Not a fan of the early morning Saturday market hubbub? Head to this serene winelands market on a lazy Sunday for fantastic food in a beautiful outdoor space.

Situated on the Blaauwklippen Wine Estate on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West, Blaauwklippen Family Market is the laidback, surfer kid of the market scene. For starters, it's held outside, so there’s plenty of room (and no need to elbow skinny hipsters out of the way to the coffee cart). Plus, there’s no hustling at 8am to get a parking bay, as it only opens at 10am. The queues do build up as lunch approaches, however.

To eat
The traders have been carefully selected so as not to double up, so you’ll find plenty of unique, top quality food. Your biggest issue will likely be deciding which delicacy to buy as a meal. There are Belgian croquettes, shwarmas and pulled pork sarmies. The taco baskets from Senor Onion are amazing – and enormous – but leave room for roosterkoek, and the fresh, fragrant salads and meze from Ghenwa’s Lebanese Cooking Club. And don’t leave without a scoop of ice cream from the Cold Gold stand. Janine van Zyl is a whizz at dreaming up innovative flavours and there are usually fat- and sugar-free options too. Alternatively, join the queue for a tasty pancake.

To take home
Inside the carriage museum, nibble on chorizo at Pierre’s Cured Sausages; select one of the beautiful globes of chocolate at Burtschers Belgian Chocolates; snack on By Nature’s range of dried fruit and nuts; and pick up pies to reheat in the oven. There are also Japanese Setta knives on sale, and beautiful flowers, including some old-fashioned hard-to-find blooms.

To drink
Head inside the carriage museum for a traditional Chinese tea tasting. From Lotus leaf and gunpowder to the beautiful pink rose bud tea, you can taste your way through the flavour spectrum – sweet to sour and bitter. The loose leaf green tea is fresh and fragrant, and streets ahead of the bagged version we find in shops. Alternatively, there’s a coffee and tea room behind the carriage museum. The smell of excellent coffee will lead you there.

Need something a little stronger? There’s craft beer on offer at Stellenbray on Tap, and for something really special, head inside the Blaauwklippen tasting room and ask for a dash of ‘Before and After’. An aperitif fortified with brandy, this smooth, cinnamony nectar is designed to be drunk before or after a meal – and didn’t go down too badly at 10.30am, either.

The seating
Sit at the trestle tables in the dappled shade under the trees, or pull up a stretch of bright green grass with the kids. For the kids There’s an area with fat piebald ponies and goats, as well a bouncy castle, beautiful old carousel, and baby bungee, where you can strap your toddler in and watch them rocket up and down with glee.

Parking
It couldn’t be easier. There’s plenty of parking on the estate, alongside the market itself.

The verdict
A perfect sunny Sunday market in the winelands. Take the kids – and your dog – and load up on fresh produce and the goodwill of market folk.

By Katharine Jacobs