If you don’t know to look for it, you will never find Die Stoep restaurant in Bronkhorstspruit. Locals love thus neighbourhood institution and it is enjoyed by visitors who are in the know.
The portions are generous. When you see the prices, it’s not uncommon to believe that it’s groundhog day of any given day, a decade ago.
Die Stoep is open all day, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even offering a place for an in-between coffee. The pub area invites you for a drink later in the day.
As you approach, the green-painted stoep, the semi-Cape Dutch façade, and the 1970s-style kids’ jungle gym set a charmingly retro tone. Inside, pine wooden floors and a cozy dining area welcome you on one side, with a pub on the other.
The staff greet you with a warm smile. Then, you are sussed out; wait staff switch to whichever tongue the customer is comfortable in. Waiters tune into a customer’s Sesotho, Afrikaans or English.
Die Stoep is the home of the town’s first flush toilet, installed in 1952. You can ablute with a sense of history. It is also allegedly haunted. There is apparently a wandering ghost called Bob.
Nobody’s met Bob though. Die Stoep is situated in an old house that was built during the Great Depression and completed in 1931.
Later, as it changed hands through generations, an attic was added on and to the side. The ‘ghost room’ where Bob was said to make his appearances. It’s a chilled spot that’s also a pub, at night.
The menu is a delightful throwback to a time when dining out didn’t break the bank.
Die Stoep’s prices are almost half of what you’d pay at franchise restaurants nearby, and even less compared to dining options in Johannesburg or Pretoria.
For instance, Crumbed Mushrooms with tartare sauce are just R 65, significantly cheaper than the typical price of R 134.99.
Garlic Snails are R 80 per portion, still more affordable than at many family-priced restaurants. A large Greek Salad costs just R 65, about thirty percent less than average.
For starters there are Crumbed Mushrooms with tartare sauce, the portion pretty much the same as what you can get elsewhere, but at R 65 instead of R 134,99.
Garlic Snails are a bit pricier at R 80 a portion, but then again, it is still R 25 less than what you’d pay at a so-called family priced restaurant.
A large Greek Salad at Die Stoep is well under a clipper at just R 65. It’s around thirty percent cheaper than on average. And there’s a decent selection that will make any taste buddy happy.
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Die Stoep offers a range of affordable mains, like a 200-gram grilled fillet steak for under R 150, a 300-gram version for under R 200, and 300 grams of ribs for just R 125.
A 400-gram T-Bone steak is priced at R 170. All steaks are tender, well-grilled, and come with a choice of sauces like pepper, cheese, or monkeygland for only R 20. You can even enjoy a pizza starting at R 50.
Die Stoep also offers some signature main courses that include Tripe and Trotters, Lamb Tails Eisbein, Pork Chops and Bobotie amongst others. A
Chicken Schnitzel is a R 50 investment in a tasty meal. The Sauerkraut tastes just like granny used to make from scratch.
The kiddie’s menu is decent, though pricewise it’s a closer match to other family restaurants. But who cares, because for a family of four the bill will be at least thirty percent less than at most other places.
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The wine list, while not very extensive, is also not marked up so much that the vine sours before the first sip.
Die Stoep is not gourmet, manage your expectations. It’s an anytime dining experience that’s as easy on your pocket as it is easy on you.
The service is good, the food is decent, and even if you return just for the thrill of paying less for more, it’s a restaurant well worth pit-stopping at on a weekend sortie out of town.
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