Majeka House in Stellenbosch has always been a haven for design lovers and wine country wanderers. Now it has a new reason to linger. Later this month, the boutique hotel, recently acquired by The Living Journey Collection, will open Plenitude, a neighbourhood restaurant with a generous heart and a focus on approachable, seasonally inspired food. The culinary reins are in the capable hands of local chef and restaurateur Callan Austin, known for his sustainability-driven approach at the critically acclaimed Dusk, and long-time colleague chef Orlando Reid, who will oversee daily operations.
“Plenitude means abundance, and that’s exactly the spirit we want to bring back to Majeka House,” says Austin. “We’re not creating a hotel restaurant. We’re creating a restaurant that just happens to be in a hotel, one that the neighbourhood will claim as their own.”
Set against the Helderberg Mountains, Majeka House has been thoughtfully refreshed without losing its design-forward character under the careful eye of The Living Journey Collection founders Friedrich and Lorraine Schaefer. Interiors have been softened with modernised seating, new tableware and a relaxed ambiance that encourages lingering, whether over lunch stretching into the afternoon or a quietly special evening meal.
“We’re opening with relaxed sophistication blended with summer holiday energy,” Austin adds. “It’s a space where you feel at home but know that someone has taken care of the details.”
Plenitude’s kitchen garden is making a comeback, offering the chefs a daily harvest of fresh herbs and vegetables. “Working with Friedrich and Lorraine Schaefer has offered me an exciting new chapter. This is a chance to cook beyond fine dining, to cook as I would for family and friends,” the chef reflects.
The menus balance casual favourites with elevated dishes. The à la carte lunch menu runs from 12pm to 4pm and includes Summer Tomato Salad, Thai Seared Tuna, Chicken Prego and Lamb Rib Flatbread. Evening service shifts into a more refined, locally inspired rhythm, pairing estate wines with dishes such as gnocchi mushroom, prawn and mussel pomodoro, and North African spiced cauliflower. Desserts include a lemon and raspberry posset and an assortment of Cape Winelands cheeses. Breakfast is served daily and is open to both guests and visitors.
Majeka House aims to make Plenitude a restaurant for locals first, according to Desmond O’Connor, group GM of The Living Journey Collection. “The soul of a great restaurant lies in local support. We want Stellenbosch and Helderberg residents to feel like Plenitude belongs to them, whether for a casual lunch, a lingering dinner or a glass of wine at the bar.”
With its blend of relaxed elegance, thoughtful cooking and a sense of place, this new restaurant might just become a new favourite in the Winelands dining scene.
Plenitude opens on November 20, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Bookings can be made via Dineplan.
