Le Lude Estate and Orangerie Restaurant
You eat at Orangerie Restaurant beside the Le Lude winery in Franschhoek, where the kitchen plates seasonal dishes to pair with the estate's Cap Classique sparkling wines. The glass-walled dining room sits near the vineyards, so the vines are part of the view through lunch and afternoon tea.
The kitchen works with local suppliers for ingredients, turning out dishes that change with what grows nearby. The wine list features Le Lude's own bottles — Cap Classique made from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes grown on the estate and selected nearby vineyards.
Afternoon tea brings scones and pastries with a glass of sparkling wine; lunch and dinner menus lean toward Franschhoek's seasonal produce. The cellar door is a short walk away for tastings after the meal.
The Barrow family has run Le Lude since founding it as a Cap Classique specialist. Their vineyards wrap around the restaurant, and the same grapes that go into the wines grow within sight of the tables.