The Green Café at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch is not a typical coffee shop. They offer a range of educational opportunities that integrate food and nature in exciting ways. It’s a place where people come together to learn, to enjoy delicious food and coffee, to see where the vegetables are grown, and to taste indigenous foods, creating a unique and enriching experience. Events and experiences manager Rico Wessels shares more about their Wild Table offering:
What inspired the creation of the Wild Table lunches?
Learning about local, edible indigenous plants from Loubie Rusch over the past year inspired us to experiment and really get to know these wonderful ingredients. As our journey progressed, we started discovering wonderful flavour combinations in our cooking and baking while learning about the wonderful health and medicinal benefits as well. We started hosting our own little foraging workshops and when we saw how engaged and inspired our guests were becoming, we thought it would be amazing to share these incredible insights as a seated dining experience. And so the Wild Table concept was created, put to the test and started receiving wonderful feedback.

What can people expect when they join a table?
The Wild Table is a seated dining experience and interactive indigenous plant info and foraging session. The Wild Tables are inspired by our beautiful natural setting and we set our tables up in one of our many green spaces. Guests are served with an indigenous plant inspired lunch and this is preceded by a foraging tour to discover where the many different wild herbs and plants grow right here in and around our permaculture food garden. The tables are decorated with wild herbs and indigenous plants in order for guests to enjoy their meals and see the raw ingredients in its natural form as well. Guests can engage with the presenter by asking questions and even learn new cooking techniques.

Who are these tables for?
Any group interested in a dining experience that is different, delicious, indigenous plant inspired, nature inspired, sustainably aligned and exciting. Group sizes can range from 10 to 40 persons.
Why are experiences such as these important?
The Café, in conjunction with its diverse offerings, is committed to enlightening and inspiring visitors to reconsider their relationship with food and food choices. Food plays a central role in our culture, identity, and our connection to the land. Apart from people having the opportunity to connect around a meal, offerings such as the Wild Table Lunch also create opportunities to rediscover forgotten indigenous foods such as dune spinach and sandkool – foods that thrive in the Cape’s coastal climate and were eaten by our predecessors as part of their regular diet.


Visit the Green Café
The Green Café is situated at the Sustainability Institute in Lynedoch, Stellenbosch. To find out more, visit, or book an experience please get in touch with Rico at bookings@sustainabilityinstitute.net, or visit https://www.sustainabilityinstitute.net/about-us/our-spaces/
Incomparable !!!
🙂