Vergelegen is well known for its family-friendly restaurant, Stables, as well as its fine-dining establishment, Camphors (which is temporarily closed – watch this space as they have exciting changes planned!). They have added a new offering to the menu: the Nguni Pop-up Café.

Regular visitors may be familiar with the Nguni cattle that roam the field across from the wine-tasting centre, but here’s your chance to get up close and personal with these majestic beasts – while digging into good food and wine, of course.

The Nguni Pop-up Café is a short walk from the parking area, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. As soon as you round the corner, you’ll spot your destination: a beautiful glass building cradled by mountains on all sides. The experience continues once you reach the café. Outside seating is on the side of the building while inside beckons with gorgeous floral arrangements hanging from the ceiling and charming themed crafts for sale. But the spot you want to grab is outside on the deck, right alongside the Nguni cattle. Yes, the bovine scent is strong, but don’t let that put you off – your sense of smell will adjust and soon all you’ll notice is the fresh scent of the countryside and the sausages sizzling in the kitchen.

That’s what the Nguni Pop-up Café specialises in: sausages. Specifically three types of gourmet hot dogs. The standard sausage is a pork cheese griller, although beef and vegetarian are available on request. You can then opt for a French-inspired dog, topped with truffle aioli, Comté cheese and bacon bits; the German-inspired boerie, topped with sauerkraut, mustard and pickles (a real highlight!); or the Asian-inspired one, with slaw, kewpie mayo and pesto. Or order one of each and ask them to slice it in portions for the table.

Cold drinks and water are on offer, but if you’re out in Somerset West, the real attraction is the wine, so be sure to order a bottle of sauvignon blanc and sit back, relax and dig in!

The Nguni Pop-up Café is open from Wednesdays to Sundays, from 10am to 5pm. The space is child-friendly so take note that the queue goes out the door on weekends and no bookings are allowed. Lunchtimes are generally busy most days and the café is only open until the end of August, so arrive early to claim a prime spot on the deck. Once you’ve lined your stomach, be sure to head to the wine centre for a tasting to end your day.

For couples who are looking for an experience without the kids in tow, keep an eye on Eat Out for new updates: Vergelegen has a lot more planned and their next pop-up will be perfect for a date day out in the Winelands!