I love success stories. Gabriëlskloof has been a success story from the start – from its wines, its olive oils and now, a brand-new restaurant – Farro at Gabriëlskloof – that fits in perfectly with its heart for sustainability.
Bernhard Heyns dreamed about the perfect piece of land that would “root him to the spot.” In 2001 he found it – a canola farm named Avontuur – and he transformed it into a wine farm that produces wines with a distinctive character.
Now, the critically acclaimed restaurant, Farro – which has been a sought-after pop-up in Cape Town’s Bree Street since October last year – has also found a piece of land that would root them to the spot. The restaurant will be putting down roots at Gabriëlskloof Wine Estate, located in Botrivier and will be opening its doors to the public in April.
How did the move come about?
Peter-Allen Filnayson, the co-owner and cellarmaster at Gabriëlskloof says: “When we met Alex and Eloise Windebank and experienced their food, we knew Farro was the perfect fit for Gabriëlskloof. Their warmth and hospitality are perfectly aligned to the experience we offer here.”
For the Gabriëlskloof team it’s a way of life bound together by family, community and deep respect for the land and all it offers and this sentiment and ethos is shared by Farro’s husband-and-wife duo, Alex and Eloise.
The couple will be bringing their classic-meets-comfort cooking style to the rolling hills of Botrivier in the form of ‘Farro at Gabriëlskloof.’ Known for their casually convivial hospitality, it’s the perfect fit for the humble wine farm where guests can now expect a refined, pared back approach to farm-style dining.
Alex and Eloise met each other while working the restaurant scene in London before relocating to South Africa. It was their joint love of food, wine and combined thirty years of restaurant experience that had them bring Farro – originally located in Johannesburg – to life. They then moved the restaurant to Cape Town for a four-month residency at Café Frank in the bustling gastro-scene on Bree Street.
While Gabriëlskloof is already an oasis of serenity where guests get to slow down, gather and savour quality wine, they can now also indulge in exceptional food and additional, generous hospitality from Farro.
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The food you’ll find at Farro at Gabriëlskloof
Staying true to the restaurant’s ethos and showcasing an ever evolving a la carte menu led by seasonality, you can expect wholesome, classic and comforting dishes at Farro at Gabriëlskloof. Here, it is all about embracing simplicity, respecting the ingredient, and celebrating all the region has to offer.
With sustainability being at the heart of Gabriëlskloof’s activities, Chef Alex is very excited to have a veritable selection of producers and farmers at his doorstep. He says: “It’s about taking our respect for both food and locality to the next level. There’s such a wealth of produce here that we just didn’t have access to previously, that’s really going to help drive my culinary ethos and direction in a way I just couldn’t before. It’s all about well grown produce, treated with respect to bring out the maximum flavour.”
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