When Paul Siguqa bought the Klein Goederust wine farm in 2019, becoming the first black wine farm owner in Franschhoek, he wanted to rejuvenate the space but also preserve the historical essence of the buildings. The Klein Goederust Boutique Winery restaurant, with its modern and retro feel, is set in the 1920s building which used to be the old farmhouse. The kitchen, windows and door handles all retain a charming rustic quality.

There’s the option to sit inside the concrete-floored house, on the stoep or the serene greenery of the garden setting. When walking around and checking on his guests, Paul makes sure to always tell them: “you’re home.” This expression is the ethos that runs through the buffet menu that is all about refined South African home food.

Paul is the son of a farmworker. His mother, whom the boutique winery’s Nomaroma Method Cap Classic (MCC) is named after, worked in the sparkling wine room for 37 years. For the restaurant, which opened in December 2021, Paul enlisted the help of chef Linda Abrahams (affectionately called, Aunty Linda) who worked on the wine farms with his mother. This contextual background gives authenticity to the food that is on offer.

Call it ‘plaas kos’ or simple South African food as Aunty Linda prefers, it oozes with the comfort of well-made home cooking with a touch of an experimental and passionate hand. It also pops with vibrant colour.

“I grew up on a wine farm and worked on a number of them. I’m familiar with the different food cultures of the winelands. What I do is South African food and the buffet we offer is something unique to what is around here,” says Aunty Linda.

It also adds to the variety of food offerings around Franschhoek. The buffet which changes every second week and according to special occasions, is centred around lamb on the spit, with chicken and roesterkoek on the braai. Sides may include the deliciously sweet and savoury sweet potato roll; savoury rice with fresh herbs, mushrooms and peppers; curried fish and a variety of salads from spinach, and Greek to Waldorf.

Dessert ranges from poached pears in red wine, chocolate roulade and ice cream. Enjoy this with the boutique winery’s selection of wines which include the cabernet merlot 2018, shiraz 2020, the sweet and delicious Noble Late Harvest 2020 and the flagship Nomaroma MCC 2018.

The Buffet cost R395 per person. The restaurant is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm to 5pm.