The De Hoop Collection, a collection of self catering and en suite accommodation based in the De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape, has transformed its Fig Tree Restaurant into a new offering – The Shed. The new restaurant is just a short distance away from The Fig Tree Restaurant’s previous space, and offers diners a bigger, better space with a beautiful view.
“We’re very excited at this move which gives diners an opportunity to experience the restaurant in a beautiful new setting overlooking the vlei,” say William and Nini Stephens of the De Hoop Collection. Day and overnight visitors to the reserve will now be able to enjoy local culinary creations in the transformed space, which is flanked by a veranda that’s perfect for sundowners. Enhancing the space is William’s Wine Cellar, – a beautifully designed space in-the-round where the fine wines of the area are showcased in a wine rack that holds over 3 000 unique and acclaimed wines.
A few years back the Stephens’ had seen the potential of an old maintenance shed and set about renovating it into a function venue, which now houses The Shed restaurant. The space where the Fig Tree restaurant once occupied is now the Cloete Room, paying tribute to the building’s past life as a sheep shearing shed built by farmer Cloete in the 1800s. The comfortable sitting area offers a space for visitors to relax with free wi-fi and engage the local guides.
“All these transformations have been about re-furbishing the old buildings – putting them to good use for guests to enjoy and connect, like links in a chain, to the original owners, the Cloete’s,” says William.
The restaurant, open all day from 08h00-21h00, will serve, as before, breakfast, lunch, dinner (a la carte menus for breakfast and lunch and set dinner menus), snacks, teas, coffees and cakes and is licensed. A variety of dishes are prepared using locally sourced produce in keeping with a focus on living a healthy lifestyle.
A 3-course set menu at R295 per person is on offer until end September 2018, increasing to R328 person from 1 October 2018 to end September 2019. For more information, visit the De Hoop Collection website.