South Africa was recently listed among the top 30 Destinations to visit in 2023, and features in the top five as a destination where you can experience ‘memorable and diverse’ cuisine according to Lonely Planet.
Laure Bornet, GM, KAYAK EMEA, who manages Cheapflights.co.za. said: “SA has a multi-cultural history, with many influences on its gastronomic make-up. From Dutch to Cape Malay, German to French - the best of many cultures has been infused into exciting local culinary styles to take travel to another sensory level.”
South Africa is known for its diversity on various levels, and each province in the country has particular foods to feast on.
Eastern Cape
Also known as ‘home of the Xhosa people’ the Eastern Cape offers a variety of traditional foods, including; beef and lamb/mutton (using every part of the cow and sheep, including the tripe and trotters), umphokoqo (African ‘salad’), umqa (a stiff maize meal porridge), and vegetables including mielies, leafy green vegetables like spinach and beetroot, as well as pumpkin, potato, cabbage and corn.
Some restaurants that serve traditional SA food in the Eastern Cape include the Phaka Restaurant in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and the Molo Lolo Restaurant & Cooking School in Addo.
Northern and Western Cape
These provinces hug the Atlantic Ocean making them destinations rich in delicious fresh seafood - from yellowfin tuna to snoek and crayfish, rich mussel and haddock soup to freshly-caught linefish and shellfish.
There is also a strong Cape Malay influence, so it is a culinary hotspot for spicy bredies, curries, boboties, stuffed cabbage leaves, and sosaties.
Influences hail from Cape Malay, Indian and Dutch origins, and you can taste these dishes at the Velskoendraai Farmers Market & Restaurant for bredies; and Muisbosskerm for seafood.
Gauteng
Known as a multiculturally-influenced province offering Zulu and Xhosa, Indian, Sotho, Dutch and Malay flavours, foodie travellers can experiences the tastes of umleqwa (chicken stew), pap, samosas, boerewors, and mogodu with ting (a tripe stew paired with fermented sorghum porridge).
Get your fill of traditional Gauteng flavours at places like ThePlace2B in Lanseria, and the Imbizo Shisanyama in Midrand Mall.
Kwazulu-Natal
KZN has traditional Zulu culinary influences, such as mogodu (tripe), amadumbi (Zulu potatoes), walkie-talkies (boiled chicken feet) and mieliepap.
This is also where you will find some of the best seafood and Indian cuisine. From spicy hot curries to tasty traditional bunny chows. Great places to grab a bunny chow are Curry Os at Point Waterfront, or Cane Cutters in a hidden upper corner of uMhlanga. And if you’re heading the Zulu culinary influence route, try Afro’s Chicken Shop or The Joint Jazz Cafe in Durban.
If you ever find yourself in one of the country’s provinces, you will surely be in for a treat.
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