I had not been to Stellenbosch since the beginning of Lockdown in March 2020. Last week I spent a day in the town, to walk through its centre, and updating my information of restaurants that have opened and closed in the town since my last visit.
I discovered multiple new coffee shops and informal eateries, and a growing number of wine bars. And the start of a challenge to Chef Bertus Basson’s dominance of the university town as far as fine-dining goes.


It would appear that there were no new restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands during April. Iconic restaurant The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français closed it doors at the end of April, after many years of operation under the guidance of Chef Margot Janse. We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.
After a record year of restaurant openings, the pace of new restaurants opening in Cape Town and in the Winelands has slowed down, with no new restaurant openings in January, to our knowledge.