Why Everyone Succumbs to Pie Madness in Riviersonderend

There’s no need to scour the Overberg to find delicious, comforting pies made to thick or flaky, buttery perfection. Since the 1980s the Ou Meul Bakery in Riviersonderend has been producing crafted from scratch pie varieties that have made the place a hangout for locals and a must stop for cyclists and travellers passing through.

Who conjures the recipes?

Practice has certainly made pie-making perfect here. Certain favourite recipes have been passed down since the original owner, Tannie Rina, first introduced them. But the range has expanded somewhat, particularly under the guidance of current owner Antonie Basson, who took over in 2009.

The secret to a best-selling pie

Good pie is all about the crust. Ou Meul (Afrikaans for “old mill”) dough is made on site using fresh, local ingredients, all procured within a 15-kilometre radius. Pies are made with bio wheat, stone-ground, unbleached flour that’s preservative free and contain free-range eggs. While they do use machines to roll the dough - given the quantities that must be produced - all the puff pastry is rolled by hand.

Notice the wavy edge on the pie surface just like the good ‘ole days. As Antonie points out, “while we make a couple of hundred pies a day, most customers get to eat only one”, so each pie crust is painstakingly pinched by hand.

How to find Ou Meul Bakery

Finding the Ou Meul is easy. The N2 is the main arterial from Cape Town through to Mossel Bay and forms the main Road that cuts through Riviersonderend. If coming from Cape Town, you can’t miss the Ultra City filling station on your left as you enter the town, which, incidentally is owned by Antonie’s parents. Just next to that you’ll see the big Ou Meul sign and, on stepping out of your vehicle your nose will guide you the rest of the way.

More to the story

Ou Meul has an old fashioned heart with a contemporary twist. The famous pie range includes chicken, steak and kidney, mutton, spinach and feta, venison, *bobotie, and ham and cheese. They serve delicious coffees and other hot beverages too. Plus, you can order a sufficiently satisfying bacon and egg brekkie if you feel it’s too early for pie - although once you’ve had an Ou Meul pie it’s an all occasion and any time of day meal. One of the light lunch options is the popular Ou Meul Deluxe sarmie consisting of crisp lettuce, farm fresh chicken and mayo, bacon and avocado on handmade sour dough bread.

What an Ou Meul pie costs

Step up to the counter and make your pie selection to enjoy as a sit down or takeaway. The very reasonable pay-for-what-you-get prices range between R21 and R25 for a good size with a generous filling. You’ll also find homemade jams, preserves fresh baked breads on the shelves and under counter tasty sweet treat pastry confections. The jam tarts are spectacular and worth a whirl as are the on counter crunchies and chocolate chip bikkies.

Contact information

Ou Meul Bakery
27 Main Road, Riviersonderend
Open Monday to Friday (06:00 to 18:00), Saturday (06:00 to 15:00) and Sunday (07:00 to 18:00)
+27 28 261 1568
info@oumeul.co.za
www.oumeul.co.za 

Riviersonderend is the original Ou Meul pie shop but there are two other outlets:

14 Long Street, Cape Town
Open Monday to Friday (06:30 to 17:30) and Saturday (07:00 to 14:00)
+27 21 419 0062

G40 Willowbridge Lifestyle Centre, Durbanville
Open Monday to Saturday (07:00 to 18:00) and Sunday (08:00 to 17:00)
+27 21 914 0540

 *Bobotie is a typically South African dish consisting of spicy minced meat baked with a creamy egg-based topping