The next stop on our Cape Town-area wine tour was also in the Paarl winemaking region, and it served the best wines of the three wineries we visited on this tour. This stop was also our lunch break, and it was an absolute delight dining here. So, today’s photo tour and review transports you to Vrede en Lust and their Lust Bistro & Bakery. As you can see, Lust Bistro is an immense establishment that doubles as a venue for large private functions and events:
I was rather captivated at how they softened the industrial-style cathedral ceiling with the addition of vigas and latillas, a common feature where we live, in the American Southwest. And, yes, that’s an operable fireplace at the far end of the room, embedded in that rustic brick wall:
This Lust menu is a good one, with breakfast and lunch options, although rather limited to simpler fare. Both Ursula and I opted for something we don’t normally do while traveling, as we prefer to try more traditionally local foods. We went with the burger knowing we would have ample opportunity for traditional South African cuisine later. We were most assuredly not disappointed.
The fries were good, better than most in fact. But the burger was exquisite. I’ll let the menu tell you what the Lust burger contains — “200g beef patty, caramelised onion, smoked tomato relish, mature cheddar, crispy bacon, rocket (arugula), chimichurri mayo on a sesame bun.” The translates to big, juicy, and flavorful:
We kept dessert simple, and for a wine tasting event, on the traditional side:
While lunch was very enjoyable, we were actually here for the wines. And Vrede en Lust did not disappoint. Of the three wineries we visited this tour, the wines here were consistently good across the sampling. Alas, I neglected to note the varietals. My bad.
Next Monday we’ll finish up this tour with our walk through Stellenbosch and on Wednesday our third winery stop. Until then, here are some more Vrede en Lust images:
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