6 Best Restaurants in Hermanus, The Western Cape and Winelands

This popular restaurant and bar boasts a truly incomparable setting, right on the rocks on the edge of a natural rock pool in the Atlantic Ocean. Dine on the deck and you'll hear the crashing of the waves and maybe spot some whales swimming by. On the menu are classic tapas dishes like spicy lamb meatballs and crispy shrimp, all served with something from the extensive wine list or the superb cocktail selection. It's an absolute must while you're in Hermanus.

Mariana and Peter Esterhuizen started out selling organic vegetables at the Hermanus farmers' market before converting a house in the little village of Stanford, just 25 minutes away, into a restaurant. Produce from the garden dictates the menu, and ingredients are sourced from local producers, with dishes that lean toward a Mediterranean style with a strong element of Cape cooking present. The Gruyère soufflé is a sublimely light, cheesy concoction served in a pool of tomato cream. Starters like springbok rillettes and fresh broad-bean salad are served in season, and main courses such as the confit duck with preserved clementine and slow-cooked falling-off-the-bone shoulder of Overberg lamb have a firm following. Last orders are taken at 1:30 pm, so don't be late. Capetonians regularly make the trip here for the excellent food, local wines, relaxed setting, friendly hosts, and seasonal organic produce grown behind the restaurant.

Don't be put off by the bumpy dirt road heading up the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley—this restaurant on an orchard at the top of the valley is worth the dusty trip. The seasonal menu is scribbled on a chalkboard, with dishes like caramelized pear, Gorgonzola, avocado, and walnut salad, or smoked trout and sautéed prawns with a lime-wasabi vinaigrette. The converted laborer's cottage is as pretty as a picture in a tumbledown, overgrown kind of way.

In one of the village's original stone fishing cottages, Burgundy is one of the town's oldest and best-loved restaurants. Unsurprisingly, there's plenty of seafood on the extensive menu—try the creamy abalone with fresh sage—as well as a large choice of grilled meat dishes. The real reason for its popularity though, is the outdoor terrace with ocean views. It's not unheard of to spot whales right from your table.

If you're keen to escape the crush in Hermanus, head to Heaven, situated on Newton Johnson Family Vineyards. It's up the picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Road, where vines and fynbos cover the slopes and where you may wish you owned a country home. The view is wonderful, the service is attentive, and there's a good selection of local wines. The menu, which changes often, always emphasizes the best seasonal produce. Starters could include hot-smoked yellowtail and slow-braised beef tongue. Mains, served with hand-cut chips or a green salad with mature Gruyère, include winter root vegetables with cheese and hazelnuts, cashew-crusted hake, and pork loin with braised lentils. The restaurant is big on foraging. Michelin-star chef Eric Bulpitt heads the team and sends them out into the garden for fresh herbs and the fields for wild greens and waterblommetjies (literally translated from Afrikaans, this means "water flowers").

With a panoramic view of Walker Bay, La Pentola specializes in international cuisine with South African flavors. Drawing on French, Italian, and Mediterranean influences, executive chef Shane Sauvage uses the best local ingredients to create delectable dishes. The extensive menu includes fresh seafood, duck, ostrich, prime cuts of beef, pastas, salads, and exotic game dishes. For starters order one of the house specialties: basil and pork livers or Spanish snails wrapped in bacon and steamed in Chardonnay. Entrees include line fish basted in butter and cooked with red onion and tomato, and beef fillet served with a KWV brandy, dijon mustard, and cream sauce. If you're in the mood for something exotic, try the warthog loin fried with butter, brandy, honey, and mustard, or cubed crocodile tail and curry sauce in pastry. Wine connoisseurs will be delighted with the award-winning wine list, which is as varied as the menu.