Simon’s Restaurant at Groot Constantia is one of those places where you sit down for a meal and very quickly realise the setting is doing some serious heavy lifting before the food has even arrived. The restaurant has loads of character. Outside, you have gardens, vines, mountain views and plenty of greenery. The covered terrace is probably my favourite spot because you still get the views without feeling like you have committed to a full outdoor survival experience. Inside is completely different and much more dramatic. Antique furniture, bold upholstery, colourful chairs, dark wood, artwork, ornate details and a magnificent fireplace give the place a slightly eccentric country manor feel. It feels collected rather than designed, which gives it far more personality than the usual polished wine estate restaurant. Our table covered a pretty impressive range. The Eggs Benedict arrived absolutely buried under bacon and hollandaise, while the charcuterie and cheese boards were properly generous with cured meats, cheeses, olives, grapes, fruit and all the little extras that turn “we’ll just share something” into a full meal. The picnic side of the experience is also worth mentioning. Groot Constantia is exactly the sort of estate where a picnic makes sense. Beautiful lawns, mature trees, vineyards and enough scenery to make sitting on the grass with food and wine feel like a very sensible afternoon plan. It also gives you another way to enjoy the estate if you do not feel like sitting down for a full restaurant meal. The atmosphere is relaxed despite the rather grand surroundings, which is exactly what you want at a wine estate. You can take your time, have another glass of wine and stare at the vineyards long enough to convince yourself this counts as cultural appreciation. Pricing is what you would expect at a major wine estate, so this is not bargain lunch territory, but the portions, surroundings and overall experience make it feel worthwhile. Come hungry, choose a table with a view, wander around afterwards and do not make ambitious plans for the rest of the day. A very easy place to accidentally turn lunch into the entire afternoon.
