When the weekend solar calls, South Africans reply — ideally from a desk with a view. Whether or not you’re craving winery tranquillity, a metropolis skyline, or the scent of salt air, the nation provides no scarcity of scenic spots for open-air eating.
Picture used for illustrative functions/Patty Zavala/Unsplash
Listed here are six standout locations throughout South Africa that mix good meals with the nice open air.
1. Tokara Restaurant – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
For winery magnificence with a view
Set on Helshoogte Go, Tokara pairs effective eating with a panorama that sweeps throughout vineyards and all the way in which to False Bay. The terrace seating captures golden Winelands gentle, whereas chef Carolize Coetzee’s menu celebrates native, seasonal elements — suppose olive oil from their very own property and scrumptious meals from their menus. It’s the type of place the place a glass of Tokara Sauvignon Blanc turns lunch right into a full-blown afternoon affair.
Weekend tip: E book a late desk and linger for sundown over the Simonsberg.
2. Ginger The Restaurant – Gqeberha, Jap Cape
Seaside sophistication within the Windy Metropolis
Alongside Marine Drive in Summerstrand, Ginger combines oceanfront views with modern coastal delicacies. The terrace overlooks Hobie Seashore, and the menu options East Coast seafood staples like chermoula prawns and Norwegian salmon. With a delicate sea breeze and linen-draped tables, it strikes the proper steadiness between relaxed and refined — splendid for a Sunday lunch or romantic dinner.
Weekend tip: Pair your meal with a seashore stroll on the Shark Rock Pier simply steps away.
3. The Seashore Café @ Impithi – Pennington, KwaZulu-Natal South Coast
Laid-back coastal appeal
Hidden throughout the Pennington Conservancy, this informal seashore café feels worlds away from metropolis noise. Tables are tucked amongst milkwood timber, with views of the Indian Ocean past the dunes. Anticipate unfussy seaside favourites — grilled line fish, toasted sandwiches, and beneficiant milkshakes — served with the soundtrack of waves and birdsong. It’s a beloved native gem the place flip-flops are the gown code.
Weekend tip: Time your go to for whale-watching season (June to November).
4. Skyline Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge – Pretoria, Gauteng
Metropolis views from the Jacaranda skyline
Perched atop the Protea Lodge Fireplace & Ice! by Marriott, Skyline Rooftop provides a smooth city escape above the bustle of Pretoria. The open-air deck serves every part from sushi to connoisseur sliders, paired with cocktails and sweeping sundown views of the capital. By night time, town lights flip the terrace into considered one of Gauteng’s most photogenic eating spots.
Weekend tip: E book for golden hour — the jacarandas in bloom make it much more magical.
5. Prue Leith Restaurant – Centurion, Gauteng
Advantageous eating within the countryside
On the tranquil grounds of the Prue Leith Cooks Academy, this restaurant doubles as a coaching kitchen for a few of South Africa’s rising culinary stars. The backyard terrace overlooks herb beds and indigenous landscaping, giving meals a farm-to-fork authenticity. Menus change with the seasons and have modern twists on native classics — suppose Karoo lamb, heirloom beetroot, and fynbos infusions.
Weekend tip: Plan forward — the restaurant opens solely on choose days, but it surely’s well worth the wait.
6. Tindlovu Restaurant at Letaba – Kruger Nationwide Park, Limpopo
Unforgettable eating overlooking the majestic Letaba River
Located throughout the coronary heart of the Kruger Nationwide Park, Tindlovu Restaurant at Letaba has change into a beloved cease for travellers searching for greater than only a meal — it’s an expertise. From its deck, diners get pleasure from uninterrupted views of the Letaba River floodplain, the place elephants, antelope, and hippos collect on the water’s edge.
Simply because the animals come to rejuvenate on the bend of the river, company are invited to do the identical. The beneficiant menu provides a various number of hearty dishes — from flavourful game-inspired mains to gentle breakfasts and recent salads — capturing the spirit of the bush by each chew.
Weekend tip: Arrive early for breakfast and watch the mist raise from the river because the park awakens.
The weekend desk awaits
Throughout provinces and landscapes, South Africa’s outside eating scene proves that meals at all times tastes higher underneath open skies. Whether or not you’re sipping Chenin in Stellenbosch, savouring sushi within the capital, or watching wildlife out of your desk within the Lowveld, there’s a seat ready — and the view is at all times on the home.
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