It’s hard to miss the giant strawberries on the R44 outside Stellenbosch. Mooiberge is perhaps best known as the place to pick your own strawberries (amongst a colourful array of scarecrows), but in September last year, Kelly Zetler opened The Farmer’s Kitchen, a breakfast and lunch spot for hungry wayfarers.

Sam and José Zetler arrived in these parts in the 1900s, when there was very little infrastructure to speak of. Since then, the family has built something of a strawberry empire. The restaurant remains in the family, with ICA-trained Kelly Zetler at the helm. Mom Lorna is responsible for the cheesecake – a faultless creamy but light cheesecake – because, as Kelly says, “No one bakes a cheesecake like a Jewish mother!”

Wooden tables, red cupboards, and a collection of mirrors make for a cute, contemporary café interior with views out across the strawberry fields, towards the undeniably mooi berge. A wooden deck offers outside seating under the shade of umbrellas, and a couple of comfy wicker couches. Kids, meanwhile, are kept entertained with a play area in front of the restaurant.

Eat Out was invited by the owners to try out the restaurant  – our professional reviewers haven't given it their official stamp of approval yet – but the menu is compiled of what seem to be simple, scrumptious café-style meals. Breakfasts include French toast with strawberry compote, bacon, mascarpone and toasted almonds, and walnut and maple syrup granola with Bulgarian yoghurt and strawberry compote. The locally grown strawberries also make an appearance in the blue cheese, strawberry compote and rocket pizza, and fresh strawberry milkshakes – a far cry from that childhood staple, the ‘pink milkshake’.

The homemade lamb burger was delicious – juicy and dripping in pesto and tzatziki. Other options include a fillet steak roll with battered onion rings, mushrooms, oven-roast tomatoes, rocket and mustard sour cream, a range of gourmet pizzas (we like the sound of tomato pesto, feta, chorizo and fresh basil), as well as wraps, tarts and sandwiches. A kiddies’ menu keeps children under 12 happy with the likes of fish and chips, and cheesy pizza.

The winelist is small but contains a balanced list of local varietals, with the likes of Tokara, Diemersdal, De Grendel and Beyerskloof making an appearance.

All in all, a lovely, relaxed spot for lunch in the winelands, perfect for refueling between wine farms without breaking the bank. Between September and January, arrive early and pick a basket of juicy strawberries with the kids. The farm stall next door is worth a visit year-round, particularly for the well-stocked wine shop, where you’ll find a huge variety of local estate wines, some at extremely reasonable prices.

By Katharine Jacobs