Tucked moments away from the train tracks in the midst of Welmoed winery is Bistro13 a Stellenbosch based, destination lunch and dinner venue.
As you walk through an unassuming parking lot your are left with mixed emotions, the demure “dam” with a shooting fountain and a kids play area in the distance give a feeling of a casual pizza, family style offering yet the restaurant, adjacent to a tasting room for Stellenbosch Vineyards is filled with light, chic raw wood and a luminescent air of sophistication.
Enter the Alfresco space, the sun sparkles through the wine glasses and you’re greeted by friendly and knowledgeable staff-reminiscent of a fine dining environment in the city. The chef and his team are seen through a crack into the kitchen wall. Not a sound can be heard. As it should be, Gordon!
An order of a double espresso in a big cup “because my fat fingers never work with the little ones” has the already zealous staff giggling. The charm for me about bistros, and now Bistro13 in particular is often the approachable food and casual, unpretentious air or family-feel when dining in such stunning spaces.
The chef is well to do with a great amount of accolades in his apron and I say this nonchalantly yet respectfully because despite these nods the chef is friendly and allows beautifully presented and balanced dishes to speak for themselves and wins you over plate, by plate. 
Nic van Wyk was formally trained at the ICA in Stellenbosch and spent time in the kitchens of La Colombe with Franck Dangereux, where he fell further in love with French cooking. His love of robust flavours , from Provence to North Africa sees his food prepared classically French, but at home in South Africa, with a nod to nostalgia as he brings flavours of everyone’s food past back to life in a modern way. This passion was further pursued when he started his TV career with Kyknet’s Kokkedoor, an Afrikaans reality cooking show.
I cant tell you how refreshing it is to have a new eatery in Stellenbosch, bare in mind it’s more outskirts than city streets in terms of location but the experience is worth a little trek. I mean Simon Van Der Stel did it to bring you that delicious Chenin you adore so I am sure you are more than able to drive for a fantastic experience, with good affordable wine and simple, flavorful food in a picturesque setting.
Catering for any budget, Bistro 13 offers amazing specials and light lunch options. We indulged in Five Courses for R295.00 with wines. Incredible value and beautifully presented!
That being said, they say a pictures worth a 1000 words. I’ll let them speak for themselves.
Book soon, special ends at the end of August!
BISTRO13 | Welmoed Estate, R310 Baden Powell, Stellenbosch | tel: 021 881 3044 | reservations@bistro13.co.za
