We’re all waiting for summer to kick in properly.

In the meantime, there’s no harm in making plans, and taking advantage of the occasional sunny day in Cape Town.

A while back we told you about some of our favourite picnic spots in Cape Town.

The five on that list are pretty cool, but they don’t have the exclusivity and flair of a picnic curated by The Skotnes Restaurant.

The Skotnes Restaurant is situated on Steenberg Road in Tokai, within a beautiful sculpture garden, and next to the Norval Foundation art museum with mountain and vineyard vistas.

This contemporary restaurant, overseen by executive chef Phil de Villiers, serves traditional South African fare with a modern twist.

The menu pays homage to traditional South African dishes, but with a twist on some classics. The ingredients – where possible – are also sourced from local suppliers.

No-fuss exclusive picnics

Picnic, you say?

The restaurant offers intimate, curated picnics over summer (they only take five picnic bookings a day), so expect some privacy while you overlook the museum and sculpture garden.

No crowds, no deli fridges, and everything is prepared in advance. Just show up, collect your basket, and get straight to chilling with your friends, family, or special person (maybe even your Bok Boks).

Speaking of family…

The family-friendly picnic baskets are ordered ahead of time, and the price includes admission to Norval Foundation’s museum and gallery spaces. They come brimming with fresh, local and seasonal produce – in keeping with the Skotnes’ philosophy of supporting local, small-batch food suppliers.

Baskets also include a range of desserts made by their in-house pastry chef, for those with a sweeter tooth.

Kids will love the special picnic bags, packed especially for youngsters, so everyone gets their own goodies.

And if you’re taking that first step towards starting a family…

If you’re looking to “pop the question”, be sure to email bookings@theskotnes.com to enquire about their proposal packages, which includes a night’s stay in the apartment at Norval Foundation, and a champagne breakfast the next day.

It’s romantic, the setting is gorgeous, and your other half will thank you for it.

Want to visit, but not keen on a picnic?

As well as take-away coffee and a delectable range of Italian gelato, the on-site kiosk is a quick and easy way to grab a bite to eat while exploring the sculpture garden at Norval Foundation.

You had me at gelato…

If you’re keen to visit, here’s what you need to know.

• Picnic baskets start from R295 per person, and R95 per kids basket.
• Pre-ordering is essential.
• Please complete a provisional booking form or alternatively email bookings@theskotnes.com to reserve a spot, and they’ll get back to you with a confirmation email.

Remember, they only do five picnics a day, so you’ll want to get on that booking.

4 Steenberg Road, Tokai – happy summer, good people!