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The best places in Franschhoek to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s at this year
The Festive Season is around the corner and it’s almost time to sit back, relax and enjoy this time with your loved ones. Christmas and New Year’s are special in South Africa as families and friends group together to reflect back on the year that was, make New Year’s resolutions and generally just enjoy spending some much deserved time together to celebrate.
In Franschhoek a few of our restaurants and wineries will be pulling out all the stops to make this time the most memorable one yet. Below are a few suggestions of what to do this Festive Season in Franschhoek.
Celebrate Christmas Day with a special lunch or dinner
Allée Bleue will be hosting a Christmas Day Buffet. Expect to find tables groaning with flavour-packed starters and salads, delicious main course options and decadent desserts to tempt you. The cost is R495 per person which includes a welcome drink. Allée Bleue wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks available at the cash bar. Guests are welcome from 12:00. Last seating at 15:00. For more information and to reserve your space visit http://alleebleue.co.za/picnics/.
For the most spectacular views over the Franschhoek valley, head on over to ROCA Restaurant on Dieu Donné for their ‘Christmas Carnival buffet!’. Email them at info@rocarestaurant.co.za for bookings and more information.
Let Grande Provence do the cooking this Christmas and treat family and friends to an exceptional fine dining experience. Starting on Christmas Eve, their festive six-course lunch and dinner menu will be offered at The Restaurant until 25 December. With an exciting array of dishes, this festive menu will satisfy every culinary desire. From endive, cranberry granite, crispy turkey skins and blue cheese to polenta sweetcorn pudding, scallops, bacon jam and crispy Brussel sprouts. For the ultimate festive finish, let pecan pie, curry and ginger gel, butternut ice cream with pumpkin pie powder hit the sweet spot. The festive menu is available from Christmas Eve dinner, until Christmas Day at R1 850 per person; children under 10 will be charged a cover fee of R950 per person. Pre-paid booking is essential. Email events@grandeprovence.co.za or contact them on 021-876 8600.
Le Petit Manoir will be serving a Christmas Day lunch and dinner. At a cost of R995 per person, your festive treat includes a five-course set menu and a glass of MCC as well as a gift. Children under the age of six dine for free, and those aged between six and 17 years pay R450 per person. Lunch will commence at 12:00 and end at 15:00, with dinner starting at 18:30 until 21:30. Bookings are essential and can be made via their website on Dineplan or alternatively email them at restaurant@lepetitmanoir.co.za or contact 021 876 2110.
Enjoy a delicious farm fresh Christmas Eve meal at Boschendal with family and friends or spend Christmas Day at the farm. For bookings, please contact +27 (0) 21 870 4273/4 or reservations@boschendal.co.za.
End off the year on a high note
Visit La Petite Ferme on 31 December for an indulgent evening filled with exquisite food and wine, fantastic live entertainment and spectacular views – and welcome 2020 in sparkling style! Their New Year’s Celebrations include the following: Cocktails & canapés on arrival, served on the lawns overlooking the Franschhoek valley; Sumptuous six course dinner; Live band (19h30 – 22h30); DJ (22h30 onwards); Bottomless MCC and La Petite Ferme wine throughout the evening. The evening starts at 19:00 and the dress code is Smart Casual. The cost for this spectacular New Year’s Eve event is R2 200 per person. An annual social calendar highlight, pre-booking is essential as seating is limited. Marinda Armstrong is the person to contact for queries and/or bookings. She can be reached on frontoffice@lapetiteferme.co.za or 021 876 3016. You don’t want to miss out on this unforgettable evening.
Allow Grande Provence to whisk you away into 2020 with a lavish six-course dinner and live entertainment to toast the New Year. The menu includes marinated aubergine, confit shiitake mushrooms and smoked macadamia nuts to trigger your appetite, followed by cured yellowtail, grapefruit, fennel and sour onions. Savour baby marrow risotto, mushrooms and cured egg yolk lemon truffle, while meat lovers will enjoy the beef brisket, pickled turnips, parmesan and horseradish. As a final indulgence to wrap up the year, banana carpaccio, sourdough ice-cream, salted fudge and chocolate tuiles will satisfy your sweet tooth. The cost of the New Year’s Eve festivities is R2 495 per person and includes MCC on arrival. Pre-paid booking is essential. Email events@grandeprovence.co.za or contact 021-876 8600.
Spend the first day of 2020 at the beautiful Allée Bleue wine estate. Enjoy a picnic hamper full of delicious goodies including local cheeses, farm-baked breads, salads, tapenade and pestos made from their estate-grown herbs. The chef will be grilling Prego rolls, boerie rolls and sosaties. Select your favourite Allée Bleue wine and relax with family and friends (soft drinks, beers and spirits also available). The full New Year’s Day Picnic menu is available here. Kiddies’ options are also available – plus fun entertainment for them which includes a jungle gym, jumping castle, games and more – weather permitting. In the event of bad weather there will be covered areas and indoor options available. Book now to secure your spot!
What better way to spend the first day of 2020 than in traditional South African style with the first braai of the year and live music in the beautiful surrounds of Franschhoek. For one day only Mont Rochelle’s Country Kitchen will have live music throughout the day from local band Ozone and will be turning up the heat with a quintessential South African braai feast. Ozone is a well-known South African band made up of Morné Smit and Maresa May who have been performing a variety of pop, reggae, soul and rock songs for over 16 years. The band has a blues and soul feel and brings a touch of originality to the cover songs they perform making for a great accompaniment to Country Kitchen’s relaxed dining experience. Guests are really in for a treat with dishes such as whole karoo lamb on the spit, traditional South African boerewors, seared yellowfin tuna loin and much more. The braai is priced at R495 per person and R250 for children aged 7 to 12 years old (free for children aged six or under, maximum two per family).
Celebrate the New Year with a sunset market at the stunning Olive Press venue at Boschendal. You can expect Boschendal’s best night market food, finest wines and a festive atmosphere with live entertainment from Hot Water and a local DJ. Kids under 14yrs can be booked in at The Tree House for a supervised New Year’s party with plenty of entertainment. Tickets available at WEBTICKETS.
We will also be celebrating the end of 2019 with a lavish 5-course dinner at the award-winning Werf Restaurant at Boschendal. The evening will start at 19.00 with arrival drinks and canapes. Dinner will be served from 19.30. The restaurant will close by 23.00 but all guests have complimentary admission to our New Years Eve Party at the Olive Press with music and dancing until 2am. For bookings, please contact +27 (0) 21 870 4209 or werf@boschendal.co.za.
Let Franschhoek make your festive season extra magical this year. Guaranteed to create lasting memories for young and old.