Best restaurants in Mpumalanga

Top ChoiceRestaurants in Sabie

There’s a meat-driven menu and a warm atmosphere here, amid candles, wildlife photos and artworks. It's a great place to sample traditional South African dishes, especially game meat – from ostrich kebabs and crocodile curry to bobotie and potjie stew. The ploughman’s or trout platter makes a terrific lunch, while pizzas, tramezzinis and toasted sandwiches are also on offer.

Top ChoiceRestaurants in Blyde River Canyon

Look out for the South African flag and follow the red-dirt track to this 'bush kitchen', a makeshift shelter beneath gnarly boulders and trees decorated with animal skulls, its terrace nudging the rocks in the Treur River. Enjoy a cold craft beer and dishes from steaks and spare ribs to bobotie and beef potjie stew, cooked without electricity.

Restaurants in Hazyview

Locals and weekenders in the know head 5km west of town to dine beneath metalwork chandeliers in this barn-like contemporary space, its terrace overlooking the organic kitchen garden. Waiters in black serve dishes such as venison tartare, duck à l'orange, Karoo ostrich fillet and pulled-lamb risotto, accompanied by the finest Cape wines. Bookings essential.

Top ChoiceRestaurants in Hazyview

Its blue-grey walls hung with artwork and cage lampshades, Kuka's glass doors open onto a terrace decorated with fairy lights. It's a contemporary setting for cocktails, tapas, pizzas, seafood, sushi and grills; house specials include slow-braised springbok shank and kudu fillet.

Restaurants in Dullstroom

On chilly nights, a fire crackles in every corner of this converted dairy, which has an extensive menu featuring all-day breakfasts and pub grub. It's a good place for a wood-fired pizza and a beer or two with the locals while the kids whoop it up in the playground. There's regular live music and an annual Oktoberfest, Ducktober (http://ducktober.co.za).

Top ChoiceRestaurants in Dullstroom

Attracting local couples, families and tourists, this classy set-up is renowned for its red meat, such as the recommended Mayfly rump topped with red wine, mushroom sauce and more, but it's also good for a cooked breakfast or light lunch. The cavernous interior with wood-burning heater, exposed beams and simple, stylish furniture creates an intimate dining atmosphere.

Restaurants in Graskop

The chic white minimalist interior of Graskop's original pancake house, full of modern art and quirky touches, often fills with coach parties. You won’t find breakfast-style pancakes here but mostly savoury and exotic fillings, from Dutch bacon to biltong with mozzarella, as well as sweet offerings such as lemon meringue pie.

Restaurants in Sabie

Half pub, half restaurant, the Woodsman offers great food with a Greek twist. Moussaka, stifado stew, grilled calamari, mezedhes (starter plates) and other offerings are mixed with local dishes: pan-fried trout, and ostrich in red wine and oregano feature. Most folk will find their spot, be it raucous beer drinking at the bar or candlelit fine dining on the balcony.

Restaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

This lounge-style steakhouse has a long menu offering steaks in global styles, including French (with sun-dried tomato butter) and Spanish (with smoked paprika and parsley butter), as well as biltong starters, grills and combos such as ribs and calamari. There are a few vegetarian choices, from aubergine stack to veggie curry.

Restaurants in Pilgrim’s Rest

This nicely restored general dealer's shop, decorated with local animal art, serves traditional dishes such as bobotie and ostrich-neck potjie stew. Burgers, prego rolls, chicken schnitzels, salads and toasted sandwiches also feature on the menu, and they make their own sauces. Cosy Johnny's Pub at the rear is crammed with old signposts, beer mirrors, sports T-shirts and so on.

Restaurants in Sabie

Locals rate this all-rounder with an expansive menu featuring hearty dinner mains such as surf and turf, ribs and wings, and flame-grilled steaks. There's lighter fare for lunch, including burgers, pancakes and chicken schnitzel, and a wood-burner for cold and misty days. The cavernous interior, adorned with baseball caps, wood-carved antelope heads and pictures of the eponymous pachyderm, is appealing.

Restaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

With staggered terraces amid large lawns, this rambling ‘outback style’ pub serves pub fare including salads, wood-fired pizzas, burgers, Mozambique-style seafood, lasagna and lamb shank. The playground and kids' menu help to make it family-friendly. Very popular with the locals.

Restaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

Using fresh lowveld ingredients, this bustling cafe is an excellent choice for breakfast or lunch among its glass, wood, steel, exposed brick and blackboards. Wraps, sandwiches (try the rooibos-smoked chicken), salads and burgers decorate the menu, alongside more substantial choices such as pie of the day.

Restaurants in Dullstroom

Overlooking the cobbled piazza in the Italianate Cherry Grove, this creative little cafe in black, white and red has puntastic menus stuck into old books and on the blackboard, featuring dishes including chicken in wine, beef stroganoff and Moroccan chicken. It's excellent for good coffee and scrambled eggs with chorizo or French toast drizzled with chocolate, honey or dukkah.

Restaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

With stylish decor and seating in a little courtyard, this urban kitchen offers something for most tastes, from eggs Benedict, Spanish omelette and toasted sandwiches to Asian-style pork ribs, an American cheeseburger and barbecue pulled-pork open sandwich. There's also salads, wraps, freshly pressed juices, gourmet milkshakes, smoothies and Pretoria-roasted Tribeca Coffee.

Top ChoiceRestaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

Nelspruit's youth come here to drink draught craft beers in the industrial interiors and on the large open terrace. Music pumps out and there's football on the TV. On the menu are steaks, chicken dishes, wraps, salads, sushi, fish and chips, and recommended burgers.

Restaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

Despite the cars rushing past on Rte 40, the Aegean-blue decor and taverna tunes create a suitable atmosphere for Greek classics such as stuffed peppers, moussaka, seafood, kleftiko (roasted lamb shank) and flavoursome lamb biftekia (burgers).

Restaurants in Hazyview

Denee Fick is a well-known South African chef and brings her considerable talents to this modern restaurant. She specialises in fine cuts of beef cooked to perfection: try the sirloin with mushroom sauce. There’s also seafood on offer as well as local game such as ostrich.

Restaurants in Barberton

Its wooden deck overlooking rows of succulents in a plant nursery below, 'the farm kitchen' serves breakfasts and light lunches in one of Barberton's oldest buildings. On the menu are omelettes, fish and chips, and gourmet sandwiches with fillings such as pastrami and roast beef.

Restaurants in Nelspruit (Mbombela)

Put on your finest and treat yourself to some beautifully prepared cuisine – from herb-crusted yellowtail, spinach and ricotta ravioli and Niçoise salad to duck breast, eland loin and kudu fillet – at the Francolin Lodge's classy restaurant. The terrace has terrific views of the city and surrounding bush. Bookings essential for nonguests.