After a busy festive season, The Bistro at Brookdale Estate continues with its popular summer menu – a vibrant and thoughtful expression of Cape terroir and global inspiration, led by Executive Chef Gary Coetzee.
Great interior
Voted amongst Dineplan’s Top 20 Restaurants in South Africa for 2025, the Bistro is situated in the heart of the Paarl Winelands, amongst the vineyards at the foot of the Klein Drakenstein mountains.
Gaze over the vineyards
Starters include a refreshing green gazpacho, a twice-baked cheese soufflé that delivers lightness and depth, and a rich duck liver paté. Trout tartare and beef carpaccio reflect precise execution, while spice-battered prawns add a lively kick. A smoked snoek paté, nodding to local culinary heritage, rounds out the beginning of the dining experience.
Fabulous venison
Chef Gary’s signature risottos remain a highlight of the Bistro’s offering this season. Available in both traditional and plant-based options, guests can choose between a mushroom risotto or one made with pea purée – both available as either a starter or a main course.
Chef Gary Coetzee
Main courses are crafted to suit a variety of palates and preferences. Highlights include a crisp mushroom spring roll and a delicately pan-seared fish of the day. Diners can also enjoy boldly spiced tandoori chicken, slow-cooked confit leg of duck, Moroccan-style lamb, or a robust pork chop. For steak lovers, the tallow-aged sirloin is a stand-out, aged for flavour and char-grilled with finesse.
Inimitable salmon
Seasonal sides are designed to complement and elevate the mains. Options include hand-cut fries, char-grilled mielie served with harissa mayonnaise, char-grilled gem lettuce, and a delicious broccoli and avocado salad.
Heavenly lemon dessert
To finish, guests can indulge in the lemongrass crèmeux, a smooth and citrus-forward dessert, or the Cape Malay koeksister soufflé, which reimagines a beloved local treat. A gluten-free cannoli provides a lighter alternative, while a classic cheese board offers a savoury conclusion to the meal.
Brilliant wines
The dining experience is complemented by an exciting wine list that showcases the Brookdale and Mason Road ranges, in addition to other interesting wines from the Paarl region and beyond. The award-winning flagship wine, Brookdale Estate Old Vine Chenin Blanc is considered a triumphant display of Paarl’s terroir, and wine producing status of complexity and balance.
Chef Gary’s superb duck
The restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday to Sunday (12:00 – 15:30), with sunset dinners on Wednesday & Thursdays until 26 March 2026 with two booking slots available: 17:30 (first seating) to 19:30 (last seating). Friday & Saturday nights it is open for dinner from 18:00 – 20:30.
Bookings via Dineplan.
THE BISTRO–PHONE 087 183 3919