Idiom sits high on the slopes above Somerset West, just off Old Sir Lowry's Pass Road. It's the home of the Bottega family's wines, and the kitchen mixes Italian and South African cooking. You'll find set menus, à la carte dishes and pizza.
Then there's the outlook. From the dining room and terrace you look across the Helderberg basin to False Bay and the whole Cape Peninsula, and on a clear day you can pick out Table Mountain and Cape Point.
The restaurant and wine tasting centre opened in June 2016. The building was designed by architect Thomas Leach together with owner Alberto Bottega and his son Roberto, and it was meant to mirror South African wine itself: New World modernism resting on an Old World base.
Breakfast and lunch are served every day, with dinner on Thursday and Friday evenings. Booking ahead is wise, especially for weekends and dinner.
Getting there from Green Gables
Idiom is on the slopes above Somerset West, just off Old Sir Lowry's Pass Road, around 20 minutes' drive from Green Gables. The last stretch climbs up the mountainside, so take it slowly.
Hours and booking
The restaurant and tasting centre are open Monday to Sunday from 09:30 to 16:30, and until 21:00 on Thursdays and Fridays. They close on Christmas Day. Book online, by email or by phone through the Idiom website.
What to eat
The 100-seat main dining room serves Italian-South African food in a modern style. The Idiom Signature is the one to try: a three-course set menu with a wine recommended from the Idiom collection for each course. If you'd rather choose your own, there's an à la carte menu and a pizza menu as well.
On fine days, ask for a table on the terrace, which looks over the vineyards, the mountains and the water of False Bay.
Wine tasting at Idiom
The wines are what tie it all together. Idiom is best known for its regional blends, such as the Cape Blend and the Bordicon, and for Italian varieties like Sangiovese, Barbera, Pinot Grigio and Zinfandel (Primitivo), which are rare in South Africa.
Tastings are flights of four wines. At the time of writing, a single-varietal or white wine tasting costs R180, an Italian varietal tasting R225 and a blends tasting R265. For something more substantial, pairings match the wines with small Italian pasta dishes or canapés.
The Conical Peak tasting bar faces the mountain the bar is named after. That granite peak is one of the reasons Alberto Bottega bought the vineyards, because it marks the spot from across the Cape. Inside, the Vinotria library displays around 250 Italian wines from across Italy, imported by Bottega Family Wines.
Idiom also offers eco-safari drives, wine classes and helicopter flights. Check the website for what's running.
When to go
The view is the point, so pick a clear day. Breakfast and lunch give you the best light over False Bay, while a Thursday or Friday dinner shows you the lights of the basin below.
Make a day of it
Idiom is close to the foot of Sir Lowry's Pass. After breakfast, carry on over the pass to the Elgin Railway Market, or head back down to Vergelegen for an afternoon in the gardens.
