This destination hotel/restaurant-cum-rural utopia (at Babylonstoren) put the spotlight back on the Winelands when it opened in 2010. The massive property, with a working farm and acres of gardens, embodies farm-to-table cuisine at its best. Guests dine in a clean and contemporary setting, leaving the simple-yet-edgy cuisine to do the impressing.  An alternative venue for refreshments and lighter fare after a tour of the farm is the on-property Green House.

The state-of-the-art Cavalli stud farm celebrates its owners’ love of horses and so does its restaurant, which has equine art throughout and is the first Green Star rated restaurant to open in South Africa. In a sleek contemporary dining room built to maximize the incredible wineland views, the chef showcases the region’s bounty. Dishes include chicken corn chowder and salmon skewer with roasted watermelon and grilled fish with beetroot, button mushroom, onion cup. Many of the vegetables are grown in the estate’s heirloom garden.

Embark on a fine-dining culinary experience that packs a punch at La Colombe group’s Epice, located in Le Quartier Francais.

With arguably the best views overlooking Franschhoek, La Petite Ferme offers diners a touch of Provence in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Bring your appetite – my meal began with warm, prosciutto-wrapped Camembert followed by a slow-roasted lamb shoulder drizzled in a mushroom and red wine reduction. Add a nice glass of Shiraz grown locally on-property and the laid-back, rustic ambiance and you could find yourself spending the entire day at this local restaurant-haven.

Leading the locavore trend is this rustic-chic wood, stone and glass eatery perched on the slopes of Hidden Valley wine farm overlooking Stellenbosch. Golfer Ernie Els’s winery is next door. Chef Bertus Basson, 33, changes his menu daily and decides what to cook based on whatever local ingredients—crawfish, springbok, quail, wild mountain rosemary—have been delivered that morning. Try the chilled zucchini soup with olive ice cream.

In scenic Franschhoek, chef Chris Erasmus helms this sublime restaurant of opera singer Hanneli Rupert’s wine estate, La Motte (Rupert is the aunt of Merchants on Long’s founder). Erasmus uses old techniques, such as cooking with bone marrow instead of butter, to re-create snout-to-tail fare that was popular among early Boers. The pomegranate glazed smoked pork belly is to die for.

Situated atop the Tokara Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch, Tokara restaurant offers delicate dishes and a spectacular wine selection. The industrial-chic interior, accentuated with floor-to-ceiling windows, offers unbeatable views overlooking the vineyard and mountains nearby. Whether or not you decide to do wine tasting, the restaurant is perfect to relax after a wine tour or to enjoy a romantic dinner. Dishes may include beef tartar with rice, pear and pepper cream and a beef filet with mushrooms and a parmesan and mushroom jus.

Unusual pairings are underway at Tuscan-style estate Waterford, where master winemaker Kevin Arnold couples his velvety Shirazs, Pinots and sweet whites with homemade dark and milk chocolate. The many cars lining the oak-shaded drive of this Stellenbosch restaurant say it all.