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Generally speaking, the restaurants of the Eastern Cape are good but not great. Of course there are always a few exceptions to every rule, and in the Eastern Cape the number of these exceptions is always increasing. But for really good food, choose a great hotel or guesthouse, some of which are noted for their cuisine. Not surprisingly, most restaurants are reasonably casual, and there are none where men would be expected to wear a tie.
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.
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.
Laurent Chauvet and his partner Angus Park created one of the village's finest eateries (It's BYOB) as an extension of their home. Always authentic and always executed with great care, Laurent's impeccable cooking features the best possible ingredients to create an amazing internationally-inspired meal from the delicious soup course right through to the homemade ice creams and slightly legendary baked Alaska. This is a culinary experience you won't soon forget. Cooking classes are available upon request.
An East London institution, Buccaneers has been open since 1992, and not a lot has changed here in the last 20 years or so. There's hearty, unpretentious pub fare and atmosphere, lots of seafood, sports, draft beer aplenty, live music, raucous student nights, and spectacular sea views from the big sun-soaked wooden deck. The food and service aren't great, and neither is the decor inside, but there's usually plenty of atmosphere and on a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon it's an absolute must, at least for a drink or two, especially if you're staying at Sugarshack Backpackers next door. It's also a favorite with families and it has a kids menu.
Apart from the fabulous breakfast spread that's laid out for guests staying at The Drostdy, the hotel's restaurant is also the best lunch and dinner venue in town, catering to a range of tastes and dietary preferences, not to mention offering cool dishes (like gazpacho) when it's hot under the Karoo sun, and offer lots of nourishment and warming comfort food when winter bares its teeth. From pizzas and burgers made with ground venison, to Karoo lamb curry and tasty venison loin, you can expect plenty of rewarding flavors. Seating is either outside under umbrellas on the terrace at the edge of a lawn garden, or inside, where there's an old-school clubby atmosphere and the walls are decorated with a prized collection of original bird illustrations. Servers are generally part of the town's hospitality training program which the hotel has a huge stake in, so while always extremely friendly and well-meaning, it's not necessarily always the sharpest.
This is Gqeberha's most well-established fine-dining option, a stylish stalwart along the bustling beachfront, located in the Beach Hotel opposite Shark Rock Pier and boasting sea views. Glass doors open onto a sunny terrace, or you can sit inside at tables placed around the bar to enjoy an expansive array of contemporary dishes with local flair. The seafood options here are hard to beat, but there's also a large selection of steaks and game meats. For dessert try the trio of spice-flavored ice creams (ginger, cinnamon, and citrus cardamom). The wine list is excellent, and the service crisp and efficient.
With huge portions of delicious food made with extra-large servings of love, Hogsback's old faithful is located in heart of the town's main drag. The restaurant got a new injection of energy in 2021, and locals and visitors continue to come for the great-value menu which features something to satisfy every possible taste, especially the popular Sunday lunchtime roasts. Pop in for coffee or a beer, arrive early for breakfast, order a steak, or tuck into the tastiest vegetarian dishes in town.
While locals love to stop in for coffee, breakfast, and brunch, this house-converted-into-a-restaurant is also an excellent place to tuck into a selection of popular South African dishes such as slaphakskeentjies (boiled onions served in an egg sauce) or mosbolletjies (a kind of sweet dessert bread). There's also pizza, burgers, and BBQ chicken on the menu, but look out for anything featuring Karoo lamb. They also use the local rum to make cocktails, so be to try it. A selection of deli items (artisanal jams, teas, toffee, and more) is available to buy. It's not necessarily fine-dining, but fine eating in a relaxed environment.
Next to the Seal Point Lighthouse, this restaurant, bakery, and deli has brought a sophisticated touch to the laidback holiday resort of Cape St Francis. At the helm is Wesley Randles, a celebrated Cape Town chef who moved to the Eastern Cape with his family, which has allowed him to be more adventurous with fresh seafood ingredients, bake decadent treats (like chocolate-filled doughnuts), and integrate a profound knowledge of sensual flavors with a knack for creative plating. Dishes are imaginative and flavorsome, and range from rib-eye steaks and burgers to prawns in a wood-roasted coriander "mojo" (which means "special sauce"). That said, you can also sit here and stare dreamily through the wraparound windows, watching the waves battering the promontory and admiring the old lighthouse as you sip coffee, nibble on delectable wood-fired potato bread, or slurp down fresh oysters. There's a take-away hatch where you can stock up on sourdough loaves or buy homemade ice cream.
Constantly busy and bustling thanks to its simple formula of good, well-presented gourmet burgers and thin-crust pizzas topped with only the freshest ingredients, combined with sharp but always friendly service. The decor and layout of the place are equally simple and effective, with heavy wooden tables and exposed brick walls and pillars, and lots of air and light, despite the tightness of the space. If the weather suits (which it generally does in these parts), you can eat outside in the courtyard. There's a good selection of South African craft beers as well as a decent wine list. The one drawback, though, is the location on a very busy road that can feel quite intense, almost industrial.
The creators of what was East London's first discernibly "trendy" eating spot (Sanook Cafe), have added a few new venues to their small empire including Sanook Eatery. Situated a way out of the maelstrom of the city, you can breathe a bit easier while you tuck into the usual selection of excellent pizzas, gourmet burgers, and Buddha bowls, or summon something more sophisticated such as dukkah-crusted fillet, a stack of ostrich, or a marvelous sirloin steak rubbed with traditional biltong spice. While this venue is good for a night out, the light-filled venue is also wonderful for any of their scrumptious breakfasts.
Accessed by the back entrance of Port Elizabeth's oldest hotel, the Stage Door is one of the city's best-kept secrets and has long been a favorite with locals in the know for its cheap and cheerful menu, good range of beers, and an eccentric and old-fashioned pub feel. Although it can get very busy here, the service remains excellent, as do the steaks. The menu offers advice such as "Want great service—we suggest you try somewhere else," and the walls are adorned with an eclectic mix of retro bric-a-brac. The hotel bar just across the hall from the restaurant is equally interesting, as much for the characters it attracts as for the original, dark-wood furnishings.
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