Fast facts

Name of restaurant: Rust en Vrede

Address: Annandale Road, Stellenbosch

Contact Number: 021 881 3881

Food type: Fine dining

Average price of a main course: 6-course menu R890 per person (R1 580 including wine pairing)

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday from 6.30pm

Parking: Secure parking on the estate.

Best for… Romantic dinner, lads-back lunch with family or friends.

Food

Chef Fabio Daniel’s ingenuity lies in his ability to put his Italian-Brazilian heart on a plate using fresh South African ingredients and classic French techniques.

The evening gets off to an exceptional start with a bread course that is an experience in itself. Three different types of bread are each paired with a different butter or spread. The deliciously soft and cheesy pão de queijo, for example, goes best with the truffle butter, while the activated charcoal roll is paired with “Romeo and Juliet”, a play on a traditional Brazilian treat of guava with cheese.

Another highlight on the six-course menu is the crème fraîche risotto. Perfectly creamy and al dente, it could rival any risotto in Milan. The Gruberg espuma on top adds a necessary sharpness contrasted by a sweet green apple gel underneath the rice.

Another highlight is the cured yellowtail, which combines lovely freshness with umami richness. It must also be noted that the team goes above and beyond to cater for dietary requirements, substituting a completely different dessert for the Rum Diaries if a diner can’t consume alcohol, for example.

Drinks

Many wines come from the Rust en Vrede estate itself as well as sister wine farms, with a notable mention to a 2018 red that is kept specifically for pairing with the beef course. The wine list is extensive and also covers vintages from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and the rest of the Stellenbosch Winelands.

This ensures wines that perfectly complement the variety of dishes. The sommeliers are engaged and knowledgeable, willingly sharing the history and flavour profile behind each wine.

Service

All the staff are welcoming, warm and professional from the moment you arrive on the Rust en Vrede estate.

Everyone is determined to ensure guests have a smooth and pleasant experience, including chef Fabio who makes regular trips to each table to check on his guests.

Ambience

On arrival you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d entered the Tuscan winelands.

Relax on the vine-covered porch outside with a welcome drink while overlooking the adjoining gorge before making your way into the restaurant, which is almost old-fashioned with its white tablecloths and muted lighting.

Beautiful bricked-framed arch windows allow you to look out on the beautiful greenery even while indoors. It’s warm and relaxing, all adding to the charm of what was once the estate’s cellar.