Piggly Wiggly

Piggly Wiggly is a family-owned country village of eateries, shops and children’s activities on the R103 Midlands Meander, a short drive from the N3 at the Howick/Tweedie off-ramp. It sits on Highgate Farm, which Rudi and Cindy Kassier bought in 1996, and it started as a vegetable stall under a tree. Customers kept asking for coffee and sandwiches, so a coffee shop followed in a thatched building.

What to expect

The coffee shop is the heart of it, and the family says its produce comes from local farmers. There is also The Pizza Place and the restaurant at Highgate Wine Estate, which shares the property. Highgate has about 5 hectares of vines (Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz) and the first vine (2004) still grows outside the coffee shop.

This is a place built around families. The Midlands Meander listing mentions an animal and reptile park, a dinosaur zone, putt-putt, train rides, a zipline, a climbing wall, bike trails, and chocolate and candle dipping.

Practical details

• Coffee shop: Monday to Saturday 8am to 4:30pm, Sundays and public holidays 8am to 4pm. Phone 060 344 9359.
• No bookings at the coffee shop or The Pizza Place. If it is full they put you on a waiting list and call you when a table opens.
• Highgate Wine Estate takes lunch bookings. Wine tasting is first come, first served.
• From the N3, take the Howick/Tweedie off-ramp and head towards Tweedie (left if you come from Durban, right if you come from Johannesburg), turn right at the T-junction and drive about 10 km. It is on your left.
• Shops and activities keep shorter hours than the coffee shop: Sunday to Thursday 9am to 4pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm.
• Closed on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve run 8am to 2pm.

Good to know

Dogs are welcome on a lead. No outside food or drink is allowed, the centre tries to stay smoke-free, and plastic balloons and decorations are banned. Tables turn over fairly quickly, so a short stroll round the shops is usualy all the waiting list costs you.

Last updated 7 October 2026. Sources: Piggly Wiggly, Piggly Wiggly, Piggly Wiggly, Midlands Meander Association.