Rioja was the restaurant that Rob wanted to feature first on the series as its one of his personal favorites. He speaks so highly of Simon and Ceri that I had to wait a while to get all the correct info on the restaurant. He is a big man and we do our best to keep him at peace. Back to Rioja though, as today, they are the main feature.

Haut Espoir has had a long standing relationship with this fantastic restaurant. Rioja Restaurant has their fantastic premises at Solole Game Reserve, Noordhoek. The buffalo are still wandering, springbok are still greeting you at the gate as you enter the Solole Game Reserve. The tranquil setting lends itself to a lingering lunch, a romantic dinner or even the quick pizza and beer. Bit of something here for everyone.

Owners Simon and Ceri have resurrected this gem to re-establish a little haven in Rioja Restaurant, to escape the day-to-day grind. The conference and function facilities have been renovated for that special occasion, as well as the cocktail bar and lounge for a world-class cappuccino.

Rioja’s menu still has the tapas style starters to choose from, the favorite mains are in the menu as well as daily specials on the black board. The Italian style wood fired pizzas are as thin-crusted as before and homemade ice creams and cakes are prepared daily for the sweeter tooth.

You can view their full menu here and catch another brief description of the restaurant here.

We are always in awe of the food there and even beyond our wines, we love the wine list as well. Keep up to date by checking their events page here but even better, take a drive out and go eat at their amazing space, as its so much more than just a restaurant.