Elliot's Guidebook for Plettenberg Bay
Food scene
While this is a 45 min. drive east of Plett, no holiday in this part of SA is complete without a visit. The experience is truly world class. Alja Van Deventer operates a dairy farm, but his passion is food, particularly making fine cheeses in small quantities.
He serves lunch daily (you need to book well in advance) to about 20 guests on the stoep of his home, overlooking the idyllic farm dam, with a backdrop of the beautiful Tsitsikamma mountains. Lunch consists of two salads (one green with a hint of crunchy fried cheese strips and Alja’s exquisite dressing, and the other a Caprese with beautiful ripe tomatoes and Alja’s mozzarella). Then there is a platter with a range of cheeses of different textures and strengths accompanied by as much hot, freshly baked foccacia as you want. Lunch concludes with a dessert such as a pie accompanied by ice cream made from the farm’s milk.
Everything comes from the farm except the wine (and Alja says he’s working on that). Lee and I have been here at least 25 times and have never been disappointed, nor have any of the many friends and family, both local and international, we have brought here.
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Fynboshoek Cheese
While this is a 45 min. drive east of Plett, no holiday in this part of SA is complete without a visit. The experience is truly world class. Alja Van Deventer operates a dairy farm, but his passion is food, particularly making fine cheeses in small quantities.
He serves lunch daily (you need to book well in advance) to about 20 guests on the stoep of his home, overlooking the idyllic farm dam, with a backdrop of the beautiful Tsitsikamma mountains. Lunch consists of two salads (one green with a hint of crunchy fried cheese strips and Alja’s exquisite dressing, and the other a Caprese with beautiful ripe tomatoes and Alja’s mozzarella). Then there is a platter with a range of cheeses of different textures and strengths accompanied by as much hot, freshly baked foccacia as you want. Lunch concludes with a dessert such as a pie accompanied by ice cream made from the farm’s milk.
Everything comes from the farm except the wine (and Alja says he’s working on that). Lee and I have been here at least 25 times and have never been disappointed, nor have any of the many friends and family, both local and international, we have brought here.
This is, by far, Plett’s best place for great pizzas (including with creamy burrata cheese) and home made gelato. It is owned and operated by an Italian family and located on a rural smallholding just past the small local airport. Ultra casual, it is only open daylight hours and you sit out in the garden. It is not licensed, so bring your own favourite bottle(s) of wine and spend a pleasant, chilled afternoon here.
34 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ice Dream Land
A15 Plettenberg Bay's Airport RdThis is, by far, Plett’s best place for great pizzas (including with creamy burrata cheese) and home made gelato. It is owned and operated by an Italian family and located on a rural smallholding just past the small local airport. Ultra casual, it is only open daylight hours and you sit out in the garden. It is not licensed, so bring your own favourite bottle(s) of wine and spend a pleasant, chilled afternoon here.
We’re disappointed that Airbnb directory could not access photos of The funky ambiance is part of what makes this place special. The restaurant is part of the Emily Moon River Lodge complex, situated on the Bitou River just outside of Plett. The whole place is designed around a story of Harry, an African trader and his lifelong but intermittent romance with Emily. The place is designed as the shabby chic hunting lodge where their love affair played out, replete with antiques, old photos, hunting trophies, etc. The restaurant looks out over the beautiful but overgrown and meandering Bitou River (stream actually) and you can really imagine yourself somewhere/anywhere in colonial Africa. Arrive early enough to enjoy the sunset before your candle lit dinner. It may sound touristy, but it’s not. It works and the well-prepared hearty food is good, too. Our only complaint is that, with popularity, Emily Moon has become a bit pricey (at least for us locals!) and so has become more of a special occasion place for us.
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Emily Moon Restaurant @ Emily Moon River Lodge
We’re disappointed that Airbnb directory could not access photos of The funky ambiance is part of what makes this place special. The restaurant is part of the Emily Moon River Lodge complex, situated on the Bitou River just outside of Plett. The whole place is designed around a story of Harry, an African trader and his lifelong but intermittent romance with Emily. The place is designed as the shabby chic hunting lodge where their love affair played out, replete with antiques, old photos, hunting trophies, etc. The restaurant looks out over the beautiful but overgrown and meandering Bitou River (stream actually) and you can really imagine yourself somewhere/anywhere in colonial Africa. Arrive early enough to enjoy the sunset before your candle lit dinner. It may sound touristy, but it’s not. It works and the well-prepared hearty food is good, too. Our only complaint is that, with popularity, Emily Moon has become a bit pricey (at least for us locals!) and so has become more of a special occasion place for us.
Sightseeing
There are many great hikes in the area, but the Robberg Nature Reserve is the quintessential one. From the parking area after the entrance gate (currently R50/per person) it’s approximately 11km around the peninsula. The trail is typically done clockwise, starting next to the toilets on the bay (east) side of the parking. The trail can be cut shorter at either the gap or the dune, but unless you absolutely have to shorten it, go all the way to the Point and do the whole thing! As a guideline, you can do a fairly leisurely circuit of the peninsula in under 4 hours. When we run it, it typically takes 1.5- 2 hours depending on stops and how hard we push it The two sides are very different. The bay side is much more placid, the trail is mainly elevated and the views over the bay of the town and the Tsitsikamma mountains are outstanding (bring a camera). You will pass through beautiful fynbos (including protea flowers) and there is a large Cape Fur Seal colony you can view (and smell!) en route. The western open ocean side of the peninsula is completely different. It is much wilder and more rugged. Large waves crash on the rocky shore and there is a plethora of seabird life. The trail mainly runs along the bottom, under the cliffs and on the rocks. You will need to scramble in a few places, but absolutely nothing hectic. In fact, in recent years concrete and wooden stairs, even handrails, have been installed in places to facilitate. When you get to the bottom of the dune (with the two beaches), you can visit the Island if you have the time. It’s stunning, and is a sanctuary for breeding seagulls. There are also caves on the peninsula that are archaeological sites (this coast is where the evolution of archaic Homo sapiens into modern is believed to have occurred). Last tip: it is necessary to bring water (there is none en route- but you can fill your bottles or hydration bladder in the car park).
327 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Robberg Nature Reserve
There are many great hikes in the area, but the Robberg Nature Reserve is the quintessential one. From the parking area after the entrance gate (currently R50/per person) it’s approximately 11km around the peninsula. The trail is typically done clockwise, starting next to the toilets on the bay (east) side of the parking. The trail can be cut shorter at either the gap or the dune, but unless you absolutely have to shorten it, go all the way to the Point and do the whole thing! As a guideline, you can do a fairly leisurely circuit of the peninsula in under 4 hours. When we run it, it typically takes 1.5- 2 hours depending on stops and how hard we push it The two sides are very different. The bay side is much more placid, the trail is mainly elevated and the views over the bay of the town and the Tsitsikamma mountains are outstanding (bring a camera). You will pass through beautiful fynbos (including protea flowers) and there is a large Cape Fur Seal colony you can view (and smell!) en route. The western open ocean side of the peninsula is completely different. It is much wilder and more rugged. Large waves crash on the rocky shore and there is a plethora of seabird life. The trail mainly runs along the bottom, under the cliffs and on the rocks. You will need to scramble in a few places, but absolutely nothing hectic. In fact, in recent years concrete and wooden stairs, even handrails, have been installed in places to facilitate. When you get to the bottom of the dune (with the two beaches), you can visit the Island if you have the time. It’s stunning, and is a sanctuary for breeding seagulls. There are also caves on the peninsula that are archaeological sites (this coast is where the evolution of archaic Homo sapiens into modern is believed to have occurred). Last tip: it is necessary to bring water (there is none en route- but you can fill your bottles or hydration bladder in the car park).