Like Batman and Robin or Tom and Jerry, food and travel have always gone hand in hand. That’s why Portfolio aims to provide luxurious accommodation bliss matched only by the quality of the food. Here are their top picks for combining your stay with next-level wining and dining.

1. Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse (Drakensberg)

Richard Poynton, the owner of Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse, was also head chef of the restaurant for many years. Today his dedicated team does the cooking, but Richard’s involvement is evident in everything from his creative menu planning to his homegrown herb and vegetable gardens.

There is one request that Cleopatra makes of its guests: come hungry. The chefs are known for serving multiple-course menus that will have your belly aching for relief even as your palate calls for more. Dinner is showtime, with group welcome drinks and a menu presentation that wouldn’t be out of place in a theatre.

Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse. Photo supplied.

Tuck into a six-course dinner menu with dishes like seared Angus beef in a port-and-pepper jus served with steamed asparagus, Lyonnaise potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding stuffed with onion marmalade.

Breakfast and dinner are so lavish that you likely won’t need lunch, but if you’re peckish, you can snack on trays laden with cheeses, bread, biscuits, fresh scones and the best chocolate cake in KwaZulu-Natal. Afterwards go for a digestion-boosting walk in the surrounding Kamberg Valley.

Book your gourmet getaway at Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse. 

2. Hartford House (Midlands)

Hartford House is located on a working stud farm in the Midlands and is home to a restaurant that’s made it into the Eat Out nominees list numerous times. The fine-dining restaurant has recently appointed new chef Chris Papayannes, who has kept the restaurant’s standards impeccable.

Hartford House. Photo supplied.

The accommodation and surroundings are wonderfully  picturesque – right out of a Jane Austen novel, but it’s the food that’s the hero here, with outlandish flavours that shouldn’t work, but do. Think pineapple with duck, scallops with a mojito and a cauliflower-based dessert, to name a few past smash hits. If you love Masterchef, you need to eat here.

Book a spot at the Masterchef table at Hartford House.

3. Oliver’s Restaurant & Lodge (White River)

Oliver’s epitomises the local is lekker trend, but with an unexpected twist – owners Oliver and Tanja are Austrian. Their continental and Mediterranean-inspired menu is peppered with traditional Austrian fare such as apfelstrudel, alongside South African champions like kudu fillet and grilled kingklip.

Oliver’s Restaurant & Lodge. Photo supplied.

This cultural mishmash brings you a delicious and unpredictable dining experience, all within the confines of a relaxed, country-kitchen atmosphere.

If you’d like to combine some African adventure with your stay, the lodge is conveniently located just over half an hour from the gate to Kruger, so you can break up your dining interludes with a game drive or two and hopefully spot the Big Five.

Book your dining fusion experience at Oliver’s Restaurant and Lodge.

4. Woodall Country House & Spa (Addo)

Woodall is an idyllic country escape from the pressures of modern life. This longstanding Eastern Cape lodge is situated right beside the Addo Elephant Park. You’ll be arrive in an open Land Cruiser from which you can marvel at the local gentle giants. Add to this the world-class spa and you’ve got a ten-out-of-ten romantic getaway.

The open-decked restaurant overlooks a lake teeming with birds – the perfect spot to enjoy sundowners and moonlit dinners. Expect an explosion of local flavours with an emphasis on food grown, sourced and enjoyed in the Eastern Cape. Wherever possible, ingredients are from the immediate area, including citrus from the neighbouring orchards and herbs, and vegetables from Woodall’s own gardens.

Woodall Country House & Spa. Photo supplied.

The presentation is delicate and artistic while the food is jam-packed with South African zest. Farm-style breakfasts and simple lunches can be enjoyed either on the deck or on your private patio, and picnic baskets can be ordered in advance for days out.

Book your gastronomic country escape at Woodall Country House & Spa.

5. Serendipity (Wilderness)

Serendipity overlooks the Wilderness lagoon, bringing peace of mind to your overworked brain and satisfaction to your rumbling stomach. Executive chef and co-owner Lizelle Stolze was named one of SA Tourism’s top 10 women chefs and she certainly lives up to her reputation, dreaming up imaginative new menus daily. Think butternut crumpets with yellowtail, springbok medallions, or warm pear soup accompanied by a pear wine from Solms Delta.

Serendipity in Wilderness. Photo supplied.

The pièce de résistance is the perfect wine pairing that turns your evening into an unforgettable experience. Lizelle’s husband Rudolf guides you through your courses with knowledge, humour and a uniquely South African manner. You’ll want to book a return date immediately.

Book your wining and dining experience at Serendipity.

6. Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse (Boland)

Bartholomeus Klip is a charming hotel on a working sheep and wheat farm in the Riebeek Valley. It’s the kind of place made for lazy Sunday afternoons, where kids run barefoot while adults catch up over tasty nibbles and bottles of wine.

Chef Louise Gillet’s three-course set dinner menu changes weekly while her high teas – complete with crumbly scones, homemade jams and an array of dainty tarts and pastries – are the stuff of legends. Breakfast and dinner are served in the conservatory, the former bathed in morning sunshine and the latter lit up with romantic candles and a log fire in winter.

Bartholomeus Klip. Photo supplied.

While the surroundings are made for wining, dining and reclining, you don’t want to miss the morning and evening nature drives through the adjoining Elandsberg Reserve, where you’ll spot a variety of Cape antelope and visit the woolly resident sheep. After your morning drive is done, you’ll be served a vast and delectable brunch… and, before you know it, high tea rolls around, followed by dinner. A word to the wise: Bartholomeus Klip is not suitable for guests on a diet.

Book your feast fit for royalty at Bartholomeu’s Klip Farmhouse.

7. Glen Avon, Constantia

Situated in the leafy Cape Town suburb of Constantia, Glen Avon is a quiet space with relaxing accommodation and an elegant yet understated dining experience.

Glen Avon. Photo supplied.

Start your day with an individual fruit platter before ordering your hot breakfast and dabbling in the continental buffet. The dinner menu is a blend of local and international flavours, focusing on sophisticated cooking and food as a journey of the senses. The wine selection features premium local options that are chosen to enhance the seasonal menus.

Glen Avon is owner-run and no request is too much – travellers frequently delight in the extra mile they go to make your stay absolutely perfect.

Book your elegant foodie escape at Glen Avon Lodge.