A vibrant monthly market on a historic wine farm that makes great wines! That aside, the setting is beautiful and there’s plenty to eat, drink and buy.
Where is it?
At Groote Post, off the West Coast Road (R27) from Cape Town.
When is it?
On the last Sunday of each month, from 10h00 to 15h00.
Why should I go?
It’s a vibrant market on a historic wine farm that makes great wines! That aside, the setting is beautiful and there’s plenty to eat, drink and buy. Kids are well catered for too and dogs on leashes are welcome. It’s also wheelchair-friendly.
Contact details
www.grootepostcountrymarket.co.za
I have many favourite pastimes with two of them being a lazy Sunday drive in the countryside and taking a leisurely amble around a market. The Groote Post Country Market takes care of both those. It’s roughly an hour’s drive along the West Coast Road (which always feels like it stretches on forever) and the Sunday market is what I call a “true market” – for me a market should have something for everyone and cater for every budget, which is exactly what this market does.
There are plenty of stalls spaciously laid out (so you don’t feel cramped) offering all sorts of goodies to buy, including homeware, jewellery and clothing. You can buy tutus for teddies, a Marilyn Monroe cushion for your couch, glitzy costume jewellery and flowers for your gran. Then there’s all the pickles, preserves, breads and jams, including freshly baked bread made from stoneground flour, packets of sour fig toffees, sachets of pomegranate juice and jars of bacon jam (you NEED to get the bacon jam!)
You’ll have a tough choice in deciding what to have for lunch, but there’s something for all budgets, which makes a nice change. Pulled pork sandwiches may be all the rage, but at R60-80 I don’t think I have ever been able to afford one! Here you’ll find samosas (R10 for three), Thai spring rolls (R10), dumplings (R20 for three), bacon and egg rolls (R20) pies (R25), roasted fennel and potato quiches (R25), flame-grilled chicken burgers (R50) and gourmet chorizo burgers (R50) along with boerie rolls, prego steak rolls and mushrooms on skewers. A popular option is the Salami Meat Platter (salami, cold meats, pates, pickles and bread) from Eighteen’94 (R70 to R100).
All Groote Post’s wines are available for tasting and purchase by the glass, bottle or case. Expect to pay R30 for a glass and R50 to R100 for a bottle. As a special treat, Nick Pentz and winemaker Lukas Wentzel have launched a Groote Post Rosé, made exclusively for market visitors. So if you like it, you need to buy a bottle there. Otherwise you can enjoy a craft beer from Darling Breweries for a very reasonable R30 as well as purchase soft drinks and water.
Once you have your picnic in order, grab a seat either on straw bales under umbrellas, or take an amble across the lawn and sit under the trees on the grass adjacent to the cellar (there are a few tables too) and listen to a live band while tucking into your yummy wares.
Kids will also have a great time as there are pony rides, tractor trips, face paninting and sheep shearing. Or hop on the Groote Post game vehicle for a tour of the game camp and vineyards.
I have been to many markets and will go to many more (I love markets!), but I have to say that this market is one of my favourites so far. I drank craft beer, tasted wines, scoffed samoosas, had a prego roll and ended up coming home with bacon jam and an African-shaped blackboard. But I also know that even if I just took R150 with me I could afford a few bevvies and a bite to eat while enjoying some fresh air accompanied by a great atmosphere. Yes, this is a true market!
Inside information
Once you’ve turned off the R27 towards Groote Post, it’s a dirt road for the rest of the way. It’s not a bad road, but you need to take it easy (and don’t panic, as there’s wine ahead!)
Published November 2014 | Vouchers supplied for a meal and a drink