Catharina's Restaurant

Catharina’s Restaurant at Steenberg pays homage to the woman who started it all, the fascinating and feisty Catharina Ras, who founded Steenberg in the 17th century.

Catharina’s Restaurant at Steenberg pays homage to the woman who started it all, the fascinating and feisty Catharina Ras, who founded Steenberg in the 17th century.

Taking a leaf from Catharina’s adventurous book, this restaurant serves up contemporary comfort food, making guests feel welcomed as they revel in the abundance of fresh produce, cooked simply and presented beautifully by Executive Chef Garth Almazan.

With an eye on creating a “Contemporary Heritage”, Catharina’s embraces the past but keeps evolving with the current to maintain a fresh and innovative attitude.The menu centres on simplicity, and lets the finest quality ingredients do all the talking. The “contemporary heritage” dictum comes to life in the décor of Catharina’s Restaurant, as hints of Catharina’s thrilling life weave themselves into a visual narrative - a treat for the eyes as well as the stomach.

A multitude of origami swans swing from the ceiling. These figures serve a symbolic purpose - as Steenberg Vineyards’ original name was “Swaaneweide” - The Feeding Place of Swans. In 1682, a homesick Catharina Ras had mistaken the spur-winged geese of the Steenberg region for swans. A single black swan hangs from the ceiling, and acknowledges both the past and future of Steenberg.The black swan symbolises Catharina Ras, who truly stood out, in her time and in ours, as the first female land owner in Africa and a true eccentric with a ground-breaking attitude towards life.

Elements of this thrilling life story are thoughtfully included in the many subtle elements of Catharina’s interior design, and guests often discover a new visual delight on each visit. Comprising of over 100 carefully selected South African wines and a small but relevant international offering, the award-winning wine list at Catharina's restaurant offers choice to the connoisseur and casual sipper alike. Catharina’s has been awarded the American Express Platinum Award for Fine Dining 2005-2014, and the Diner’s Club Winelist Award - Diamond Awards 2009-2011.