Address: Annandale Road

Tel: 27-21-8813881

The original barrel cellar at Rust en Vrede, a family-owned estate in the Stellenbosch region, is now a stylish restaurant that showcases the vineyard's award-winning red wines. The setting is grand, with tables set with custom-designed crockery and hand-blown oversized Riedel glassware, and a gleaming open-plan kitchen. Chef David Higgs's artfully plated dishes combine French classics and local produce: foie gras with fresh peas and truffles or pan-fried veal with potato puree and poached onions. Diners choose from either a four-course or a six-course tasting menu, with optional wine pairings drawn from the heavyweight list. Prices are steep by local standards (and portions a bit dainty), but there's no better location for a splurge or a romantic liaison. A terrace with a dramatic mountain backdrop is perfect for a little pre-dinner champagne (four-course prix fixe, $50).