kykNET Finalist Chef Offers New Reason for Road Trip to Swellendam (and you can even stay over)

Comforting country cuisine, burgers and free beer, and soup and sherry for R55 at the new Rotterdam Restaurant

If you’re looking for a cosy weekend getaway (or wedding venue), the rustic Rotterdam Boutique Hotel in Swellendam is an incredible location.

This is where chef Josh Conradie (2014 finalist kykNET’s popular cooking show Kokkedoor) and his French wife, Christelle, make country-style food to complement the rustic setting of lush grounds, majestic oak trees and dreamy mountains views. 

VINTAGE DECOR AND FARM FOOD
The restaurant is in the De Wagenhuis building, with its beautiful exposed wooden beams, antique furniture and vintage farm equipment and where the patio opens to panoramic views of the Langeberg mountains and the green pastures of the farm and spectacular sunsets.

CAPRESE AND CARPACCIO, FILLET AND KAROO LAMB
It’s farm-style food with a twist. A Caprese salad with rooibos-smoked tomatoes, bocconcini, basil pesto and olive oil powder or venison carpaccio with pickled onion, turnip purée and pecorino dust. Starters average R55. For mains, try the beef fillet with bone marrow and wild mushroom reduction or the super-comforting slow-braised Karoo lamb shanks with red and rosemary sauce (R155). 

BURGER, BEER SPECIAL AND SUNDAY BUFFET
On Saturdays for lunch and dinner, you can get a juicy biltong-and-red-wine-sauce burger with chips for R85 that comes with a free local beer. Sunday lunch buffets offer soups, roasts, veg and dessert at R155 for adults and half-price for kids under 12. During the week, on Wednesdays, there’s sherry and soup with farm-fresh bread for R55. The public and hotel guests can make reservations directly with the restaurant.

BOOK FOR A GETAWAY OR A WEDDING
There’s a quaint chapel on the edge of the massive grounds of Rotterdam, which is two hours away from Cape Town. There are massive en-suite rooms with pasture-facing balconies, a two-bedroom apartment or compact luxury rooms overlooking the pool. The hotel sleeps up to 38 people. 

Whether you need to wind down, stopover or go to (or host) a wedding, Rotterdam works.

There’s loads of room at Rotterdam and they also offer an incredible bachelorette party special and a farm stay special.

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Check out these exciting things to do in Swellendam and more about the town. 

If you’re hungry and in the city, choose from these restaurants in Cape Town.

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