Sampling the local cuisine is one of the great joys of travelling, but Richard Holmes reckons that you don't need your passport in hand to enjoy a culinary adventure. Just grab a map, pack a healthy appetite and head for these foodie finds across South Africa.

West Coast wonderland
There's only one way to enjoy the West Coast's legendary seafood, and that's sitting under that big blue sky with your toes wiggling in the sand. Now you could grab a snoek and braai it yourself, but why not let the experts do it for you?

The manne at Muisbosskerm on the outskirts of Lambert's Bay have been stoking the coals for over 20 years and, boy, do these guys know how to grill a fish. R150 gets you an all-you-can-eat seafood feast which includes a wide selection of fresh grilled fish, rich bredies, delicious breads and 'moerkoffie' with koeksisters. All served with the sea crashing just metres from your table and a healthy dollop of West Coast hospitality. Seafood restaurants just don't get more authentic than this!

If Lambert's Bay is a bit of a journey the Strandloper outside Langebaan offers similar fare, and at just 75 minutes from Cape Town makes an excellent day trip.
www.muisbosskerm.co.za, www.strandloper.com

Bonjour bon cuisine!
Sometimes less is more though, the gourmands in Franschhoek will be quick to tell you, and this 'French corner' of the Cape winelands is home to some of the country's top restaurants. The portions may be smaller and prices higher, but if food's your fix then this tranquil valley of orderly vineyards and towering mountains should be next on your travels.

Margot Janse's kitchen wizardry made 'The Tasting Room' at Le Quartier Française South Africa's top restaurant in 2008, but apart from the big-hitters strung out along Huguenot Street there are a few spots off the beaten track well worth exploring.

Neil Jewell's mouth-watering charcuterie and baked goodies at 'Bread & Wine' has made it a firm favourite for locals happy to explore the winding side-road to the Môreson wine estate. At the far end of the valley, 'Le Verger' at Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa offers relaxed dining in your own private greenhouse set amongst the orchards. If you think orchards in wine country is offbeat, what about beer?

Dieu Donné winemaker Stephan du Toit is pulling some top-notch pints from his underground micro-brewery on the estate, and they're best enjoyed with a meal from the hilltop cellar restaurant which offers some of the best views in the valley. Once you've wined and dined, don't forget to stop in at Huguenot Chocolates on your way out to bag a box of Belgian temptations.
www.franschhoek.org.za

Aw shucks
Knysna is really very lucky to have its lagoon. Apart from being almost too gorgeous for its own good (Milnerton must be oh so jealous), it's given rare seahorses, tourism and some impressive Heads to what would otherwise be a sleepy backwater town. But frankly, there are far more exciting things growing beneath the waters of the lagoon than aquatic equines.

This popular Garden Route town is justifiably famous for its oysters, and there's no better spot to shlurp and sample your way through a dozen of Knysna's finest than the Knysna Oyster Tavern. The watering hole of the Knysna Oyster Company, which has been cultivating oysters in the lagoon for almost 60 years, the Tavern is on the trendy Thesen's Island and attracts everyone from hungry locals to Gauteng expats. If the Tavern gets crowded, the rustic Paquita's at the base of the Eastern Head is also worth a visit.

A good time to visit is mid-July, when this bountiful bivalve is celebrated at the Knysna Oyster Festival and thousands of visitors descend for a 10-day oyster-fuelled party of food, music, marathons and the National Shucking Competition.
www.knysnaoysters.co.za
www.tourismknysna.co.za

Head east for a bunny
Durban is rarely more than a blip on South Africa's culinary map, but it has made one unique contribution to the quintessential South African menu: the bunny chow!

A quarter-loaf (half, if you're hungry) of white bread hollowed out and filled with your choice of curry certainly isn't fine dining, but it's become a Durban institution and there are now over 300 restaurants and take-aways in the city that will serve up a quarter-bunny.

The question as to who serves the best chow in town gets Durbanites hot under the collar, but Johnny's Sunrise Chip 'n Ranch in Overport is a Durban legend when it comes to satisfying those late-night munchies with a quarter-mutton. Patel's Vegetarian Lounge on Grey Street also has a following, or head for any of the take-away joints around the Victoria Street Market.
http://durban.kzn.org.za


A beast of a feast
South Africa is without doubt a nation of meat-eating braai-addicts, where flesh over flame is the pinnacle of culinary kudos. If you're a fan of protein done the primal way, then 'Carnivore' – fittingly located in the prehistoric Cradle of Humankind – will keep your stomach smiling.

Promising 15 different meaty mains this is the place to get your teeth into the continent's creatures; furry, scaly, spotty or striped. The wildlife is grilled on 52 Maasai spears hung over a roaring open fire, then delivered to your table and carved - still spitting - straight onto your plate. It's an all-you-can-eat meat-feast, and unless you lower the flag on your table in 'surrender' the meat just keeps on coming. Vegetarians beware!
www.rali.co.za

» This article originally appeared in the Out There Travel Guide, Spring 2008

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