At 96 Winery Road, turning 30 isn’t marked by reinvention.
It’s marked by remembering exactly what worked in the first place.
Ask the team which dishes became legends, and the answer comes quickly.
- The Hollandse Pepper Fillet leads the charge, alongside Gatriles Duck & Cherry Pie, new style sashimi, and a classic crème brûlée that has quietly outlasted trends. Some dishes earn popularity. Others become part of the ritual. The fillet, in particular, has moved beyond menu status. Regulars arrive already decided. There’s a running joke that removing it would cause an uproar in the parking lot, and it doesn’t feel like much of an exaggeration.
That sense of familiarity sits comfortably alongside change.
The menu evolves with the seasons, guided by fresh ingredients, sustainability, and the instincts of Chef Adrian. The approach is consistent: keep it simple, keep it honest, and let the food speak without overcomplication.
Wine has followed a similar path.
Three decades ago, choices were predictable. Today, the list sparks curiosity. Guests are more open, more adventurous, and clearly enjoying the variety now available. That shift has shaped the way dishes are paired and presented, creating moments that still stand out, like the pairing of crème brûlée with Ken Forrester’s T Noble Late Harvest. It’s the kind of combination that lingers long after the plate is cleared.
Behind the scenes, not every memory is as composed.
One of the most chaotic came during the restaurant’s 10th birthday celebration. An outdoor concert for 300 guests, set beside the dam, was washed out overnight. By morning, the entire event had to be relocated to The Lord Charles Hotel. Food, drinks, guests, everything moved within hours. It’s the kind of pressure that either unravels a team or defines it. At 96 Winery Road, it’s definitely the latter.
What keeps the place steady after 30 years is less about strategy and more about people.
The team speaks about each other with the same warmth they extend to guests. That consistency has built something rare: a restaurant where diners return not just for the food, but for the feeling of being known. Some guests have been coming in several times a week for years. At that point, it’s less a booking and more a habit.
The guest list over time reads like a highlight reel, from Springbok legends and Rassie Erasmus to cricket, golf, and tennis stars, alongside countless weddings, birthdays, and quiet celebrations that matter just as much.
Through it all, the philosophy has stayed grounded.
No pretence, no forced identity. Just value, consistency, and genuine care. If the walls could talk, they’d probably say the same thing the team does: this is a place built by people who enjoy looking after others.
To mark the milestone, the restaurant is hosting a one-day celebration on 2 May.
It’s less a formal event and more a reflection of what they’ve always done well. A relaxed, picnic-style afternoon under the trees, with dishes that trace the restaurant’s history. Think West Coast mussels in a light curried cream sauce, crispy pork belly with tomato chutney, and a selection of favourites from across three decades.
Guests can expect to move between moments rather than sit through a set menu. Chat with the chefs, gather around the fires, and enjoy wines from the region. It runs from 12:00 to 16:30, priced at R850 per person, inclusive of food and wine.
For the team, the milestone is less about looking ahead and more about pausing, briefly, to take it in. Three decades of service, of relationships, of growing up in one place. The word they come back to is gratitude. And then, as always, it’s back to service.
⇒ Winery Road, Stellenbosch
- 021 842 2020
- wineryrd@mweb.co.za
