De Werf Farmstall & Weekend Food Market

A relaxed weekend market where the N7 meets the R304 near Philadelphia, with indoor and outdoor stalls, a jumping pillow for the kids and a resident flock of peacocks waiting to be fed.

De Werf is a family destination first and a market second, which is what makes the weekends there work so well. The market runs every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and on selected public holidays, on grounds that already hold a restaurant, a farmstall and a good deal of open space.

The stalls are spread across indoor, covered and outdoor areas, so a grey Cape morning or a hot afternoon changes very little about the day. Food is the centre of gravity: roosterkoek, ribs, pizza, calamari, dim sum, Southern fried chicken, burgers, shawarmas, waffles and real gelato, with plenty of seating under cover and out in the open. Live music plays on most weekends and on the public holidays the market opens for.

Children have a large play area, tunnels and a jumping pillow to get through, plus peacocks to feed, which tends to buy parents a longer sit than most markets manage. Parking is secure, the venue is enclosed and the restroom facilities are a step above the usual.

Because the restaurant and the De Werf Farmstall are open seven days a week from 8am to 6pm, a market visit can easily stretch into breakfast, lunch or a slow wander through the grounds afterwards. Its position at the N7 and R304 intersection also makes it a straightforward stop on the road between Cape Town, Malmesbury and the West Coast.