My ♥ stopped at De Oude Bank in Stellenbosch.

The Easter weekend brought with it buckets of rain. And so, we decided to meet a friend at a very cosy spot in Stellenbosch for lunch. De Oude Bank Bakkerij is one of those gems you stumble upon and the type of place that you can spend hours in. The decor is old-school and rustic and true to the history of the place. 

I discovered that the owner, Fritz Schoon, worked under Markus Farbinger at Ile de Pain, which makes complete sense! I adore Ile de Pain (Knysna) and De Oude Bank is equally as wonderful. 

Eat Out had this to say:

"Markus is considered by many as the best baker in the country, and his disciples are easy to spot, owing mostly to their dedication and passion for bread. Fritz is no exception, and he churns out faultless ciabatta, sourdough, dark rye, baguettes, breadsticks and more. Guests are encouraged to grab some bread and use it as the hero for their meal. From there you choose a few of the excellent condiments to smear on top. The award-winning Jamon ham from Jason Lucas is a must, as is the soft and creamy buffalo mozzarella. Other options include blue gum honey, Black Forest ham, various cheese varieties, beef salami, Namibian biltong, mustard glaze, olive tapenade, and shitake mushroom pesto. It’s a refreshingly simple, utterly delicious way to eat."

We ordered a range of goodies, sourdough, ciabatta, olive tapenade, slow roasted tomatoes, Bree, cream cheese, salami, jam, olive sticks and more. The food is served on wooden boards and even the teaspoons are unique and delightful. There is something so amazing about ordering loads of little things and combining them to create a feast. And feast we did. I ate like it was the first time I'd seen food and so I could barely move afterwards.

The wines are all local, and from boutique estates. They rest on beautiful thick wooden shelves, and are surrounded by hanging meats and stacked breads. 

The total bill (for 3 of us) including drinks and red cappuccinos came to R200! R200! INSANE. And really, we kept ordering more and more and more. 

The great part is that everything is also for sale in the restaurant, so we took extra home.

De Oude Bank is the type of place you visit again and again. It's South African food at its finest and the cosy atmosphere (including the small amount of tables) just adds to this Stellenbosch MUST. 

Find De Oude Bank at 7 Church Street, Stellenbosch, 021 883 2187. 

(top pic from capetownmagazine.com)