161 Best Restaurants in South Africa

This elegant and inviting Korean restaurant in the heart of the City Center serves meals that mix the traditional with the innovative. The small team brings the finest ingredients to life; wine pairings are available and as are numerous other house brews of teas and other beverages.

Set on the grounds of one of the Cape's oldest farms, Babel is a vision in white surrounded by lush fruit and vegetable gardens and a gorgeous backdrop of mountains. Everything about this farm is stylish: the restaurant is in a converted cow shed, and the menu includes inventive dishes influenced by whatever is bountiful in the garden that day. Expect bold flavors and unusual combinations. 

This is fine dining at its finest, according to the 2021 Luxe Restaurant Awards which conferred the title of Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year on Basalt. This intimate, dinner-only establishment prides itself on attention to detail with immaculate plating that plays on a fusion of color, texture, and storytelling. It hosts chefs-in-residence who design tasting menus (from three to seven courses; price quoted for seven courses), with options for meat lovers, pescatarians, and vegetarians, that can be complemented with a wine pairing selected by an experienced sommelier. It’s a memorable culinary experience that is accentuated by a sophisticated, yet comfortable, atmosphere in The Peech Hotel’s heritage house, with its parquet flooring, Basalt-gray walls and backlit bar.

With its superb cuisine and excellent service, diners adore this French bistro located in an old Cape Dutch building on Heritage Square. Using classic French techniques but drawing on local produce and adding some fusion twists, dishes like the signature raw Norwegian salmon salad with ginger, soy, and shallots are served in a warm wood-floored dining room with a vertical garden feature, as well as in a lovely outside courtyard. The culinary magic is mostly found in the form of daily specials presented chalkboard-style, including dishes like a duo of tuna with avocado wasabi-and-jalapeño dressing, or the veal tongue with Gruyère and local waterblommetjies (water lily). Lunch is buzzier than dinner, but the food is splendid every time. In the summer enjoy a tapas and drinks menu from 3 to 6 during the week in the courtyard.

A cozy yet elegant restaurant with a select seasonal menu posted on a chalkboard, Black Sheep features food inspired by all of the Cape’s culinary influences: indigenous, North African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and more. Ingredients are locally and ethically sourced, and the restaurant has a nose-to-tail food philosophy. Expect dishes like roast Cape Bream fish with Asian greens, crispy pork trotters, lentil, and coconut curry, rabbit puff pastries, slow roast pork shoulder with gingerbread sauce, or game meat like kudu and springbok when available. Come early or make a booking as the restaurant gets full quickly in the evenings.

This highly acclaimed new offering at Maker's Landing sees chef Mmabatho Molefe putting the spotlight on modern Zulu cuisine and celebrating African ingredients with an innovative tasting menu that pushes the boundaries for South African cuisine. Emazulwini means “the heavens” and the name is befitting the delicious heights that the food will send you to.

While Parkhurst is known for the countless restaurants that line 4th Avenue, the refined space at Embarc is in a league of its own making fine dining accessible to all through its relaxed environment. Fusing high-quality local produce and artisanal products with international flavors, coupled with a thoughtful combination of contrasting flavors and hues to create delectable dishes that can be eaten as starters or shared as mains. Embarc is owned by a chef-sommelier duo who pay utmost attention to every aspect of this welcoming establishment. Highly recommended, especially if you only have one night out on the town.

The relaxed fine-dining, Mediterranean-inspired fare at Ethos has as much appeal as its decor and design, which is characterized by beige hues, Doric columns, brass accents, and flowing ceiling baffles. Dishes are carefully curated to highlight how the natural flavors of various foods also complement each other in terms of texture, color, and thoughtful presentation. Servers are astute in advising how to best pair meals with the restaurant's extensive collection of South African wines. 

As is the case for Avondale, the vineyard where the restaurant is based, Faber places a heavy focus on being sustainable. The menu changes often but always features carefully composed dishes using ethically sourced meat and fish, plus herbs and vegetables harvested from the estate garden. If the whole roasted cauliflower is on the menu, give it a try—you won't even miss eating meat. You can order à la carte or opt for a six-course feast with wine pairings from the farm.

This popular restaurant and bar boasts a truly incomparable setting, right on the rocks on the edge of a natural rock pool in the Atlantic Ocean. Dine on the deck and you'll hear the crashing of the waves and maybe spot some whales swimming by. On the menu are classic tapas dishes like spicy lamb meatballs and crispy shrimp, all served with something from the extensive wine list or the superb cocktail selection. It's an absolute must while you're in Hermanus.

A golf cart whisks you up the hill followed by a glass elevator ride to this chic establishment with an infinity fountain that appears to overflow into Zoo Lake and faces the direction of Sandton and Rosebank. It's a popular sundowner spot as it beautifully displays Jo'burg's urban man-made forest and the menu showcases seasonal, regional cuisine with vegan and gluten-free options, but has a particular flair for South African meats, such as lamb chops, oxtail, pork belly, and a selection of locally-bred Wagyu prime cuts. Though it's based at the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, the majority of its diners are not hotel guests—testimony to how good it is.

In the Coopmanhuijs Boutique Hotel, this small restaurant exudes the elegance of a French bistro with its white tablecloths and pretty wrought iron patio furniture. The menu combines classical French cuisine with uniquely South African ingredients in dishes like twice-baked cheese and biltong soufflé. As well as à la carte dinners, a three-course set menu is available. Bring along that bottle of wine you bought—the staff is happy to cork it for you.

Guests at either of Tswalu Kalahari Reserve's lodges are treated to a dinner at Klein JAN, the first restaurant in the country by Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen (South Africa's only Michelin star–awarded chef), though others do drive (or fly) in when the eight-course lunch with wine-pairings is offered. The setting is a century-old farmhouse, and meals are experiential and immersive—eye-opening introductions to the produce, culinary traditions, and flavors of the Northern Cape, with every morsel or sip seemingly designed to surprise as well as satisfy you, to fire up not only all your senses but also your imagination. By the time you leave, you know your taste buds will never again experience such an extraordinary culinary adventure.

Rightfully known as one of South Africa's most lauded fine-dining establishments and listed in the world's top 100 restaurants, La Colombe’s sublime French-Asian inspired tasting menus are served in a delightful minimalist setting overlooking the bucolic green of the Constantia wine valley. The menu changes regularly, but the best option is to order the full eight-course gourmand menu, as there is not a false note to be found. With plating so artful that you almost feel reluctant to break into some dishes, Chef Scott Kirsten’s genius does not come at the expense of taste, as evidenced in the life-changing springbok tartare with pickled chestnut, chipotle, and foie gras. The intimate cool space of white-painted timber offset by charcoal finishes and black beams is light-flooded by day, becoming elegantly refined in the evening. An excellent wine list and incredibly knowledgeable service also ensure that La Colombe will remain a favorite Cape Town splurge.

Sister restaurant to Cape Town's fêted La Colombe, the food, ambiance, wine selection and service at La Petite Colombe are simply impeccable. The decor is sleek and understated because the true work of art is the food—an 11-course banquet showcasing French cooking techniques and the finest ingredients. Also on-site is the tasting room for Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, whose red wines in particular are revered. Reservations are essential.

Kassa and his friendly staff serve up affordable and delectable Ethiopian cuisine at this small restaurant at 44 Stanley—there's a selection of options for meat lovers and vegans (as Ethiopians regularly fast by not eating animal products). While the decor may be simple, comprising of a few photos and paintings of Ethiopia, the food steals the show like Beyaynetu, a vegan combo dish where lentil stew, pumpkin, chickpea gravy, sautéed spinach, curried potatoes, pickled beetroot, and tomato salsa is laid out on injera (a sourdough flat bread). The food is intended to be shared and eaten with your hands, ask Kassa can show you how, after you thoroughly wash your hands at the outdoor sink (you can also ask for cutlery). Top off your meal with a traditional coffee—after all Ethiopia is said to be the birthplace of coffee. 

Get ready to eat with your hands at this otherwordly Ethiopian restaurant that's covered head-to-toe in obscure trinkets, plants, and trees. There's always a delightful smell of cooked spices, and the food is delicious, with meat and vegan options, all served with tangy and spongy injera (naturally gluten-free flatbread). This restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner.

This new food market at the cruise terminal near the Waterfront showcases some of the best local foods that Cape Town has to offer. Try some killer wings from Sidewing, or a beloved traditional Koesister (a Cape Malay spiced donut) from Fuzzy's Food and grab a good cup of coffee from Coffee by Moses. Want something more filling? Try a tasty dosa from Indikaap's ayurvedic kitchen or a South African braai plate from Pitso's Kitchen. Whatever you get, enjoy it outside in the sunshine, watching cruise ships parking on the dock. 

Located in the vibey Dunkley Square, this lovely Greek restaurant serves all kinds of Greek mezzes which can be ordered as a platter, or traditional dishes like moussaka, calamari, and lamb chops. This local favorite also serves pitas, souvlaki, and burgers, as well as good vegetarian options. On good weather days, have dinner outside for a magical ambiance. 

For the true flavor of West Coast life, come to this open-air seafood restaurant on the beach south of Lambert's Bay. You'll watch fish cooked over blazing fires, snoek smoked in an old drum covered with burlap, and bread baked in a clay oven. Prepare to eat as much as you can of the fixed-price meal, using your hands or mussel shells as spoons. Be sure to try some of the local specialties like bokkoms (pungent dried fish) and waterblommetjiebredie (water-flower stew). Crayfish cost extra, but don't order them unless you have an enormous appetite. The restaurant consists of nothing more than a circular boma (enclosure) of packed muisbos (a local shrub whose name means "mouse bush") and haphazardly arranged benches and tables.

Former hotel chefs, Allan and Simone Bezuidenhout have brought a touch of true class to Gqeberha's traditionally mediocre dining scene with this intimate, handsome, dark-hued restaurant adorned with leather seats and Allan's own artwork. The menu focuses on imaginative versions of classic dishes like a traditional lamb rump with dry ice infused with fynbos to bring the scent of the Karoo (where the lamb comes from) onto the plate, as well as beautiful pizzas, aromatic curries, light meals, and pastas. The imaginative menu changes a couple of times a year so the chef can work with seasonal ingredients, but one constant is the caramel fondant with ganache and popcorn which is worth a taste. 

This tiny Kalk Bay institution with its mismatched tables and open kitchen is much beloved by locals as a super-casual destination for consistently excellent food and a great cup of coffee. The quality of the mostly Mediterranean fare is high, and the servers sassy (some might call it something else). The chalkboard menu changes regularly, but expect dishes like seared tuna with crushed potatoes and lemon mayo, or roast duck on egg noodles teriyaki-style. Great soups—think bacon and bean or tomato and lentil—are served with legendary ciabatta. There is always a great pasta dish on offer (linguine with tuna and cherry tomatoes, anyone?), as well as creative salads and numerous sweet temptations from the bakery. Lines are the norm at peak mealtimes and reservations are not accepted, so be prepared to wait.

This restaurant here has big shoes to fill because its predecessor, Bosman's, was highly regarded. Luckily, Chef Kevin Grobler and his team will have no problem continuing to wow guests. In the opulent Grande Roche Hotel, the elegant restaurant serves beautifully presented dishes featuring innovative ingredients. The Madeira-glazed quail with salt-baked beetroot is marvelous. The wine list is similarly impressive. Lunch is a more laidback affair, and there's also a delectable high tea served every afternoon.

When you arrive at this gorgeous old Dutch farmhouse, a staffer greets you and suggests a pre-dinner drink on the rose-trellised terrace. Chef Fabio Daniel serves contemporary French cuisine that also draws on his Brazilian and Italian heritage. For a real splurge, opt for the Estate Experience, with four to five hours of culinary surprises. They won't tell you what's on the menu, but you won't be disappointed. An incredibly knowledgeable sommelier, interesting wine pairings, and surprisingly reasonably priced wine list complete the picture.

Start your evening at this award-winning restaurant with pre-dinner drinks on the patio overlooking the river, then move inside to a candlelit table for a fabulous five-course menu that takes classic South African ingredients and gives them an original, modern twist. The menu changes frequently with acclaimed chef Lizelle Stolze combining locally sourced fresh meat, fish and vegetables that are beautifully presented and paired with husband Rudolf's selection of fine wines. Dishes could include Cape salmon served with sautéed vegetables and hollandaise sauce, or desserts with a South African touch, such as saffron-infused milk tart. There are also four luxurious guest rooms upstairs, all with river views and a large communal balcony. if you're not staying here, there's a guest shuttle to drive you to and from your accommodation.

This quaint little dim sum bar on the top of Long Street is often packed in the evenings. The menu is always changing with available options written on a little chalkboard, but flavorful and delicate dim sum is always on offer, as is a warm brothy soup.

Roasted wild garlic ice cream pretty much sums up the experimental nature of the entirely new cuisine that is evolving at this low-key gourmet-with-a-difference restaurant attached to The Ibis guesthouse. Barbara Weitz has been inspired by the abundance of little-known and underhyped medicinal plants that grow wild in the Karoo, and while she makes all kinds of teas with some of what she forages in the veld and grows in her garden, she has been inspired to go one step further and create never-tried-before dishes using ingredients you will never have come across anywhere and will probably never taste again. Barbara even mills her own flour for the various breads she bakes and serves with homemade jams and preserves. You can sit in the courtyard under the stars, or find shelter from the cold inside, but as you work your way through the one-of-a-kind tasting menu (a vegetarian version is possible), you will marvel at the variety of new tastes that Barbara has coaxed from the seemingly strange produce—she harvests such herbs as wild mint, lemon verbena, African wormwood, kankerbos (cancer bush), and olive leaf, many of which she uses for teas, but which also find their way into recipes, for which she's always experimenting. If you've never heard of thistle and dandelion pasta or want to find out what a pickled agave blossom tastes like, you'll want to look for this experience. The restaurant also offers a reduced a la carte menu for lunch, with a few similarly unimaginable dishes. Whatever you do, though, don't pass up the garlic ice cream.

Probably the best restaurant on the Cape Peninsula, the aptly named Foodbarn serves delicious, unpretentious French-influenced cuisine in the relaxed setting of a renovated barn near Noordhoek Beach. The chef makes a point of only using sustainable seafood, which he puts to great use in starters like fish tartar with miso cream and a sublime bouillabaisse. For mains, expect dishes like steak au poivre, risotto with celeriac, and slow stewed tripe & trotters, beautifully prepared and generously portioned. Stunning bespoke wallpaper that recalls a lush Flemish still life works with the high thatched ceiling, bare wooden tables, and modern light fixtures to create an ambiance of cool opulence. Excellent and reasonably priced wine pairings and stellar service complete the picture. Additionally, there is a full tapas menu for light bites and sharing plates.   Just a stone's throw away, the laid-back Foodbarn Deli serves fantastic and very reasonably priced breakfasts and lunches as well as an evening tapas menu from Tuesday to Saturday.

Arguably Simon's Town's best restaurant, regulars come here for good food and a charming host with a great story: A big-city Jo'burg boy met his girl and came to live by the sea. A friendly place to stop for breakfast (until 11), lunch, or dinner.

Don’t let the relaxed homey feel fool you; this is the most exciting meal you can have in the Durban area right now. Each course of the sustainable nose-to-tail menu is bold, flavorful, and carries a Kwa-Zulu Natal story, told by the head chef, German-born, Durban-raised Johannes Richter, who incorporates the property's fresh produce with handcrafted items like fish sauce made by fermented specimens caught on the annual sardine run and homemade sourdough served with lashings of spiced masala butter, as well as local ingredients such as maas (traditional milk) and amaranth (a protein-packed grain). Come hungry and take your time.