5 Best Restaurants in Durban, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal

This casual cafe restaurant in the reinvigorated Point Waterfront district is great for coffee (especially if you’re averse to the crowds of uShaka Marine World) and a fancy breakfast that won't break the bank. Vegetarians will love mixed mushroom with dune spinach on sourdough with nasturtium and sunflower seed pesto, while classic orderers might enjoy the herby pork sausage or generous croque monsieur, and the counter is always stacked with pastries and tarts. 

You won't find the most exceptional seafood here, but the views, affordable price range, and menu variety more than make up for it. Order a gourmet milkshake and watch all the yachts and boats bobbing about in the Durban harbor.  

On Lilian Ngoyi Road in Windermere, which some say is the "new" Florida Road, Love Coffee is your best bet for noncommercial, top-notch coffee in a veritable hole-in-the-wall, of the contemporary, well-designed kind. The bran muffins, rooibos cappuccino, fresh juice, packed salads, toasted sandwiches and brief breakfast menu are highly recommended.

Take respite from the summer sun and enjoy a cool treat at this ice-cream parlor, one of 20 or so restaurants, fast-food outlets, and coffee shops in the Suncoast Casino complex. Even in winter, the creamy ice-cream waffles and creative shakes are a welcome indulgence. You'd do well to enjoy your cone at one of the other popular branches along the Golden Mile, too.

This L-shape restaurant opens onto a veranda overlooking the buzz of Florida Road. A red-and-black interior with ornamental silver mirrors and loads of celebrity photographs creates a vibe in keeping with tasty Spanish cuisine. A spicy, hot tapas selection—think grilled crispy baby calamari, panfried sardines, grilled artichoke hearts—with Catalonian flatbread makes for a light meal, and you can add more if you're hungry. House-made sangria is a good accompaniment.