As Grub & Vine enters its seventh year, chef patron Matt Manning is returning to the restaurant’s roots – good, honest cooking paired with serious wine – with the launch of a new regional series: Santé.
Beginning this monthwith Santé Bot River, the six- to eight-week showcase will focus on one South African wine region at a time, celebrating its producers and terroir. For the first edition, Bot River moves to Bree Street for six weeks, featuring Anysbos, Beaumont Family Wines, Gabriëlskloof Wines, Genevieve MCC, Luddite, Villion Family Wines and Erin Wines. The series runs until mid-April, when the next hero region will be announced.
Manning says that “Santé” – French for “cheers” – is less a theme and more a reset. After seven years on Bree Street, and following Grub & Vine’s recent win for Best Medium-Sized Wine List in Africa and the Middle East at the Star Wine List of the Year International Open 2026, he felt it was time to sharpen the restaurant’s focus.
“I want to get back to the core of what we do best: great food, serious wine, an intimate room with real atmosphere, and a focus on the stories behind the wine,” says Manning. Rather than once-off winemaker dinners, which he believes have become commonplace, the regional series allows a region to be explored over time, giving it depth and weight.
“Instead of a once-off event, our regional wine series is built around immersion. For each region, we visit the vineyards, taste with the producers, and really get under the skin of the place.”
From March to mid-April 2026, Santé Bot River will run across the Grub & Vine group. Diners at Grub & Vine can enjoy a tasting, prix fixe or à la carte with an optional Bot River pairing or by-the-glass selection, alongside the restaurant’s award-winning wine list. Culture Wine Bar and The Blue Room will feature Bot River-focused by-the-glass offerings, with select wines also available for retail via Culture’s online shop.
The series culminates in a Santé Bot River walk-about tasting on 10 April at Culture Wine Bar, where winemakers will pour their wines in person.
Bookings are open here.
