With a quick exit off the N2, Route 62 offers a shorter and more scenic trip from Cape Town, through the Klein Karoo and Garden Route, to Port Elizabeth. Route 62 is home to the world’s longest wine route and a newer Brandy Route, which offer exciting excursions on their own. But Route 62 isn’t only good for its liquor. The road is dotted with farm stalls, restaurants, and cafés that offer great culinary experiences.

Here are some recommended spots to wine and dine on Route 62:

1. Replace fast food with a well prepared meal at Under the Vines Bistro in Bonnievale. They use only the freshest ingredients straight from their gardens.

2. Visit Grundheim Wines in the Klein Karoo and try their potent witblitz (white brandy) and other cream-based liqueurs, which the locals refer to as “melkskommel met skop” (milkshake with a kick).

3. Visit Africa’s Biggest Chair at the Rooiberg Wine Estate in the picturesque Breede River Valley. Don’t leave without enjoying wine tasting, grabbing some goodies from the farmstall, and having a delicious meal at the Bodega de Vinho restaurant.

4. Experience the laid-back Karoo lifestyle at The Ark, which features a cosy diner and coffee shop, a lively bush pub, winery and wine garden, as well as a Tourism Info office.

5. Have a crocodile pie at the Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm near Paarl.

6. Enjoy a decadent lunch at Jessica’s Restaurant, a beautifully restored Victorian home in Montagu, where a passion for culinary excellence and carefully selected wines meet.

7. The restaurant at the Buffelsdrift Game Lodge in Oudtshoorn offers an à la carte or buffet menu that specializes in local Karoo cuisine, fresh produce and herbs from the area, and freshly baked oven bread. The wine list boasts some of the best award-winning wines on the R62.

8. Stop for some wine and port tasting at De Krans Wine Cellar in Calitzdorp, South Africa’s port-making capital.

Recommended accommodations:

Buffelsdrift Game Lodge

Situated in a malaria-free area outside Oudtshoorn, the 4-star lodge Buffelsdrift Game Lodge overlooks a 5ha waterhole that is home to a number of hippos. Enjoy game drives and horseback safaris, as well as a unique Elephant Experience where you can feed and walk with the giant creatures. Luxury tents create an authentic African experience, while air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms with a private outdoor shower provide modern extravagance. Enjoy traditional Karoo cuisine and excellent South African wines at their restaurant. Find out more.

Gubas De Hoek

The 4-star Gubas De Hoek in Robertson is a homely environment where you can enjoy old world charm in a luxurious, modern setting. Perfectly situated close to a golf course and a selection of fabulous wine estates, Gubas De Hoek offers a variety of cosy and spacious en-suite rooms with a terrace and private entrance. Tantalize you taste buds with fine dining cuisine at the on-site restaurant, enjoy a drink at the bar, and relax on the martini bench next to the fantastic salt-water rock pool. Find out more.

Montagu Country Hotel

Montagu Country Hotel in the historical town of Montagu is a 3-star accommodation with a wellness spa, conference facilities, and delightful restaurant. Enjoy light lunches under the vine-covered terrace and dinners in the newly renovated dining room. Dinners are a somewhat formal affair where guests can enjoy traditional cuisine, local wines, and golden oldies played on the Baby Grand piano. The Dog and Trumpet pub and wooden deck is the ideal spot for sundowners. Find out more.

Where do you recommend wining and dining on Route 62?