The Magoebaskloof Farmstall and Café sits near a sharp bend on the R71, the notoriously steep and winding road between Haenertsburg and Tzaneen. The Canadian-born Angie Paterson and her South African husband Harry Van Den Heever opened the café in December 2018 on the site of an old farmstall that had lain abandoned for more than a decade. 
 
Farmstalls are a common occurrence in South Africa, but the Magoebaskloof Farmstall and Café stands out from the rest. First, this place has style, with beautiful wooden shelving, trendy light fixtures, a huge fireplace in the centre of the café, and the nicest looking farmstall toilets in the country. The outdoor picnic tables, decorated with vases of local flowers, look straight out into an indigenous forest.
 
Second, the food on offer at the Magoebaskloof Farmstall and Café is mostly plant-based. While the café does serve meat pies and a few other dishes with meat in them, the menu centres around vegetarian and vegan options like vegetable soup, smoothies, freshly baked bread, and vegetarian burgers including the “Beyond Meat” burger — a soy-free vegan burger famous for tasting almost exactly like real meat. 
 
I tried a Beyond Burger myself, topped with vegan cheese and mayo on a thick white bun, and while I don’t think I would have been fooled in a blind taste test this burger is pretty darn close to the real thing. 
 
Vegan carrot cake and other baked goods are available for dessert. The café also sells freshly brewed, fair-trade coffee, local craft beer, gin cocktails, and wine.
 
Angie and Harry strive to make the Magoebaskloof Farmstall and Café sustainable, selling as many products as possible from local farms and suppliers and creating the most minimal amount of waste. The produce for sale is always in season and the shop sells reusable fruit and veggie bags and food wraps. The shop also sells homemade soap and shampoo bars, jewelry, clothing, and a variety of other locally made gifts. 
 
Just behind the café is Busy Lizzy’s Petals, a “forest nursery” selling a huge variety of local plants and flowers. The nursery is absolutely charming, with beautiful landscaping and signage, and is a joy to wander through even for those not in the market for plants. Onsite assistance at the nursery is available Wednesday through Sunday until 2:00 p.m., but customers can also choose plants themselves and pay for them inside the café. 
 
Follow the Magoebaskloof Farmstall and Café on Facebook for announcements about new menu offerings, gifts, and events. The café hosts occasional live music performances and offers various menu specials. Don’t miss this stop on your next drive between Haenertsburg and Tzaneen. 
 
The Magoebaskloof Farmstall and Café is on the R71, halfway between Haenertsburg and Tzaneen. GPS coordinates are -23.866490, 30.007547. Open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information call 083-353-4478, email angiepaterson05@gmail.com.