South Africa’s Unique Foodie Hot Spots

The Spice Route Destination in Paarl

The Spice Route Destination in Paarl is a collection of venues situated on a single, beautiful property. There are breweries, distilleries, wineries, top-class restaurants, chocolatiers and delis and furthermore, has a real village vibe to it.

 

Wine and fine dining in the Cape Winelands

The Cape Winelands beckon you with enticing foodie and wine experiences.  Tasting each wine estate's wines titillates your palate so no trip is complete without enjoying a delicious meal, with wine perfectly paired with the dish you ordered at one of the great restaurants (or having a gourmet picnic) found in the 40+ cellars in the Franschhoek Wine Valley.  For added fun, you can take a trip on the hop-on-hop-off wine tram that stops at different wine estates.

 

West Coast seafood feast

The Atlantic waters washing the shores of the West Coast are icy cold; therefore, they are rich in a variety of seafood including delicious fish, crayfish, mussels, calamari, etc.  And taking advantage of this abundance is the Muisbosskerm Restaurant in Lambert’s Bay (also famous for its Bird Island where thousands of Gannets roost). Here you sit on rustic benches at rustic tables, your bare feet covered in sea sand while a wide selection of seafood is prepared over open fires by expert chefs.  When the food is ready, everyone helps themselves to an “all you can eat” feast.

Authentic Indian cuisine - Durban

The Indian community in Durban prepares authentic Indian dishes on a par, or even better than, those you would sample in the Indian sub-continent. There are many Indian-themed restaurants to choose from while the street food is delicious and simply begs to be sampled. But, whatever the case, you simply have to tuck into the local speciality, a bunny chow.

 

Oudtshoorn’s ostrich meat

According to food experts the world over, ostrich meat is the finest, leanest red meat available.  The town of Oudtshoorn, in the arid region known as the Klein Karoo, is the ostrich capital of the world.  A stone’s throw from the town is the famous Cango Caves which are in themselves a great place to visit.  The Cango Caves Restaurant has a large selection of meals ranging from beef and ostrich meat burgers to succulent beef or ostrich steaks making this the perfect place in which to enjoy your first taste of dark red, succulent ostrich meat.

 

Kalky’s fish and chips – Kalk Bay

Kalky’s isn't a fine-dining restaurant.  In fact, it is rather ordinary. But its fish and chips are extraordinary, and the servings are, shall we say, 'generous'. The fish is ocean-fresh as they are caught locally, the batter on the deep-fried portions light and flavourful, while the chips have a stellar reputation of their own.

Super fresh oysters in Knysna

Oyster farming has been long-established in the lagoon around which the town of Knysna was built.  The oyster processing plant (a.k.a. The Oyster Company) has a dining area where you are served platters of the freshest oysters you have ever tasted.

 

Cape Malay tongue tempters in the Bo Kaap

The Bo Kaap is all about Cape Malay cuisine, the most well-known of which is the South African favourite, bobotie and turmeric (yellow) rice. The spicy, yet surprisingly flavourful and mild, the cuisine was brought here from the Dutch East Indies in the 17th and 18th centuries.

 

Johannesburg – abounding with eateries

Picking a place to eat in Johannesburg is not easy simply because this cosmopolitan city has so many fine restaurants spread out over a large area. But we suggest places to try out like Marble, DW 11-13, Browns and Level Four but there are just so many more from which to choose. For something different, visit Chaf Pozi in Soweto where you can enjoy Shiza Nyama (African-style BBQed meat) and ice-cold beer.

South Africans simply love meat grilled on the braai (BBQ). So, to conclude we suggest that you visit a reputable supermarket (several chain stores with their own butcheries are spread across the nation) and buy yourself a pack of coiled boerewors (farm-made sausage), put it on the grid still coiled as you bought it, over nicely simmering wood coals and cook it until it’s nice and juicy. Have some fresh buttered hot dog rolls ready to hand, cut the cooked boerewors into lengths and fit a piece on a roll, pour some tomato relish over it, close the roll and there you have it, one of South Africa’s favourite braai dishes, the fabulous boerie-roll.