I love trying out new places and on Sunday I went out with my friend Lisa (author of this post) to Cafe Forest Friends in Vredenburg for the first time and it is an absolute gem of a place tucked away in Vredenburg!

Cafe Forest Friends is situated at Forest Friends Urban Farm which is an urban aquaponic farming venture, a beautiful 1 hectare farm tucked away in Vredenburg. Forest Friends Urban Farm is owned and run by Nadine and Louis Kuys. Cafe Forest Friends is owned and run by Lorinda Engelbrecht de Reuck.

Getting to Cafe Forest Friends was interesting, we were in the middle of the town, then in a suburban area and when we turned into the gate suddenly we were on a farm with trees and greenery all around. I wasn’t joking when I said it is “tucked away”.

*** UPDATED – CAFE FOREST FRIENDS HAS CLOSED***

Cafe Forest Friends Menu

The menu is amazing, I am a huge fan of breakfasts and they have a lovely selection of breakfasts including bacon and egg options, Japanese hotcakes, french toast, omelettes, flapjacks and wraps.

Lunch options include salads, toasted sandwiches, homemade pies, wraps and a naked burger (no roll). There are two good meal options for vegans – there is the  Raw Herbivore salad which is a salad with roasted veggies (vegan cheese is an optional extra) and there is also the Veggie Wrap.

On the desserts and treats side there is a selection of waffles, cake of the day, muffins and scones.

Please note that this restaurant is not halaal.

If you send Lorinda a whatsapp on 064 519 6566 she can send you the menu to have a look.

Cafe Forest Friends Setting

There are tables available outside as well as indoor tables. We chose to sit outside under a tree because the setting was so beautiful and of course with the pandemic I almost always opt for outdoor dining.

There is a beautiful enclosed astroturf play area for kids which is fantastic, I really must come back with my kids! There is a slide, sand pit, swings, climbing gym and a hammock. I can see that this setup is perfect for moms that want to relax and know that their kids are happy and safe.

The decor is just divine, outside there are beautiful artsy plots with plants in and everywhere you look there is something beautiful to see, whether it is a wooden carving or the toadstools that are placed in the jug on our table.

I think that the plants are for sale and not just decor, I will have to check this with Lorinda!

In the indoor section along with the indoor dining tables, there are health foods, cannabis products, farm products (jams, free range eggs and more), clothing, jewelery and lots of other items for sale.

Art and Things Like Junk Journaling

Lorinda does art mornings every second Thursday and she came over to show us her latest craze which is junk journaling and if you read my blog regularly you will know what a fan I am of journaling for mental health!

Junk journaling, as explained to us by Lorinda, is when you take an old book – the kind that has the stitching in the spine and you take the stitching out and pull out the pages. You then choose some pages for throwing away, like getting rid of parts of your life that you no longer need and then when you re-stitch the book you add in all sorts of things from your life that you want to add to your junk journal. She brought out her junk journal to show us and it is really beautiful. I can see how this would be a highly therapeutic thing to do!

I see in the Cafe Forest Friends Facebook group that there have been art sessions for kids too and if you want to have a birthday party there for your kids you can include something arty like the pottery party I saw.

My Verdict For Cafe Forest Friends

This is not just a place to eat and run. It is a place that has immense character and a welcoming atmosphere. It was fantastic chatting to Lorinda and having her so openly include us in her junk journaling journey. Lorinda is charismatic and loads of fun and this shines through clearly in this beautiful place she has created.

The food was amazing and so was the double cappuccino, so I had to have one when I arrived and one before I left too! If you are in the West Coast you just have to visit this gem tucked away in Vredenburg. I’ve included a Google map below so you can find it.