The art of summertime feasting en plein air.
If you’ve ever visited the Norval Foundation and strolled through its sculpture garden, you’ve probably thought about throwing down a blanket to enjoy a picnic in this stunning setting… Now you can. Grub & Vine, the bistro restaurant at Norval, has curated the perfect alfresco meal.
Chef Matt Manning, known for his down-to-earth yet finessed approach to dining, has applied this same philosophy to the picnic offering. His hampers celebrate the best of local and seasonal ingredients in unpretentious (but undoubtedly delicious) laidback style.
Picnic persuasion
Framed by the mountains and vineyards of the Constantia Valley, Norval’s gardens offer beautiful scenery and the tranquillity of nature alongside its enchanting and thought-provoking installations. It’s a place you’ll want to soak up slowly and a picnic is the perfect way to while away a blissful summer afternoon, perhaps after spending the morning strolling through the art museums’s several exhibitions.
Collect your gorgeous leather-and-canvas picnic tote bag from the restaurant and head out into the gardens to find your special spot on the lawns – beside one of the giant sculptures, under the trees at the top of the slope, beside the wetlands… Spread out the striped blanket included, lay out your feast, pour a glass of wine, and enjoy.
What’s to eat?
The tote bag is packed with savoury and sweet favourites – bacon and mushroom quiche, an artisanal beef sausage roll, a club sandwich, and a roast-vegetable salad. There’s also freshly baked bread, butter and piccalilli (a nod to chef Manning’s heritage), plus his famous Scotch egg. For dessert, carrot cake, scones and jam.
If you plan to linger all day (and once you recline on your picnic blanket and take in the views you won’t want to be anywhere else), order one of the optional add-ons: a selection of South African cheese and cured meats; ostrich carpaccio; or seared tuna with charred watermelon, and turn a scenic picnic into a full-on feast.
A bottle of water is included, and wine can be purchased from Grub & Vine to enjoy with your alfresco meal. Only 20 picnic hampers a day are available (spur-of-the-moment same-day booking and collection is possible, while stocks last).
Good to know On Saturday and Sunday, add on a free-flowing wine option: Rosé All Day (R250 per person) or Bottomless Bubbles (R375 per person)
No bring your own (wine or food) allowed.
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, 12pm – 5pm (November – April)
Cost R300 per person (picnic in Sculpture Garden)
R390 per person (picnic and museum access)
Book through DinePlan
Contact 021 216 0021, hello@grubandvine.co.za
Where to find it 4 Steenberg Road, Tokai, Cape Town
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