Must-see restaurants in Eastern Cape

  • Bay Pasta Co

    Sunshine Coast

    If satisfying pasta dishes, wood-fired pizzas, satisfying salads or well-prepared tramezzini (sandwiches) make your stomach quiver with excitement, slide…

  • Asada

    Port Elizabeth

    A 5m long firepit to one side and fresh seafood on ice to the other – this trendy restaurant in Richmond Hill offers one of the most diverse dining…

  • The Waterfront

    The Wild Coast

    Grab a table on the rear deck with views of the river and Mt Sullivan, then choose from a large selection of wood-fired pizzas, salads and seafood,…

  • Blue Waters Café

    Port Elizabeth

    Blue Waters is popular week-long for its beachfront location and incredibly broad menu, which covers the spectrum from pasta to tapas and sushi to steaks…

  • The Coachman

    Port Elizabeth

    The Coachman is PE's most famous steakhouse and carnivores will appreciate the menu, an orgy of meat with burgers, steaks, poultry, seafood and umpteen…

  • The Beach Break

    Eastern Cape

    This little gem just off Nahoon Beach (but without sea views) serves delectable light meals and superb coffee in a wonderfully relaxed environment. Bag a…

  • Browns 137 High Street

    Sunshine Coast

    This sassy guesthouse restaurant with a charming dining room and an outdoor patio is as adept at serving up light bites as it is heartier meals. The menu…

  • St Francis Brewing Company

    Sunshine Coast

    The trendiest choice in town, this venue is part bar and part restaurant. Eclectic decor, casual service, a tempting menu focusing on seafood, burgers and…

  • Catch of the Day

    Sunshine Coast

    This convivial restaurant right in the centre is famous for one thing and one thing only: fresh fish (served with fries or rice), savoured in a ramshackle…

  • Café Reset

    Sunshine Coast

    Occupying one of Port Alfred's historic buildings, Café Reset offers a range of light meals as well as daily specials and great coffee. It's also well…

  • Handmade Coffee – The Bakery Grahamstown

    Sunshine Coast

    Just thinking about the scents wafting from this place makes us swoon. One step into this cafe and you're hooked forever. Don't miss the small bakery in…

  • Papa Africa

    Eastern Cape

    With its oil-drum counters, corrugated-iron walls and fairy lights, Papa Africa has the feel of a barn expecting a dance. It’s hardly haute cuisine but…

  • The Lighthouse Ranch

    Eastern Cape

    This venerable local haunt, which is set in a large building with outdoor seating, serves up copious pizzas and burgers, crunchy salads and grilled meat…

  • Big Time Taverna

    Sunshine Coast

    This restaurant is the only one in town that is located on the canals, with heavenly views from the deck. It specialises in traditional Greek food, such…

  • Muse

    Port Elizabeth

    In the vanguard of PE's modern restaurants, the esteemed Muse is a real find. The decor is soothing, the cuisine eclectic (think Asian, South African and…

  • Tolbos

    Eastern Cape

    A great little café with an alluring menu featuring salads, sandwiches, burgers, venison pie, homemade chips and meat dishes. The adjoining shop sells a…

  • The Tower Restaurant

    Eastern Cape

    Locals recommend this cheerful, intimate place next to the Bethesda Arts Centre. The menu features tasteful dishes that use local ingredients – try the…

  • C'est La Vie

    Sunshine Coast

    Fill up at this great little den before (or after) heading to the beach. Come for excellent breakfasts, gourmet burgers, well-presented salads and…

  • Lara's Eatery & Deli

    Sunshine Coast

    This cool culinary outpost is a surprise in little Bathurst. Chef Lara cooks up elegantly presented dishes using local produce. The concise menu is…

  • The Barefoot Café

    The Wild Coast

    What nightlife there is in Chintsa centres on this casual and surprisingly trendy bar-restaurant where backpackers and locals mix. Burgers, pizzas and…

  • Café Neo

    Eastern Cape

    Views from the outdoor balcony of this stylish 1st-floor restaurant and cocktail bar extend from the car park to the ocean. The large menu runs the gamut…

  • Tilting Heads

    Port Elizabeth

    Treat yourself to a series of dainty tacos and enchiladas at this casual, postage-stamp-sized spot in trendy Richmond Hill. The tapas menu is a steal, and…

  • Papazela's

    The Wild Coast

    Off the main drag, this popular shack serves wood-fired pizzas with predictably wacky names, eaten with fingers and accompanied by sweeping beach views…

  • Delicious Monster

    The Wild Coast

    This funky restaurant has a fabulous view of Second Beach and the sea, and an eclectic menu that includes a recommended mezze platter, delicious shwarma,…

  • Butterfly’s Bistro

    Eastern Cape

    This popular venue, in a quaint, A-frame house with a lovely, shady outdoor eating section, serves flavoursome veggie dishes, breakfasts, salads, pizzas,…

  • Friendly Stranger

    Port Elizabeth

    Occupying a former workshop, this cheery cafe has a high-quality menu. Choices run from excellent salads and wraps to a variety of burgers and sandwiches…

  • Chokka Block

    Sunshine Coast

    Seafood and grills, available on hefty platters, are served alongside sweeping harbour views and arty, nautical-themed decor. Locals rave about the…

  • Guido’s Restaurant

    Sunshine Coast

    Although in a charmless building, Guido’s decks are perfect for a sundowner, with stunning views up the river and along the beach. It does wood-fired…

  • Marilyn’s 60’s Diner

    Eastern Cape

    This wonderfully incongruous Americana-inspired diner dominates the village centre. The menu mixes South African and American classics; dishes of varying…

  • Angelo's

    Port Elizabeth

    With low lighting, stacked logs, straw baskets and a terrace overlooking the beach, this Afro-rustic restaurant attracts a multicultural crowd. Burgers,…

  • Cattle Baron

    Sunshine Coast

    This surprisingly stylish restaurant in the park offers fine dining inside and a covered deck outside. Breakfast and lunch buffets are offered, while the…

  • Cubata

    Port Elizabeth

    In a large converted garage in a gritty neighbourhood around the corner from the stadium, Cubata has a dedicated following of loyal locals who chow down…

  • Saint's Bistro

    Sunshine Coast

    In its sunny rear courtyard and roomy interior with exposed beams, Saint's is known for its eclectic menu, which includes sushi. The food, however, is…

  • Zest Café

    Sunshine Coast

    This low-key venture occupies a flowery courtyard scattered with pastel furniture. It has pizzas, sandwiches and salads. Not a bad place for a light meal,…

  • La Piazza

    The Wild Coast

    In a thatched lapa (semiopen entertainment area) with views across the golf course and town, Mthatha Country Club's restaurant serves a varied menu…

  • The Greek

    Sunshine Coast

    This popular Greek restaurant offers perfectly acceptable seafood and meat dishes as well as great mezze. The atmosphere is convivial and relaxed and…

  • Steve's Pub & Restaurant

    The Wild Coast

    An inviting spot with a covered veranda and cosy bar, Steve's does a mix of pub grub and South African specialities, including burgers, wraps, pasta, wood…

  • Pic-Kwick’s Restaurant

    Sunshine Coast

    Opening onto the village's main intersection, Pic-Kwick's serves two dozen varieties of pizza cooked in a wood oven as well as sandwiches and pasta in…

  • Windmill Roadhouse

    Eastern Cape

    An American drive-in-style diner complete with a big screen, where burgers and sandwiches are delivered to your car or to outdoor picnic tables.

  • Windmill Pizza

    Eastern Cape

    Pizza to take away or to eat beneath the fluorescent lights.

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