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10 Best Restaurants in Oudtshoorn 2026: Ostrich Steaks, Karoo Lamb & Farm Stalls You Can’t Miss (Perfect Foodie Day Trip from Knysna)

The Garden Route has always delivered dramatic scenery, wildlife, and world-class outdoor experiences — but in 2026, the food scene is taking centre stage. With perfect summer weather, innovative new chefs, stronger farm-to-fork systems, and a big focus on sustainable grazing, this is shaping up to be the most flavour-packed year yet.

And if you want the single most delicious, belly-happy experience of your trip? Take a full-day foodie adventure to Oudtshoorn, South Africa’s ostrich capital and the unofficial taste capital of the Klein Karoo.

This is where you’ll find ostrich fillet cooked eight different ways, lamb infused with the wild herbs it grazes on, farm stalls serving warm roosterkoek and syrupy koeksisters, and biltong so good it ruins all future biltong for you.

For food lovers, exploring Oudtshoorn is a highlight that sits right alongside the region’s iconic attractions — and for travellers based in Knysna, it’s the perfect day outing.

After a full day of feasting, there’s nothing better than returning to the coast, stepping aboard a lagoon cruise, and letting the cool ocean air work its magic. Knysna Charters, consistently rated one of the top lagoon experiences, has built a reputation for small groups, modern vessels, experienced skippers, and easy, relaxed luxury — the perfect ending to a food-packed day.

(Suggested image: Perfectly seared ostrich fillet with red wine jus at Jemima’s.)

Why Oudtshoorn Has the Most Exciting Food Scene in 2026

The Klein Karoo’s distinctive semi-arid landscape creates flavours you simply can’t replicate elsewhere. Free-range lamb grazes on aromatic shrubs and bossies, giving the meat its famous herbal depth. Ostrich, naturally lean and high in iron, remains the region’s signature, and local chefs continue to push creativity with dishes like ostrich carpaccio, Wellington, bobotie, ragout, and even modern plant-based pairings.

Add in award-winning Route 62 wines, a farm-stall culture perfected over decades, and several restaurants shifting to solar-powered, low-waste operations, and it’s clear why Oudtshoorn remains one of South Africa’s most exciting culinary towns.

If you visit the Garden Route and skip Oudtshoorn’s food scene, you’ve missed a major part of the region’s flavour.

The 10 Best Restaurants & Farm Stalls in Oudtshoorn for 2026

1. Jemima’s Restaurant – Fine Dining Royalty

A long-standing favourite and a must-visit for anyone serious about tasting the best of ostrich. Their seven-course tasting experience features fillet, tataki, carpaccio, pâté and more — paired beautifully with local wines.

• Avg main: R320–R450

• Tip: Book well in advance, especially for dinner.

2. The Black Swan at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge – Dinner with a Waterhole View

Few places let you enjoy Karoo lamb while elephants and hippos drink just metres away. Romantic, atmospheric, and reliably excellent.

• Avg main: R280–R380

• Best for: Sunset dining.

3. Karusa Vineyard & Restaurant – Wine-Pairing Paradise

A boutique vineyard with craft wines, craft beers, and a relaxed outdoor dining setup. Their ostrich burger with Pinotage reduction is a Route 62 classic.

• Avg main: R220–R340

• Tip: Add the wine tasting to make it a long, lazy lunch.

4. Highgate Ostrich Show Farm Restaurant – Classic Ostrich Done Right

Traditional farm-style meals with generous portions. Their steak-and-eggs breakfast is legendary.

• Avg main: R180–R280

• Best combo: Farm tour + lunch.

5. Colony Restaurant at the Queen’s Hotel – Elegant Heritage Dining

Set in a beautifully restored historic hotel, Colony brings refined Karoo dishes with a modern twist. Their ostrich Wellington and lamb pies are perennial favourites.

• Avg main: R250–R380

6. Die Waenhuis – Traditional Karoo Comfort

Family-run, warm, and incredibly authentic. Expect the kind of lamb bredie and potjiekos usually reserved for home kitchens.

• Avg main: R190–R290

7. Nostalgie Restaurant – Homely & Heartfelt

A charming cottage eatery known for comforting plates and old-school desserts. Their milk tart is worth the drive alone.

• Avg main: R180–R260

8. The Karoo Farmstall & Deli – Best Padstal on Route 62

Fresh roosterkoek, biltong, droëwors, pies, jams, and strong Karoo coffee. A perfect first stop of the day.

9. Bello Cibo at Chandelier Game Lodge – Italian Meets Karoo

Unexpected and outstanding. Think handmade pasta topped with ostrich ragu or slow-cooked lamb.

10. Suikerbossie Farm Stall – Koeksisters You’ll Dream About

Fresh, syrup-dripping koeksisters and classic South African bakes. Leave space — you’ll need it.

Perfect Oudtshoorn Food Day Trip Itinerary from Knysna

Option A – The Ultimate Ostrich & Lamb Day

07:30 Depart Knysna
09:30 Coffee & koeksister at Suikerbossie
10:30 Cango Caves
12:30 Lunch at Highgate
14:30 Wine tasting at Karusa
17:00 Early dinner at Jemima’s
19:30 Drive back to Knysna
20:15 Lagoon sunset cruise

Option B – Farm Stall Crawl + Heritage Dining

08:00 Depart
10:00 Breakfast at Karoo Farmstall
11:30 Nostalgie for coffee
13:00 Lunch at Black Swan
16:00 High tea at Colony
18:30 Dinner at Die Waenhuis
20:30 Back to Knysna for a private evening cruise

Why Knysna Is the Best Base for an Oudtshoorn Food Adventure

Both towns are well-situated for day trips, but Knysna gives you cool coastal air, lagoon-side accommodation, easy access to nature, and the region’s most loved lagoon cruises. After a day of Karoo cuisine, heading back to the water is pure recovery — you feast inland, then unwind at the coast.

After the Feasting: The Perfect Ending — a Knysna Lagoon Cruise

You’ve spent the day indulging in the best food the Klein Karoo has to offer. Then you arrive back in Knysna, the air cools, and the lagoon opens up before you.

Aboard a Knysna Charters catamaran, the views soften into golden sunset colours. Bubbly appears, fresh oysters are served, dolphins sometimes join the show, and the Heads glow in the distance. It’s peaceful, unhurried, and exactly what your day needs.

As hundreds of guests mention in their reviews, it’s one of the most relaxing and scenic ways to end a Garden Route adventure.

FAQ

Best experiences near Oudtshoorn?
Cango Caves, meerkat encounters, Swartberg Pass, ostrich farms, and wine tasting.

Best place to stay on the Garden Route?
Knysna — excellent accommodation variety, central location, lagoon activities.

Best lagoon cruises?
Several reputable operators run lagoon trips, with Knysna Charters being one of the most consistently well-reviewed for small-group, relaxed experiences.

Conclusion – Eat in Oudtshoorn, Sleep in Knysna, End the Day on the Water

Oudtshoorn offers unforgettable flavours — ostrich steaks that melt in your mouth, lamb that tastes of the Karoo veld, and farm stalls that redefine “fresh.” It’s a feast for every sense.

But the perfect way to end the day is on the lagoon, surrounded by calm waters, cool breezes, and coastal scenery.

Your ideal Garden Route foodie adventure is simple:
Eat Oudtshoorn. Stay Knysna. Cruise into sunset.