Must-see restaurants in Eastern Cape

  • Remo's

    Port Elizabeth

    You really need to know this place is here, but luckily now you do. What was once a warehouse in a derelict area is now a snazzy cafe with an industrial…

  • Haricot’s Deli & Bistro

    Sunshine Coast

    Eavesdrop on faculty gossip at Grahamstown’s best place to eat, which is simultaneously a relaxed courtyard cafe and refined restaurant. The menu drips…

  • InFood Deli Bakery & Deli Restaurant

    Sunshine Coast

    The sandwiches, burgers and other food at this cafe, bakery and deli are far from ordinary. This is not surprising, considering the owner-chef’s…

  • Edge Restaurant

    Eastern Cape

    The charming garden restaurant at the Edge serves French toast with local berries and Hogsback's best coffee for breakfast, recommended wood-fired pizzas…

  • Nina’s

    Sunshine Coast

    Most locals recommend vibey Nina's, with its quirky decor of surfboards and coastal scenes around a paper-disc chandelier. Seafood abounds on the wide…

  • The Brewery & Two Goats Deli

    Eastern Cape

    Across a bridge from the main part of the village is this charmingly rustic farmhouse on a working dairy farm, where you can sit under the trees sampling…

  • Two Olives

    Port Elizabeth

    One of the most attractive restaurants in Richmond Hill, Two Olives serves a range of Spanish-, Portuguese- and Greek-inspired dishes in its busy dining…

  • Tsitrus Cafe

    Eastern Cape

    Hallelujah! Storms River finally gets the cafe it so deserves. This atmospheric place offers tasty meals, including delicious pancakes and pizzas, as well…

  • Ocean Basket

    Sunshine Coast

    Just off the river front, Ocean Basket is a hot favourite among fish lovers. Nautically themed and run by a dynamic team, its seafood is a cut above most…

  • Victoria Manor

    Eastern Cape

    This atmospheric hotel dining room has dark-wood panelling and richly upholstered furnishings in 19th-century English style. Service is attentive, and the…

  • Banneton Bakery & Cafe

    Port Elizabeth

    This snazzy cafe-cum-bakery makes splendid breakfasts, sandwiches, wraps, salads and addictive goodies as well as serving excellent coffee at affordable…

  • Decadent

    Sunshine Coast

    Fresh ingredients, great coffee (and tea!), terrific waffles, savoury pancakes and crêpes, and top-notch smoothies make for a winning combination at this…

  • J-Bay Bru Co

    Sunshine Coast

    Many locals and tourists rave about this funky place in an imaginatively converted space on the main drag, and we share their unbridled enthusiasm. The…

  • Rafters

    Eastern Cape

    The Armagh Country Lodge’s restaurant has a cosy dining room with an open fire and patio seating. Cape Malay specialities, including ostrich bobotie …

  • Polka Cafe

    Eastern Cape

    Polka's food will linger long on the palate. Karoo lamb, matured steaks and bobotie (curry topped with beaten egg baked to a crust) are on the dinner menu…

  • True Living

    Eastern Cape

    Cafes cluster around the corner of JA Calata and Albert Sts, mostly combined with nurseries or decor shops. In the latter category, this courtyard cafe…

  • Christy's Catch

    Sunshine Coast

    Seafood lovers rave about Christy's, which has superb calamari burgers, fish steaks, prawns and oysters. It's also renowned for its grilled meat,…

  • Die Walskipper

    Sunshine Coast

    A finer location you couldn't hope to find. Die Walskipper clings to quiet Clapton Beach within the Marina Martinique, a 5km drive south of town. The…

  • River Front Estate Restaurant

    Sunshine Coast

    This friendly, offbeat barn of a place overlooking the Sundays River serves up meat dishes such as kudu, impala or ostrich fillet as well as springbok…

  • Sanook Cafe

    Eastern Cape

    It's official – the gourmet-burger and craft-beer craze has reached East London, and Sanook does it particularly well. Burgers are juicy, tasty and come…

  • Fushin

    Port Elizabeth

    Set in a trendily decorated dining room, this widely acclaimed restaurant run by an experienced chef serves an exquisite selection of high-quality sushi…

  • The Wharf Street Brew Pub

    Sunshine Coast

    Try beers from the neighbouring Little Brewery on the River in this 19th-century building on the old wharf, with a handsome dining room of exposed stone…

  • Lenmore

    Sunshine Coast

    A wide selection of salads, steaks, chicken dishes, seafood and pasta make up the menu here, but the best bet is to opt for a wood-fired pizza. The…

  • Graze by the River

    Sunshine Coast

    This eccentric spot at the back of a curio shop serves slow food, organic veg and ethically produced meat, fish and dairy products. They also roast coffee…

  • Die Waenhuis

    Eastern Cape

    Occupying a beautifully renovated trading post in the heart of Nieu Bethesda, this atmospheric venue specialises in well-executed South African dishes,…

  • Our Yard

    Eastern Cape

    This trendy 'roastery and culture stop' serves excellent coffees, breakfasts, light meals, fruit juices, scones and cakes in a shady courtyard. The…

  • Something Good

    Port Elizabeth

    This roadhouse-cum-beach bar is an excellent spot for a sundowner, with a breezy interior and beachfront decks. Dishes include gourmet pizzas, burgers,…

  • Kitchen Windows

    Sunshine Coast

    Great sea views and white stucco walls give this airy restaurant a Mediterranean island feel. It has an informal yet upmarket atmosphere and is known for…

  • Karoo Lamb Restaurant

    Eastern Cape

    When all the elements of breakfast (from R35) at this large eatery-cum-deli-cum-gift shop are laid out, half a picnic table is occupied. For lunch or…

  • GRT Brewery

    Eastern Cape

    This multipurpose venue – beer garden, deli and cafe – has an inviting courtyard where you can sip a coffee, sample a craft beer, have breakfast or enjoy…

  • Brioche

    Port Elizabeth

    For a light meal at lunchtime, this den with a boho vibe is a winner. Pick from healthy concoctions on the tempting menu (salads, pasta, burgers and…

  • Bocadillos on Sixth

    Port Elizabeth

    This slick modern place does a brisk business with locals – always a sign that you've found a good bargain. It speedily serves tasty wraps, thin-crust…

  • The C Club

    The Wild Coast

    The C Club’s well-earned reputation comes from its scrumptious specialities and atmospheric setting, with a large dining room, a charming garden and…

  • Vovo Telo Bakery & Café

    Port Elizabeth

    The original branch of a nationwide chain, Vovo Telo kicked off the regeneration of Richmond Hill. In a characterful old house with a wrap-around veranda,…

  • Emerald Vale

    The Wild Coast

    Half-hour tours of this brewery in a converted barn on a working farm include tasters of the four ales. The bar-restaurant serves food to complement the…

  • Grazia Fine Food & Wine

    Eastern Cape

    This stylish, centrally located restaurant has large windows with sea views as well as an outdoor deck for dining. The Italian-born owner has helped…

  • This is Eat

    Port Elizabeth

    This crazily popular canteen-style joint has a tempting menu with plenty of simply prepared fish dishes as well as prawns and calamari. The setting (and…

  • The Muller House

    Eastern Cape

    This hip resto-bar near the Dutch Reformed Church is as adept at serving up tapas (from R40) as it is heartier meals. The menu is concise yet inventive,…

  • Cattle Baron

    Eastern Cape

    At the reception complex for Tsitsikamma National Park, this busy place has a wide selection of seafood and meat dishes at reasonable prices and superb…

  • Casa de Loco

    Sunshine Coast

    Delicious tapas, nachos, tacos and fajitas in Grahamstown? Yes, it's possible. Not your average place to eat, Casa de Loco adds a touch of exoticism to…

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