This Stellenbosch darling in its new guise is a one-stop shop that harks back to the good old days. Fritz Schoon has added his wildly popular bakery to a collective of artisan producers under one roof and dubbed it ‘Schoon de Companje’, to incorporate the family name. Fittingly so, as Fritz’s sister, Katryn, and his wife, Chanel, head up the boutique butchery (Nice to Meat You) and artisan ice-cream brand (Fanny Chanel) respectively, alongside the award-winning breads and pastries (De Oude Bank Bakkerij), freshly roasted coffee (Het Roosterij), wine cellar (Het Wijnwinkeltjie) and craft beer (De Brasserij).

Food

Breakfast is served from 7.30am until 11.45am, offering exciting options like wild mushrooms on toast with sour cream and sage spread, and croque madame for the hungry, with herb-smoked pork loin, mustardy béchamel, a poached egg and gruyere. But the highlight has to be roasted bone marrow on toast: a DIY affair, the bones are delivered on your (slightly wonky) wooden board with their rich contents ready for spreading. (And slurping, if no-one’s looking/listening.) Served with caramelised onions and blue cheese butter, it packs a flavour punch.

Lunch options may test you: do you go for the hotpress sandwich with smoked bacon, caramelised onion, feta and balsamic glaze; the Nice to Meat You burger pattie with homemade tomato smoor, triple-cooked chips and homemade aioli; or the frikkadel sandwich with basil pesto cream and parmesan crisps? If that isn’t enough to deal with, you can also order portions of their famous bread (baguettes, rustique, sourdough, rye) and top them with Hijke cream cheese or Dalewood Huguenot (on our list of 15 cheeses everyone should try); portions of Neil Jewell charcuterie (coppa, salami marinated in chardonnay or chorizo); and condiments like roasted garlic and sage butter, dukkah, peanut butter and organic basil pesto (all made in-house), Honest raw chocolate spread, or Pronto Mama’s slow-roasted tomatoes.

For dessert, spoil yourself with a stick of bread dough ‘held together’ by dark chocolate or one of the latest crazes, a cronut. Fanny Chanel’s ice-cream has a charming counter inside, so you can order scoops of the flavours of the day to accompany your dessert. At 3pm the main kitchen closes and the pizzas from De Brasserij take over, topped with local produce and finished in the wood-fired oven.

Drinks

Het Roosterij roasts coffee beans (displayed in sacks near the entrance) on site, their heady aroma – and the punctuating hiss of the milk-steamer – filling the air. The thirsty could go for homemade lemonade or ginger beer, or the highly recommended juice of fresh beetroot, mint and pineapple and apple. In cooler weather you might want to try a fancy tea like crème caramel rooibos, Moroccan mint or vanilla, or a hot chocolate with a chilli kick. For something stronger, Devil’s Peak and Darling craft beer are on tap at De Brasserij; else order a glass of wine on the neat list (one of each varietal). After lunch, you can also buy a bottle of your favourite local wine from Het Wijnwinkeltjie, the stained glass-paned cellar upstairs, which is open from 12 noon until 7pm.

Service

Friendly waiting staff keep things moving and the different areas are manned by their resident experts, adding a comfortable familiarity to the place. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxed and warm, so don’t expect lightning-quick service. It’s all about taking your good time – just like the produce made and sold here.

Ambience

Rustic and comfortable, with beautiful golden light streaming into the various rooms, nooks and spaces, Schoon de Companje looks like a sepia-tinted picture. Corrugated iron panels and repurposed wood add a farmhouse feel, with worn books, a carpeted staircase and glass bottles for a touch of old-world character. A big calendar downstairs has events handwritten on red-letter days. These may include the shows of musicians like Koos Kombuis and Albert Frost, which happen on Saturday nights, hosted by De Brasserij. (Bookings are essential.)

And…

It’s always buzzing and, aside from Saturday nights, they don’t take bookings, so arrive early.

By Linda Scarborough

On Instagram? Check out Eat Out’s feed for pictures of Linda’s instagram breakfast with MasterChefSA’s Kamini Pather.