Culinary travel memories | Dining out in Montagu
Experience Montagu's hospitality through its diverse dining scene. From farm-to-table elegance at 22 on Church to the artisanal delights and family fare of Route 62 Brewing Company, each restaurant offers a unique culinary journey and taste memories.
Dining out while travelling plays a significant role in shaping your memories and experiences of a place. Each restaurant or eatery offers a direct and immersive way to connect with the local culture, culinary traditions and way of life. Every meal has the potential to become a story, where the flavours, aromas, and ambience all contribute to your travel tales.
Whether it’s a relaxed bistro or a fine dining restaurant, eating out is an opportunity to engage more deeply with your surroundings.
Beyond the food itself, the ambience and interactions also contribute to your travel moments. The setting of the restaurant - whether it’s a seaside café, a mountain-view bistro, a platteland eatery, or a quaint village tavern - creates a lasting impression of the place. Engaging with local waitrons, meeting the chef, and chatting to locals or fellow travellers adds a personal narrative to your journey.
If your road trip travels have brought you to Montagu and you are looking to add a memorable culinary experience to your itinerary, then there are several evening dining options to suit your budget and menu preferences.
Here are some of our favourite Montagu spots for dining out (in no particular order):
Piccolo Tesoro
This is where you’re made to feel part of the ‘familia’. Reminiscent of an authentic Italian village pizzeria, Piccolo Tesoro is an intimate, casual restaurant in Bath Street. Enjoy thin crust pizzas or pasta dishes of the day. (They do takeaway pizzas as well).
Piccolo Tesoro | Monday to Saturday from 17h00 - 22h00
(Call 076 246 7402 for reservations and takeaways)
22 on Church
For farm-to-table simple elegance, you cannot do better than 22 on Church where chef and proprietor, Sanel’s food philosophy is that the best food starts with the best ingredients. Curating a seasonal menu showcasing local produce, this gem of a restaurant is where the food is made with love, served with pride, and where the professional and friendly staff will always make you feel welcome. (Best to book in season).
22 on Church | Tuesday to Saturday from 17h00 - 22h00
(Call +27 23 614 1200 for reservations)
Route 62 Brewing Company
This family-friendly restaurant is ready with hearty fare - including burgers, pizzas and Karoo lamb chops - and good vibes. Craft beer and craft gin tastings are also on offer. Their slogan? ‘Crafting moments that matter.‘ Housed in the first post office on Montagu, the bright red post box is still there as a memento of its past life.
Route 62 Brewing Company | Tuesday to Saturday 11h00 - 20h00 | Sunday 11h00 - 18h00
(Call 084 099 6669 for reservations)
The Grill Room
Located at Mimosa Lodge in Church street, the Grill Room is where Swiss chef and owner, Bernhard Hess, weaves a little food magic with pairings of handcrafted Mimosa wines (in collaboration with boutique winemaker, Lourens van der Westhuizen). This is also where you'll find a delicious aged steak.
The Grill Room | Open everyday for dinner
(Call +23 614 2351 for reservations)
Charleston’s @ The Montagu Country Hotel
The iconic Art Deco Country Hotel in Bath Street is home to Charleston’s restaurant, known for its traditional country cuisine that celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients and culinary combinations with a twist that also packs a big flavour punch. (They also offer a kid’s menu).
Charleston’s | Monday to Sunday 17h00 - 22h00
(Call +27 23 614 3125 for reservations)
Fire Kitchen @ Blu Vines District
If you want a space that takes fine dining, culinary creativity, innovative dishes and luxuriously eclectic décor to the next level, then The Fire Kitchen at Blu Vines - where passion and flavour come together - is sure to be a memorable experience.
Fire Kitchen | Wednesday to Sunday 18h00 - 22h00
(Call +27 23 614 1663 for reservations)
In season, it’s best to book at any of the above restaurants.
All the above restaurant options are within walking distance of Grey Rabbit Cottage.
Montagu’s limited, but diverse dining scene - from farm-to-table elegance to artisanal delights - means each restaurant will enrich your taste memories and hopefully add to you truly experiencing the slow living magic and hospitality of this little Route 62 town.
PS. A few other evening dining out options:
Steyn's @ The Vic
Steyn’s @ The Vic is a family owned restaurant where the owner, Harm Steyn, is also the executive Chef. His menu includes seafood and meat dishes with flavour influences from from South Africa, France, Italy, America, Mexico and Spain. His food philosophy? “Uncomplicated, with the ingredients as the star of each dish is how great food should be.”
Steyns @ The Vic | Monday & Tuesday 12h00 - 21h00 | Thursday to Saturday 12h00 - 21h00 | Sunday 12h00 - 20h00 (Call +27 71 353 2860 for reservations)
The Burgundy Gherkin & Purple Pickle
For sit down or takeaways, this family-run restaurant is where you’ll find international and local flavours coming together: pizza, pasta, wraps, burgers, ribs, fish, chips, toasties and much more. (Gluten-free and banting-friendly pizza options are also available).
The Burgundy Gherkin | Monday to Saturday 11h00 - 20h30 (Call 084 875 7698 for reservations or takeaways)
Leon's on 62
Leon's Bistro and Country Kitchen is what is says on the label: an unpretentious, family-friendly platteland restaurant with a farm-like feel in the heart of the village of Montagu. ('Airs and graces' are not welcome here).
Various menu options focus on fresh, high-quality produce sourced locally.
Leon’s on 62 | Monday & Tuesday 09h00 - 20h00 | Thursday to Saturday 09h00 - 20h00 | Sunday 11h30 - 14h30 (Call +27 71 444 5677 for reservations)
Mitchell's Pub & Grill
A cosy, country town pub and sports bar in the Irish tradition, with a restaurant that offers excellent value for money meals.
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, ice-cold drinks and beer on tap, Mitchell's always draws a lively crowd.
Mitchell’s Pub & Grill | Monday to Friday 11h00 - 22h00 | Saturday 09h00 - 23h45 (Call 023 614 3013 fro reservations)
But first, coffee?
On any road trip, coffee shops are more than just a place to grab a quick caffeine fix; they’re perfect for creating lasting travel memories and provide the perfect setting to pause, reflect, and soak in the atmosphere of your travels. In Montagu, we have a range of coffee shops that are the beating heart of small town life; each one inviting you to ‘support local’ and celebrate a moment of slow living.
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