Page 394 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

392  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

South Africa has a wide variety of restaurants are found in the cities, while some township
and eateries, from franchise steakhouses and tours (see p420) include authentic, traditional
sizzling street-corner boerewors (farmer’s meals. South Africa’s multicultural heritage is
sausage) stands to upmarket business also evident in the proliferation of Indian
venues and seafood, Asian, French and restaurants and stalls serving spicy eastern
Mediterranean-style cuisines. Whenever the and KwaZulu-Natal-style curries. In the
weather is fine, South Africans eat outside, Western Cape, fragrant, sweet Malay curries
and coffee shops do a roaring trade. African are popular quick lunches; in the Winelands,
menus, often tailored to the Western palate, more formal fare and elegant dining prevails.

Tipping should always reflect
your experience of the service.
If simply average, leave 10 per
cent; if excellent, 15 per cent.
Tips are sometimes placed in a
communal jar near the cashier.

What to Eat
In the cities, try some of the
African, Indian (in KwaZulu-
Natal) or Malay (in Cape Town)
restaurants. If you are on the
coast, do not miss the delicious
Atmospheric cellar vaulting at the Haute Cabrière estate in the Winelands (see p402) seafood – calamari, mussels,
tuna, crayfish, yellowtail and local
Eating Patterns Prices and Tipping
kingklip. On the West Coast there
In South Africa it is common Eating out in South Africa is are scenic open-air seafood
to find restaurants closed on usually inexpensive. The barbecues. The cities and larger
Sundays or Mondays. Coffee average price of a three-course towns offer excellent
shops are open during the day, meal for one (excluding wine international cuisine: Thai,
usually from 8am to 5pm, and and a tip) at a good restaurant Portuguese, Indonesian, Italian,
serve breakfasts, light lunches is about R170–220. But certain Greek, French and Chinese.
and teas. Dinner is the main items, such as seafood, can There are also typical South
meal of the day, served from increase the total substantially. African restaurants, where
6:30pm to 10pm. In urban areas, A freshly-made deli sandwich traditional fare and drinks such
bars, popular restaurants and with tasty fillings will seldom as witblits, strong spirit distilled
fast-food outlets stay open until cost more than R45, while a from peaches, are served.
midnight, or even later. large, hearty breakfast costs South Africa is a meat-loving
around R60. nation. Beefsteaks are a good
Places to Eat
You can always eat well in
South African cities and in the
well-visited outlying areas.
The annual Eat Out magazine,
which is available at news-
agents, recommends
restaurants nationwide and
has a useful website with user
reviews (www.eatout.co.za).
Another good website when
choosing where to eat is
www.dining-out.co.za.

It is best to telephone ahead
and reserve a table in order to
avoid disappointment. If you
cannot keep a reservation, call
the restaurant and cancel. Smart dining at Seafood at The Marine, Hermanus (see p403)

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