma Annie’s pumpkin fritters have placed the Middelvlei Braai in a league of its own.

The Menu Options

1. Middelvlei Boerebraai

Starter:

• Potbrood with smoked snoek pâté and homemade preserve.

Main Course:     

• Lamb Chop
• Boerewors
• Honey and mustard chicken sosatie
• Braaibroodjie
• Pampoenkoekies
• Potato salad
• Green salad

2. Middelvlei Vegetarian Boerebraai:

Starter:   

• Potbrood with olive tapenade and homemade preserve

Main course:  

• Braaibroodjie
• Marinated mushroom and sweet pepper kebab
• Grilled feta with roasted tomato and basil pesto
• Pampoenkoekies
• Green salad

Booking in essential 

Costs: R275 per person

Trading Hours:

• Open for Lunch: Wednesdays to Sundays 12:00 – 15:00
• Open for Dinner: Doors open in the evening for pre-booked groups of 30 or more

Where to find Middelvlei Wine Estate:
Flamingo Street, Stellenbosch, 7600
Contact Number: +27 21 883 2565
Email Address: info@middelvlei.co.za

Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery offers dishes that embrace and showcase the quality of ethically and locally sourced ingredients. A passion for cooking with fire and smoke takes centre stage with a delicious range of pasture-reared meats (many of which are supplied by Spier’s Farmer Angus). The meat is smoked low and slow – at a low temperature for a long period of time – and this method allows lesser-known cuts of meat like beef brisket, pork neck and lamb shoulder to be used. There are delicious organic vegetarian options too.

Argentinian Open Fire Restaurant from Fuegos in the iconic Knorhoek Wine Farm Valley. Experience their 5 courses of Fuegos Stellenbosch meats prepared in the authentic Argentinian way. Knorhoek Wine Farm offers a massive open area where children can play and where families can relax. They are open for lunch and dinners over weekends only and Paired with Knorhoek Wines.

The Menu Options:

1. Meat Menu

• Starter:
  • Mini Ciabatta Trio (Beetroot, Spinach, and olive) served with aubergine pickle w/flavoured butter, salt & peppercorns.
• Mains:
  • Their own Argentinian Chorizo (Grass Fed Beef and Free-Range Pork)
  • Thin Skirt cooked medium-rare served on a flatbread with butter Provenzal on top
  • Medium-rare Rump sliced with chimichurri sauce on top and Fleur de sel.
  • Pork Ribs w/belly slowed cooked for 5hs served with Salsa Criolla.
  • Free Range Organic Lamb cooked very slow for 6hs topped with Fleur de sel.
• Salads:
  • Green salad (Mixed Lettuce, cherry tomato, carrots ribbons, cucumber ribbons, ciabatta croutons, red onions sliced, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds & red Cabbage) in an edible bowl.
• Sides:
  • Chips: 7mm thin chips with Provenzal (Fresh Garlic & Fresh Parsley oil mixture).

2. Veg Menu

• Starter:
  • Mini Ciabatta Trio (Beetroot, Spinach and olive) served with aubergine pickle w/flavoured butter, salt & peppercorns.
• Mains:
  • Vegetarian Brochette w/brown mushrooms, sweet corn, red peppers, baby marrow & red onions brushed with an oil mixture of olive oil & soya sauce cooked on the fire.
  • Big Brown Mushrooms filled with cottage cheese, topped with Danish feta, fresh thyme, olive oil, fresh lemon, salt & pepper on the fire.
  • Butternut Tower: Fire-seared butternut slice, fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil, topped with another layer of butternut slice, then fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil and a dash of Balsamic reduction on top. Also cooked on the fire.
  • Pumpkin: 4hs slowed cooked 6kg pumpkin on the fire, then we add Danish feta chunks, mint vinaigrette, and nuts chunks on top with a toasted ciabatta sliced on the side served on a bamboo boat.
  • Half Grilled Aubergine brushed w/olive oil – soya sauce mixture, topped w/Greek yoghurt with a dash of Smoky sauce, fresh course mint and showered with Pistachios kernels on top.
• Salads:
  • Green salad (Mixed Lettuce, cherry tomato, carrots ribbons, cucumber ribbons, ciabatta croutons, red onions sliced, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds & red Cabbage) in an edible bowl.
• Sides:
  • Chips: 7mm thin chips with Provenzal (Fresh Garlic & Fresh Parsley oil mixture).

3. Mixed Menu

• Starter:
  • Mini Ciabatta Trio (Beetroot, Spinach and olive) served with aubergine pickle w/flavoured butter, salt & peppercorns.
• Mains:
  • Pumpkin: 4hs slowed cooked 6kg pumpkin on the fire, then we add Danish feta chunks, mint vinaigrette, and nuts chunks on top with a toasted ciabatta sliced on the side served on a bamboo boat.
  • Half Grilled Aubergine brushed w/olive oil – soya sauce mixture, topped w/Greek yoghurt with a dash of Smoky sauce, fresh course mint and showered with Pistachios kernels on top.
  • Free Range Organic Lamb cooked very slow for 6hs topped with Fleur de sel.
  • Pork Ribs w/belly slowed cooked for 5hs served with Salsa Criolla.
  • Medium-rare Rump sliced with chimichurri sauce on top and Fleur de sel.
• Salads:
  • Green salad (Mixed Lettuce, cherry tomato, carrots ribbons, cucumber ribbons, ciabatta croutons, red onions sliced, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds & red Cabbage) in an edible bowl.
• Sides:
  • Chips: 7mm thin chips with Provenzal (Fresh Garlic & Fresh Parsley oil mixture).

1. Kids Meat Menu

• Half Argentinian Chorizo Sausage.
• Mini beef sandwich on a ciabatta roll with lettuce and tomato.
• Plain Chips small.2. Kids Veg Menu:

• Pumpkin: 4hs slowed cooked 6kg pumpkin on the fire, then we add Danish feta chunks, with a toasted ciabatta sliced on the side served on a bamboo boat.
• Half Butternut Tower: Fire-seared butternut slice, fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil, topped with another layer of butternut slice, then fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil and a dash of Balsamic reduction on top. Also cooked on the fire.
• Plain Chips small.

Costs:

• Meat or Veg or Mixed Menu: R450 per person
• Kids Meat or Veg Menu: R200 per person

Trading Hours:

• Monday to Friday closed
• Open: Saturday and Sunday 11.30am to 9pm

Where to find Feugos:
Knorhoek Road, R44 Stellenbosch
Contact Number: 0790622101
Email Address: fuegos@knorhoek.co.za

Marble Restaurant, Cape Town helmed by Chef David Higgs and restaurateur Gary Kyriacou will open at a V&A Waterfront location in late 2023. The rooftop space, framed almost entirely by glass, will allow guests to not only savour one of the best dining experiences in the country, but also take in a nearly-unbroken view of iconic Cape Town scenery – Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront harbour, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 800 square metre space will seat approximately 220 people, and feature a wine cellar, wrap-around patio and sundowner-ready bar.