Delicious cuisine found in South Africa and the best places to find it

Posted on 30 August 2023 By Jordyn Johnson

If you have friends who’ve emigrated, you’ll know they miss a good milktart, tugging on some biltong, or having a boerewors braai with friends. It doesn’t come as a surprise since the cuisine scene in South Africa is unique, flavourful, and delectable.

Below are ten places synonymous with ten South African dishes you need to try.

ALSO READ: Cheers! South Africa’s wonderful wine routes

Bunny chow in Durban

South Africa cuisine

Picture: Getaway Gallery

Bunny chow originated within the Indian community of Durban and is a uniquely South African dish. This hearty street food is a spicy curry served in a hollow white bread loaf filling and is all-round delicious.

Oysters in Knysna

Knysna oysters are a renowned South African delicacy known for their freshness and exquisite taste. Their taste is made better when enjoying them along Knysna’s gorgeous estuary that the town is built around.

Lamb in the Karoo

South Africa cuisine

If you ever find yourself in Graaf Reinet or the surrounding Karoo region, be sure to buy yourself Karoo lamb. Due to its unique climate and vegetation, the lamb’s dry environment and natural grazing diet contribute to succulent and tender meat, making the Karoo one of the best places to enjoy a lamb dish.

Cape Malay Curry in Cape Town

This aromatic and vibrant dish originates from Cape Town and is influenced by the region’s multicultural heritage. With savory, sweet, and spicy flavours, made with tender vegetables and meat, you’ll be treated to a memorable culinary experience when eating a Cape Malay curry.

Ostrich in Oudtshoorn

South Africa cuisine

Ostrich meat is a unique delicacy, reminiscent of high-quality beef but with less fat. Oudtshoorn’s reputation as the ‘Ostrich Capital of the World’ ensures that your ostrich meat will offer a genuine and memorable taste of South African cuisine.

Raisins and dates in Upington

Upington’s arid climate and abundant sunshine create perfect conditions to cultivate raisins and dates. Enjoy plump, rich raisins and caramel-like dates the next time you travel to or through the Northern Cape.

Wine from the Cape Winelands

South Africa cuisine

You cannot visit the Cape Winelands without a galavant through wine farms and vineyards. A tasty Cape wine often accompanies cuisine in South Africa, so walk between the grape vines, take in the panoramic views of the mountains, and sip your way through a wine tasting or two in the Western Cape.

Dried fruit in Montagu

While driving through or visiting the idyllic town of Montagu, you’ll definitely need to purchase Montagu nuts. These delectable treasures are known for their superior taste and quality, which are cultivated in the region’s fertile soil.

Cheese in Midlands

South Africa cuisine

The Midlands are known for its lunch landscapes, rolling fields, and cool climate, offering the perfect environment for dairy farming. Bries, cheddars, goudas, and camemberts in this region of KZN have tantalising flavours and textures that your taste buds won’t be able to get enough of.

Pictures: Unsplash

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