The Village Tart is Franschhoek’s newest restaurant, having opened two months ago on the main road, where the Pancake place used to be.  It is a friendly restaurant, offering the best baking in Franschhoek, but serves lunches and breakfasts too. 

I have been to The Village Tart three times, it having become my favorite coffee stop on my short visits to the village. Owner Lisa Adams has been in her eatery each time, and is friendly and welcoming. Lisa previously owned a shop close by, but sold it to pursue her dream of baking, having baked the cakes for her husband Tim’s coffee shop Essence higher up on the main road. She enrolled at Silwood, and became a private baker thereafter, baking for orders from her garage initially. When the pancake shop space became available, she grabbed it to create The Village Tart.  Chef Lisa assured me that the cakes offered at Essence are different to the ones offered at her eatery.

A further bonus for me is that one of the waiters was at the Salmon Bar before it closed down, and he knows exactly how to make my dry cappuccino.

The interior has been redone, with a modern geometric Cole & Son wallpaper, in shades of pink and other pastel colours. Pink is the dominant decor colour. Each table has a Victorian teacup with pink roses in them, a lovely touch. There is ample seating outside on good weather days.

Cakes offered are Pear Tarte Tatin, Lemon Chiffon, Carrot cake, Red Velvet, Chocolate tart, Chocolate cake, with croissants, red velvet cupcakes, and chocolate brownies offered too. Freshly-baked breads are available too.

I ate a potato soup off a specials board on my first visit (R60); and on my second visit a salmon cake placed upon a potato rösti topped with a poached egg (R85), a healthy combination, albeit the rösti being too salty for my taste. Other lunch options are a goat’s cheese and roasted tomato tart (R65), quiche and salad (R65), chicken salad (R85), steak with chips and mushroom sauce (R120), grilled beef sandwich with roasted onions and salad (R 65), hot smoked Franschhoek trout on noodles with tomato pesto (R85), and open chicken and avocado sandwich (R65).

I have not yet had breakfast at The Village Tart but was given a copy of the menu. Eggs Benedict is available in three varieties, with bacon and Hollandaise; or with smoked salmon and Hollandaise; or with mushroom, creamed spinach, and Hollandaise; ranging in price from R85 to R95.  Scrambled egg on croissant costs R55. A number of toasted sandwiches is available for breakfast too, starting at R30. Gluten-free Banting bread is available, at an additional charge of R10.

The Village Tart is licensed, and is proudly-Franschhoek in its wine list. A number of the wines are offered by the glass, ranging in price from R35 – R45 for the white wines and R30 – R38 for the red wines.  No vintages are specified on the wine list.

The Village Tart, 62 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek. Cell 082 453 1046. Facebook.  Monday – Sunday.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog  Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein