Unique experience, explosion of flavours.

If you are looking for an overall fantastic experience, then do this. The view is spectacular, the food is spectacular and the wine pairing and selection is also spectacular! Highly recommend it :)

Best restaurant view ever in a quiet setting. Wonderful and inventive food and wine pairings. Service was stellar. They did a great job with my request to eat gluten free. Many of the dishes are naturally that way but the gluten free bread was delicious.

This was such a treat and great ending to 2020. The strictest protocol is followed but still intimate and personalized service. This to me is not fine dining but rather “fine food” experience. It’s a special way to celebrate the beauty of the west coast while keeping it sustainable and seasonal, offering the simplicity of the west coast produce in the most respectful way. I might be bias because I am from the west coast and love everything about it. Definitely an experience, so try for yourself

We arrived at the Restaurant and see the beautiful place and a spectacular view, unfortunately the food in my opinion was not that good, the owner / cook was not that friendly and in a restaurant like that it is not possible that there is no espresso or cappuccino.It was a unique experience and I think I would not go again and I do not recommend it

If the review is based on plating and crockery used, then definitely outstanding, but amoung the 6 course menu that we had, only 3 of them were delicious the other 3 was just average, thats my opinion

I had lunch at Wolfgat on Sunday 3 Oct 2021. The different dishes did not appeal to me

Incredible attention to detail, impeccable service and absolutely delicious food. Wine pairing is highly recommended - locally sourced natural wines which compliment each course beautifully.

Not our style at all. Probably one of the best settings we have ever eaten at, but the minimally prepared cooking style was not tasty at all for our palates. The chefs style is clearly that he uses what he forrages for and does not mess with over cooking his food. There are many people who will love this, but it is not our taste.

A long awaited food experience that had two sides to tell. Side 1, the cuisine was fantastic and lived up to all expectations and previous reviews that we had heard and read. Absolutely delicious.Side 2, unfortunately was not that great. We originally booked and paid in Feb 2020 however as a result of the COVID situation we were only able to get there in September 2020. We thought that the service would have matched the food. How wrong we were! The courses were served like a factory production line that was behind schedule. There was no passion and joy in the service.After spending that amount of money to eat there and after being closed for a couple of months, one would have thought that the hosts would have been over-joyed to have clientele again, even though far fewer than normal. It was a great pity that the service did not match the fantastic food.

An extremely unique experience, with local foraged produce- things weve never tasted before. Beautiful location, not sure well do it again though- a bit overpriced and we were still hungry

We left underwhelmed. There are so many other sensational restaurants to enjoy and experience which offer much better value for money and a unique experience.Very little enthusiasm on the dishes and components there of. Most would appreciate more insight on the origin of the ingredients and the way it is forage - this is their point of difference, right?Wine Pairing is very good, albeit way over priced and a very shy hand.Expectations exceeds a reality unfortunately.

What an experience! The food is something I have never had before. An incredible mix of flavours. Words are too difficult to do it justice. If you enjoy challenging your conventional palate then this is a must. Was seven courses with incredible wines. The service was great and it has an incredible view. Pricey, absolutely! But worth it.

Nothing I say will do justice to the utterly sublime experience it is eating at Wolfgat. Every single detail of the meal is curated to perfection. It will open your eyes to the bounty around you.

We loved the detail, the flavours and the setting! Art on a plate!!

An experience impossible to reproduce anywhere else and entirely memorable.

Eccellent place, amazing chef, well educated staff. The menu is incredible, interesting and attractive. The position on the beach is the cherry on! I went from cape town, nice landscape on the way. Dont miss

Cant beat the setting and what an experience. Definitely needs to be on everyones bucket-list

Wolfgat is a truly exceptional culinary experience, worth a travel to this exotic country and the small town of Paternoster on the West Coast of South Africa. The wine pairing with the food highly recommend. From the snacks, right through to the desert, your senses are awakened with every sip and mouthwatering twists Kobus, the chef and owner, has conjured up. A true magician, the chefs magic will transport you to a place of pure enjoyment. Book well in advance. Dont miss this delightful restaurant.

Thank you Wolfgat for your great food and service, really really good food with great texture. Dessert wasn’t my favorite but everything else was awesome.

A culinary experience of uniqueness. Each course is a sensory delight.

Wow what a amazing lunch. Kobus and the team you guys rock !!!! Cant wait for the next visit. Put this on your to-do-list.

Only walked past. Service restricted to 20 peopld max. Very exclusive. Only by invitation.

Foraged food from the region at the historical Wolfgat was a culinary sensation. Dont miss this experience. The view during sunset is spectacular.

Always on the lookout for interesting places to please our palates, we stumbled on its unassuming website, which immediately piqued our interest. Spent a few minutes gathering more information about Kobus and his food and we were sold! Hook. Line. Sinker. (Caveat: before any awards).-Service at 12:30 (we went in April for lunch). Apart from the food, adding to the atmosphere was the unintentional theatre taking place on the beach below with fisherman cajoling their boats in and out of the water.-The photos speak for the food, but this was the conversation at the table: “It smells like moving when you are packing up your house” and “It tastes like freshly cut grass” ... in a good way! It pushed our senses way beyond any fine dining food we’ve ever had is now firmly etched into our ‘taste memory’.-It was great to be able to talk to the team about the local ingredients (some growing in our garden 1 500 km away) and gaining a true appreciation and education of what ‘eat (hyper) local’ really means - something thats often harder to achieve for city slickers surrounded by burbs rather than bush.-If you do get the opportunity to go, you simply must do it with the wine-pairing. That in itself is something to experience and learn about the wines in the region. We came full circle after driving through the Swartland for two days and then drinking some of their best wines at Wolfgat.-Finally, watching the team work was one of the best flat organisational structure examples Ive ever seen in action. Business world take heed, throw away your chef whites and serve tables. Give your team the opportunity to cook. Throughout the lunch sitting it was clear to see that the team and the chef are equals. Great success can be achieved in shorts and velskoene #justsaying-But, please, don’t go if its just another foodie fine dining bucket list item for you to tick - the team, the food and the experience deserve more appreciation than that. Leave the spots open for those of us who will go over and over again (yes, the menue changes with every season and in an ideal world wed go four times a year!) and love it more every time.

Stunning views combined with exquisite food. Worth the time and effort

What a lovely experience. The food was impeccaable, the wine pairing was impressive. The head chef is such a humble guy and engaging. We loved every minute. Would definitely come back. Great views added to the experience.

Great food and experience !

It’s certainly deserving of its title of number 1 restaurant in the world. Tiny little hole in the wall kind of place with amazing food that’s all locally sourced.

An exceptional experience of food

This place is just great. Kobus and his team keep on producing and serving amazing and unique dishes that you will not eat elsewhere. The place has a great ambiance, service is superb, location is fantastic, and Kobus creates a gentle, warm and humble vibe which makes this place so special. Looking forward to the next visit.

Do not make a reservation at this restaurant unless you are 100% certain of going! I booked 2 months in advance, had to cancel and am still fighting for them to give my £100 deposit back. Multiple emails and nothing... Please beware if you dont want to lose your money!

So sorry theyve been closed due to collecting their international award.

Creative, delicate, and thoughtful dining experience. The flavour combinations of each dish were truly amazing! I love that they incorporate local seaweeds, fynbos, and other produce. The staff unfortunately lacked personality and rushed through the explanations of the dishes. It would have been nice for the owner to explain a little bit about his story and how Wolfgat was created as well. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. If driving up from Cape Town go early and stop at the west coast national park or in Darling.

To be honest I found Wolfgat to be very average in most respects. Not really a welcoming atmosphere from start to finish. Very little interaction from Kobus and staff outside of getting the next course out and not really fully going through the menu and talking about the culinary experience the restaurant claims to have. Atmosphere was flat to say the least.Food was good, not wow but good. A few courses were very good but again no real wow factor (maybe Kobus was tired). Value for money is a big negative - At about R1500 per head for two of us (drinks included only one bottle of wine at R300 and a bottle of water) i certainly did not see the value at all. All doors and windows were kept open for the entire dinner (for COVID reasons, i understand) but there were no blankets provided to cover your legs or other effective heating and it was uncomfortably cold throughout the meal - even the fire on the inside was tiny and ineffective. Also, no espresso coffee is not really acceptable for a restaurant of this caliber.Overall I was underwhelmed and disappointed as i had booked months ago for a special occasion and didn’t get nearly what i was expecting. There appears to me to be a slight arrogance about the place in that if you are lucky enough to get a booking you should just take what you get.If you want great food, ambiance and the real deal in Paternoster rather go to Leeto! Now that is an experience worth traveling for.I would like to have emailed Kobus directly about my experience but unfortunately no email address/contact on website.

Unique dining experience. Adventurous and intimate. Local Weskus ingredients that you have never eaten before. Spectacular uninterrupted views of the beach and little town. Chef Kobus van der Merwe and his small dedicated team have moved their restaurant from Oep ve Koep to the historic Wolfgat.

Wonderful experience! So different and still so tasty! Its worth the wait! Make you booking now!!

The Emperor is not wearing any clothes. View is spectacular, service is severely sub-standard and food meh. Chokka dish was good, the rest was all a variation on a single note. On the plus side, the view is spectacular. Must be trading on novelty because the flavours missed the mark. Overpriced and overrated. View is spectacular though! :D

Absolutely stunning setting and mind blowing food.

Epic and #CrazyDelicious food. Well worth a visit.

Need to get hold of them and NO WAY to update meal and dietary preferences. Disappointing.How do we get hold.of you... we are coming on Friday!

Most interesting for of the shoreline with your taste senses. He is a truly talented chef

I wanted to find out if I could go there without a reservation, the door was closed and I looked through the open window. A waiter kept walking past me and when I called him he just ignored me flat, I thought that was very rude. When I am in Paternoster again I will definitely not go there.

Did not get a chance to enter and dine here. Very exclusive restaurant, although may not look like it from the outside. Booked up most of the time and will need to book 3 months in advance to get a table.

Fabulous gastronomic experience! Kobus is a fantastic host and his staff are amazing.

Exquisite food! wonderful atmosphere, caring friendly waiters.

Amazing experience, service and food are just wonderful, fresh with great combination of flavours

We were so excited of course reserving 3 months in advance for our reservation. The location, view and rustic feel was amazing - the fish courses throughout were beautiful and very simple...the final meat course however was not necessary and verging on bad. The main issue with the lunch was the service - there was no introduction, over the course of 4 hours we were only asked once if we wanted another drink, and for the price there was barely any explanation of what we were eating coupled with absolutely no enthusiasm. We were also a little shocked that we had to pay an additional 200 rand for an optional crayfish, which really should have been included in the full amount and seemed almost the crescendo of the whole meal. Had a lovely time but really disappointing service.

Lovelly place with beautiful tastes

Because of Covid only 4 tables but truly amazing and inventive

Fantastic experience in a beautiful setting overlooking the ocean. Food was delicious and interesting and the wine pairings were unusual and fabulous. We chose the chef’s recommendation wine pairing and I am very glad we did. Also served by the chef himself which was lovely. Overall great experience!

One of the best places ever

I really appreciate the story of this restaurant and their commitment to local and foraged foods. Also, the setting is incredibly beautiful. That doesn’t change the fact that many of their dishes were essentially...meh. There were two of the seven courses I found really well thought out and could see on any Michelin menu, but the rest seemed somewhat scraped together. Additionally, only two courses were not seafood, and one of those was dessert. I feel this should essentially be marketed as a “taste the local sea” kind of experience instead of fine dining.

WOW WOW WOW! You have to go and see for yourself

The 20 seats in this humble cottage above a beach in Paternoster, two hours from Cape Town, get snapped up months in advance. Here, chef Kobus van der Merwe has gained a cult following for his foraged beach vegetation menu. But success didn’t arrive overnight. He has been pioneering sustainable cooking on South Africa’s west coast for a decade – first at Oep ve Koep (the tiny bistro he still runs in his parents’ farm stall) and now at Wolfgat, pictured, named after a nearby cave which contains remnants of an early civilisation. Today, he uses ingredients typical of the ancient diet of the nomadic Strandlopers, who combed the shores of this stark coast. Seasonal foods include bokkoms (dried fish), veldkool (flower buds) and pickled slangbessies berries. Wild oysters are whipped into a pâté with housemade fynbos-infused vermouth and foraged purslane. And for pudding there might be crispy kelp served with sweet pear ice cream. This off-the-beaten-track spot is worth the significant detour out of the city

We had a wonderful experience. Great staff, absolutely delicious tasting and everyone’s food request were accommodated. The town is lovely and friendly.

A group of us enjoyed the Wolfgat experience one new years eve. Such an amazing setting and experience, drinking wine & eating locally foraged food thats been given such high levels of thought and passion. Highly recommend.

Gastronomic experience of note. From the gorgeous location overlooking the beach and Greek style village, to the sound and scent of the ocean, and the beautifully understated decor, Wolfgat was a treat for the senses. Not least the food and wine experience, and the personal attention. Thanks Kobus and staff for a memorable afternoon.

We celebrated our anniversary here, and we could not have chosen a more perfect evening. We loved every unique texture, taste, and attention to detail. Every dish is perfectly prepared and presented. Thank you for an amazing experience!

As a vegetarian, it was amazing. Had the same unbelievable experience, taste and oeuvre of exceptional ideas and truly artistic, playful and wonderful nuanced dishes as the rest of the table. Superb atmosphere and truly a spectacular view.... service.... wine I’ve never tasted before and deserving the title as best Restaurant in the World!

Probably best dining experience ever. Also great wine list

We had lunch today, a culinary experience in a very unassuming old fisherman’s cottage. Wonderful food and wine. Our favourites were the angelfish (6th course) and the very beautiful desert.

Exotic. Beautiful view. Excellent food

If I can do 7 stars I will☺.One of the best vegetarian fine dining experience Ive ever had.Well done to Kobus and his team🎊🎉🎊

Drove 250km from Hermanus to try and book the whole restaurant for a special birthday party for 20. Had to do this as multiple emails were not replied and calls not answered. When i arrived at the door, was told that the restaurant would not entertain my requests but instead just go to the website. The website does not take bookings for more than 8. I expected some common courtesy to at least hear us out given the long distance we travelled to get there. I suspect fame has gone to their heads.

A very unique experience. The flavours of herbs and plants foraged from the surrounding area were most surprising and delicious. All this coupled with excellent attention to detail and amazing service made this a most pleasurable experience.

Incredible experience. Extremely unique tastes. Loved everything about it!

I cant wait to experience your exquisite food Kobus. Congratulations on winning the best restaurant in the world. You have made the West Coast and South Africa proud.

Beautiful views and very interesting food

I had lunch at his Bistro at the shop, in 2014 & the food was disgusting.Fish Bobotie, was dry.Only 2 tables, took hours to serve.

Really one of the best restaurants I’ve eaten in ! The place is beautiful and picturesque and the waiters are very nice. The food is literally amazing : from the starters to the 4th meal, everyting is near from perfection. They use local and seasonal food which often are original and exquisite ! It is worth the 2hours drive from Capetown !

It was truly an amazing experience. The food was different and delicious. The setting was beautiful and intimate. Definitely worth a visit

Great food and service.

Amazing views and location of restaurant. Found the amount of food quite little for the price you pay. I do visit fine dining restaurants, but found the portions very small for the price.

The best food I had in South Africa so far! And some of the most exotic ingredients ever! Kobus is a forager and a very creative chef. Deserves a Michelin star and i think one day he will be “discovered”

Amazing food experience. The relaxed atmosphere, alongside the perfectly presented and prepared food made for an incredible lunch.

Absolutely beautiful place. Fabulous and knowledgeable chef and staff. A magical experience you cannot miss. Food is unusual but wow and devine. Kobus you deserve all the accolades and more. One of the most memorable experiences we have had. Will definitely spread the word and would love to visit again.

This is a unique restaurant. The focus is on fine dining with a sustainable local wildfood focus. Fantastic views. Wonderful wine list.

Inconspicuous, but an experience of gastronomical proportions that cannot be captured in words.

Outstanding flavors! The owner/chef forages local ingredients to create unusual dishes. Wonderful out look over the bay.

Amazing experience!

Atmosphere... Breathtaking. Food... BREATHTAKING & GENIAL. Worth to come at least 4 times a year.

Superb establishment. West Coast at its best! This restaurant supports local fishers and the setting is FANTASTIC.

Just back from an extraordinary and special dinner. Highly recommended!!!Thanks for a great evening with unique experience 😉🍷

The food and the service was amazing. Really enjoyed the lunch.The details in the flavors and food presentation is 6✳⭐

From authentic & delicious food, local bubbles, excellent service to endless stretch of epic beach views - wolfgat is divine! One major downfall though, the portions are way too small, we left hungry!

An experience of a lifetime

Amazing food, not super expensive, happy that I have tried it

The owner is an exceptional man! We were looking for a very cheap snack bar , but rated best fish & chips in South Africa on a beach . (On the rocks) They are so small they did not even have a road sign. We went into Wolfgat restaurant, and asked the owner for what we thought was the best restaurant in Paternoster. He smiled, left his customers, and walked out with us pointing to a green roof in the distance. All that, l when he was just voted as the best restaurant in the whole wide world! If I was a drinker I would give that man a bells!Andre Lotz (PS. the On the Rocks fish was amazing!)If I win the lotto, or get a job in the ANC, I would love to try his food.

What an experience! Fantastic and interesting food. Lovely evening!!

Best fine dining experience ever!

Great food in an intimate restaurant

Wonderful, extraordinary kitchen, inspired by freshly foraged plants from earth and sea.

Go for dinner. Very good coffee

Beautiful setting with a lovely atmosphere of a cozy cottage. Also a wonderful communal story of upliftment. Unfortunately the food is not worth the hype - foraged food that is only served in a unique way does not change that it is not tasty, nor are the pairings well thought out. An example is a smoked mussel with a piece of peach. Theres quite a craze about this restaurant based on reviews which would make anyone visiting the Western Cape want to visit. I would not recommend this restaurant as I believe based on ratings that all the other top 19/20 South African restaurants are far better. Paternoster is exceptionally beautiful, you should definitely visit the area, but if your looking for a culinary experience than rather go to Protege; the restaurant at Waterkloof; the Greenhouse; the Test Kitchen; La Colombe; Potluck Club; Rust en Vrede etc.

Stunning food, interesting wine, superb service, perfect location.

Amazing experience. Wonderful setting overlooking the ocean. Fantastic tasting menu. Absolutely recommend.

This was truly an awe inspiring lunch. Well done to all.

An unique experience. didn’t know that vygies taste so good

Wolgat must be in my top 3 restaurants in the world. That list includes a smattering of 2 & 3 Michelin-starred establishments. I wish I could go there more often but I live too far away (in the land of Raymond Blanc and Tom Kerridge). I understand that Kobus won a prestigious award for being the top SA chef in 2018. This would have been deserved. I first encountered his creativity and personal touch at Oep-ve-koep and was blown away. Restaurants such as those graced by Kobus should be a BIG TREAT and for me that means challenging my tastebuds. Who wants to go for top nosh and get a competent steak (even though theyre not as easy to find as one might think)?Dont expect anything ordinary at Wolfgat; from the food to the wine. Expect to be delighted by things you have never heard of before, many of which start out with every day ingredients that youd never imagined actually eating. If Mnr van der Merwe doesnt put a smile on your face, you dont deserve to be looking out over this incomparable view of the Atlantic enjoying those unique dishes.Ill finish off with a quote from Pontus Eloffsson, original sommelier at NOMA (almost impossible to get into having been rated the top restaurant in the world for many years in succession): order two glasses of the Testalonga El Bandito and ask them to play The Clash on repeat. I dont know if Testalonga is currently on the Wolfgat wine list but Kobus will have something excellent, probably from the Swartland. Rene Redzepi didnt get to be top restauranteur in the world by being timid.