Greyton: An Inside Guide to the Overberg Hamlet

The charming village of Greyton hasn’t changed much since it was established in 1854. So tangible is its old-world feel, you almost expect a blacksmith to be hammering away at the old forge outside the cottage that was once his home.

Dubbed South Africa’s “Little England”, Greyton has undoubtedly retained its bygone authenticity while still attracting a new wave of modern travellers keen to enjoy all it offers: from a beautiful nature reserve and quiet, tree-lined avenues of Victorian-era architecture to a high street lined with quirky shops, buzzy restaurants and cafés – and rising tall all around, the majestic Riviersonderend Mountains. The fact that it’s just an hour-and-a-half’s drive from Cape Town only enhances its appeal.

We’ve compiled the ultimate guide to Greyton, so that you’re sorted for your next (or very first) visit.

Things to do
Where to eat
Annual festivals

Things to do

Visit the Saturday morning market

Martin Hahn

A trip to Greyton wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Saturday morning market, where you’ll find a wide selection of farm-fresh produce, freshly baked treats, preserves, art and crafts, and a whole lot of country hospitality. The funds raised by the market go towards the Greyton Conservation Society, so it really is a win-win.
Good to know Buy bread from John the baker – but be sure to get there before 9am or there might not be any left!
Look out for the Sunday art market, held on an ad hoc basis over long weekends, holiday periods and during festivals.
Opening times Saturday, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Contact 082 647 8696, info@greytontourism.com
Where to find it Opposite the NG Kerk, Main Road, Greyton

Go mountain-biking or gravel riding

Greyton has long been a popular playground for mountain-bikers, with plenty of purpose-built singletrack extending into the surrounding mountains. Greyton MTB is a central resource for a list of trails – and GPX files to download from its website. There’s something for everyone, whether you want to ride through the forest with your kids, or train on routes that have featured on the Cape Epic. It has also recently added a selection of gravel routes on roads around the valley.
Good to know Before you head out, purchase a permit from Pure Cafe, or online from Greyton MTB. You can rent a basic mountain-bike from Eric Dauld (who also does basic bike maintenance) if you don’t have your own.
Cost R75 per day permit; R120 for a weekend
Annual permit: R800 per person
Contact Eric Dauld: 078 762 1270
Pure Cafe: 082 393 5408
Where to find it Pure Cafe, 41 Main Road, Greyton

Hike in Greyton Nature Reserve

A drive through town to the edge of the village will lead you to the 2 200-hectare Greyton Nature Reserve, set in the foothills of the Riviersonderend Mountains. Here you’ll find beautiful hikes (the 3km Platkloof walk is an easy stroll with spectacular views), mountain-biking trails, natural rock pools (the water is icy cold, but fresh off the mountain) and a kaleidoscope of wildflowers and flourishing birdlife. Look out for the indigenous plant specific to Greyton – the pelargonium greytonens, which is part of the geranium family. We recommend packing a picnic and spending the day in nature.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 6am – 6pm
Cost Free entry
Contact 082 647 8696, info@greytontourism.com
Where to find it Main gate: end of Park Street, Greyton; alternative access: end of Vlei Street.
Good to know The Boesmanskloof Trail – a popular but challenging 14km hike between Greyton and McGregor that passes through the Riviersonderend Mountains – starts in the nature reserve. You can get to McGregor in a day, but you either need to hike back to Greyton the following day, or arrange transport home from McGregor. Note, you’ll need to book ahead with Cape Nature (087 087 8250) and purchase a hiking permit (R50 per adult; R30 per child under 12).

Taste wines from Lismore Estate

Martin Hahn (top left + bottom)

“Wine of Origin Greyton was created for Lismore,” shares winemaker-owner Samantha O’Keefe. Another thing she is proud of, she says, is “we’re an all-women team”. Originally from California, Samantha saw the potential for producing distinct wines from this terroir due to its “extreme cool climate, which produced really individual wines”. She qualifies this by saying there is snow on the farm in the winter coupled with low-ripening temperatures in summer. The resulting wines have been widely acclaimed – and you can pop into the estate’s town-centre tasting room, located in the pretty Oak & Vigne Courtyard, to taste them for yourself.
Opening times Tasting Room: Monday + Wednesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Cost R175 (7 wines); R225 (4 reserve wines)
Contact query@lismore.co.za
Where to find it Tasting Room: Oak & Vigne Courtyard, 13 DS Botha Street, Greyton

Visit the Genadendal Mission Museum

R. Lapperts (top)

Just a few kilometres outside Greyton lies the Genadendal Mission Museum, a hidden cultural treasure nestled in the historic village of Genadendal. Set on the site of South Africa’s oldest mission station (dating back to 1737), this immersive museum experience will see you stepping into another century. Inside the museum, expect a trove of rare historical artefacts, including an original Gutenberg printing press and the oldest pipe organ in South Africa (housed in the First Teachers Training College in South Africa). But the real star? A fully operational 18th-century watermill, where you can hear the gentle rush of water as it turns the wooden wheel. It’s a quiet encounter with South Africa’s layered past.
Good to know Genadendal holds an evening First Friday Market once a month, where you’ll find handmade crafts, home-baked treats and live music in Church Square.
Opening times Monday + Wednesday – Thursday, 8.30am – 5pm
Friday: 8.30am – 3.30pm
Saturday + public holidays: 10am – 2pm
Contact 028 050 2766
Cost R50 (adults)
R20 (children)
Where to find it Church Square, Genadendal

Browse quirky shops

Martin Hahn (left)

There’s a good day’s browsing to be had in town, where you’ll find shops selling everything from books to chocolates, bric-a-brac and clothing. Look out for Von Geasau Chocolates (delicious truffles handcrafted in Greyton), Once More with Feeling (a second-hand clothing shop with incredible stock), Yves Authentics (where you can make your own fragrance), Greyton Trading Post (for cool collectibles) and Mulberry (a Poetry-style gallery and gift shop). For fresh coffee and fun characters to fuel your wanderings, pop in at Soa se Koffie trailer. It’s run by Soa Delport, a legendary local who started her own coffee brand and can usually be found on the Main Road (or at the market on Saturdays).
Where to find them Main Road, DS Botha Street and Oak Street, Greyton

Wander through art (and history)

Martin Hahn

Among the art galleries in town, a stand-out is the David Kuijers Art Studio on DS Botha Street, where you might even see the artist himself at work on one of his colourful, characterful pieces. A wide range of limited-edition prints is available alongside his original paintings and sculptures. There’s more art to view at Mulberry (on Oak Street) and at the recently revamped The Art of Compassion Gallery (on Main Road), which raises funds for the Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary.
Where to find them Main Road, DS Botha Street and Oak Street, Greyton
Good to know Greyton is swathed in history, which is evident in the town’s heritage architecture and charm – and which you can experience first hand on a Greyton Village Historic Walk. Grab your printed map from Art of Compassion (36 Main Road) and let it lead you past beautiful buildings dating as far back as 1854, with unique anecdotes along the way.

Paint your own pottery

Martin Hahn

Creativity abounds in Greyton, but you have to know where to look. Or, more specifically, who to talk to. One such person is Clåyskyñ founder Tabatha King, who started out with a physical space in Maånskyñ but has since converted to a mobile Clay Cafe-style service. Just WhatsApp and she’ll deliver a comprehensive kit with everything you need for a pottery painting experience, including a range of ceramic pieces, paints, stencils, brushes and inspiration. She’ll then fire the final product for you and arrange to deliver your pieces to your home.
Opening times 9am – 5pm
Cost Baskets start from R200
Contact 084 555 0229, tabatha@kinghouse.co.za
Enquire Now

Where to eat

Fiore

Martin Hahn

For a scenic alfresco setting and delicious wood-fired pizzas, make sure Fiore is on your list. Known for flavourful and fuss-free country cuisine, the new chef has completely refreshed the menu at this restaurant-cum-garden-centre. Look out for grilled prawns, salt-and-pepper calamari, peri-peri chicken livers, burgers, steaks and trinchado, as well as oyster mushrooms grown on site and served in several delicious ways (mushroom risotto with sage butter is just one option). Surrounded by splashing fountains and views of the Riviersonderend mountains (and with a wonderful kids’ area), it is a lovely atmosphere in which to enjoy delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner (on select days).
Opening times Monday + Wednesday + Sunday, 8am – 5pm
Tuesday + Thursday – Saturday, 8am – 10pm
Contact 082 450 6942 or 082 490 0059
Where to find it 10 Main Road, Greyton

Abbey Rose

Martin Hahn

Spanish chef-owner Eva de Jesus Galan added a passionate zing of Mediterranean freshness to this long-time village stalwart when she took over the reins in December 2023. Her characterful country cooking ranges from stand-out buttery grilled prawns to marinated lamb rump with patatas a lo pobre, beef fillet scaloppini with truffled mushrooms, ossobuco, lamb shank, or an authentic Spanish seafood paella made to order. A refreshing line of zesty cocktails kicks things off in style, and there are pizzas too (she was previously head chef at Bacinis in Cape Town, and at La Parada before that). Outdoor tables on the verandah surrounded by green gardens, or cosy tables by one of three fireplaces in winter, make it an all-year-round favourite.
Good to know The outside tables are dog-friendly.
Opening times Tuesday – Thursday, 6pm – 10pm
Friday + Saturday, 11am – 3.30pm; 6pm – 10pm
Sunday, 11am – 3.30pm
Contact 071 579 7741, eva@abbeyrosegtreyton.co.za
Where to find it 19 Main Road, Greyton

1854 Restaurant

Martin Hahn

A casual pub setting that locals love for its unpretentious and reliable fare, 1854 gets a festive atmosphere most weekends when live bands play under the Bedouin canopy tent or there are open mic nights. The menu centres around satisfying burgers, steaks, ribs, nachos and unfrilly comfort food (with a few exotic elements such as snails in garlic) that goes down perfectly with a craft beer or two on tap.
Opening times Tuesday – Thursday, 3pm – 10pm
Friday + Saturday, 11am – 10pm
Sunday, 11am – 3pm
Contact 028 254 9639
Where to find it 14 Main Road, Greyton

Maånskyñ

You can’t help falling for the midnight blue, narrow-gabled facade that fronts Maånskyñ in Greyton. The small but beautifully formed café-bookshop-treasure trove of beautiful things owned by Lori Solomon, is a gem of a find for breakfasts, coffee, fresh bakes (homemade pastries and the best cakes in town) and light lunches, all made with love that you can taste in the details. Settle in at a vintage wood table indoors or at the outdoor counter and enjoy coffee and cinnamon rolls, cold-pressed juices, or extravagant confections like the hazelnut ice cream pie. Or tuck in to delicious home-style dishes (plenty of vegan and vegetarian options too), and raid the deli fridge and freezer for take-home meals.
Good to know On weekends look out for pizza and games nights, occasional Moonlight dinners, and the brand-new bar space for sundowner cocktails.
Opening times Wednesday + Thursday + Saturday, 7.30am – 4pm
Friday, 7.30am – 4pm; 6pm – 9pm
Sunday 7.30am –12.30pm
Monday 7.30am – 2pm
Contact 078 953 3511, lorisolomail@gmail.com
Where to find it 52 Oak Street, Greyton

Rupert’s Bistro

What started out as Peccadillos Bistro in 2008 got a revamp and new identity in 2018. With the help of his wife Susan, chef-owner and host Rupert Fage has created an ever-changing seasonal chalkboard menu of British classics with a Mediterranean twist. An old-school chef-restaurateur, Rupert runs front of house and kitchen with his characteristic dry humour, serving up generous dishes such as fish pie with fresh and smoked hake, spinach and ricotta gnocchi, roast pork belly or chicken tikka masala, and pizzas straight from the wood-fired oven. Sit cosily inside the warm and welcoming interior, or outside on the sunkissed patio.
Opening times Thursday – Monday, 12pm – 3pm; 6pm – 10pm
Contact 074 442 4063, rupert.fage@gmail.com
Where to find it 23 Main Street, Greyton

Mamoosa’s

Martin Hahn

The kind of street food joint it’s a joy to stumble upon, Mamoosa’s is a delightful mother-and-daughter establishment on the Main Road in Greyton, serving beautifully fresh, home-made samoosas, stuffed rotis, spring rolls and delicious curries and bunny chows. Savannah De Beer and her mother, with a team of talented ladies, make all the dishes by hand, for a delicious and authentic taste of the spicy side of South African cuisine.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Good to know Every second Friday + Saturday (to coincide with karaoke evenings at the Central Bar, Mamoosa’s is open from 7pm – 11pm.
Contact 064 104 2273/072 073 0468 (WhatsApp)
Where to find it Shops 4 and 5, Village Business Centre, Main Road, Greyton

Annual festivals

Fools & Fans Beer Fest This fun-filled April festival is all about the beer, with a long list of home brewers and commercial breweries standing by to share their wares. Held in the Moravian Hall on Greyton’s Main Road, there is also loads of delicious food, tutored tastings, food and beer pairings and (just in case beer isn’t really your thing) a selection of other beverage options.
Contact 078 802 0006, info@foolsandfans.co.za

Greyton Genadendal Classics For All Festival Held every May for the past 15 years, the Classics For All Festival aims to make classical music accessible to a wider audience, with a range of artists covering a variety of classical genres, including opera, orchestral and chamber music. Whether you’re a connoisseur or casual fan of the classics, there’s bound to be something that appeals.
Good to know This year’s festival is scheduled for 9 – 11 May 2025. Book now
Contact info@classicsforall.co.za

Greyton Fire & Wine Whatever the weather, this July wine adventure will reward you warmly – with country-style hospitality and wonderful sipping (with an emphasis on red wine and full-bodied whites). Spend a weekend strolling through the village, map in hand, popping in and out of various venues to meet winemakers for tastings beside roaring fires. It’s an A to Z of great names, including the best of the surrounding Overberg. Twenty percent of proceeds go to the Greyton House Bursary Fund for underprivileged children at the local school.
Good to know This year’s festival is scheduled for 25 + 26 July 2025. Book now
Contact 082 647 8696, wineclub@greytontourism.com

Greyton Rose & Garden Fair This well-established springtime event takes place in late October every year. The village’s best gardens are open to the public, and there’s a street parade and market, with all proceeds going towards the children of the valley. Don’t miss the Greyton Garden of Bubbles, where one garden is selected as the venue for a leisurely afternoon of bubbly tasting and picnics.
Good to know This year’s fair is planned for 24 – 26 October 2025.
Contact 082 647 8696, info@greytontourism.com

Greyton Wine Weekend Now in its fifth year, this fabulous two-day November festival offers guests the chance to sip and savour the produce of more than 30 producers. Whether you’re a fan of wine, bubbly or spirits, you’ll find something to tickle your tastebuds – plus all proceeds go to the Greyton House Village School Bursary Fund.
Good to know This year’s festival is scheduled for 7 + 8 November 2025. Book now
Contact 082 647 8696, info@greytontourism.com

Greyton Art Walk Greyton hosts two well-attended Art Walks each year – the Autumn Art Walk in March and the larger Greyton Art Walk in November – each showcasing local and external creatives. Visitors follow a map from exhibition hall to artist’s home, from gallery to restaurant, perusing or purchasing anything from original artworks and photography to jewellery and ceramics.
Contact 082 495 4019, greytonartwalk@gmail.com

Trail-running events Trail-runners have two extra reasons to visit Greyton each year (as if there weren’t enough already): The Greyton Mountain Marathon in May (next up 10 May 2025) and the more relaxed Greyton Brew Run in August (scheduled for 23 August 2025), where participants get brewed coffee at the start, iced tea in the middle and beer at the end. All proceeds go to the Greyton House Bursary Fund.
Contact 082 647 8696, info@greytontourism.com

Discover all of the Cape’s hidden gems – subscribe to our weekly newsletter.