A sweet sojourn led Kate Walker out of the city to a charming country café where orchards and oak trees flourish among hills and valleys.
Cheverells Farm Café, however, is not just a pretty picture; it is actually part of a bustling, working farm that a London stock broker with a fondness for apples founded back in 1950. Fast forward three generations to Catherine Boome’s dream of creating a countryside retreat on her family’s pocket of paradise in Elgin.
The building, which used to be a facility used for packing apples before the farm joined the local packaging co-op, underwent a fruitful transformation. The glass-panelled steel frame and exposed ceiling with woven pendant lamps invite light into the room and the exposed brick and wood panelling bring warmth inside the shed.
The best seats in the house are on the shaded veranda adjacent to the orchard. From here, you can see rolling hills, tall trees, farmlands and the Hottenots Holland mountains.
Serving breakfast and lunch, the menu is small but seasonal, with humble dishes inspired by what’s growing at the time. Coming from a background in dietetics, Catherine celebrates comfort food made from scratch using nutritious whole foods, most of which are picked from the farm or locally sourced.
In this way, a simple quiche exemplifies the rewards of home cooking. The small team in the kitchen prepared and rolled the pastry, which they seasoned with a few herbs picked from the garden. The silky filling was bursting with spinach gathered that morning and was the perfect complement to the golden crust and its flawless crumble.
Paired with a tumbler of freshly pressed apple and ginger juice – this food makes bellies happy. And it’s a given that whatever comes out of the café’s kitchen will have the same effect on even the most discerning of palates.
Sweet options come in many forms, like the apple and wild blackberry crumble or the warm apple and cinnamon bun made especially for the café by a local man who bakes for a hobby. Of course, there is homemade cake too, because how else could you enjoy your coffee?
Cheverells Farm Shed also serves as a platform for South African design, with a curated gift shop that welcomes you at the entrance. Home fragrances and textiles, beautiful gardening tools, pantry staples and other goodies make for wonderful browsing while waiting for your food.
Elevated above the café, a wellness studio hosts regular yoga classes and can be hired for small yogi retreats. And if it’s not yoga, it’s workshops.
The shed hosts a variety of happenings, from seasonal gardening insights to painting classes and the delicate art of arranging blooms. And during harvest from February to April, if you’re quick enough, you can book a morning on the farm ripe for apple-plucking.
Of course, there are also pop-up markets and wine pairing evenings with guest winemakers and chefs. Word to the wise: It’s a good idea to get on Cheverells’ mailing list because these events usually sell out fast.
But reserve your haste for bookings and then leave it at the big barn doors. This is not a place for rushing. It’s a place for savouring every last crumb and forgetting everything but the simple act of enjoying a meal that can nourish both the body and the soul.
The kitchen caters to vegetarians and vegans and offers gluten-free alternatives. It is also wheelchair accessible.
Details:
- Location: 55 Highlands Road, Elgin Valley, 7180
- Contact: 060 8611044 | cheverellsfarm@gmail.com
- Times: Wednesday – Sunday, 8 am – 3 pm
- Online: cheverellsfarm.com | @cheverellsfarm
ALSO SEE: Travel for fine dining – visit these wine farms for exquisite experience
Travel for fine dining – visit these wine farms for an exquisite experience
Article originally written by Kate Walk for Cape {town} Etc.
Feature image: Supplied
