Seaside restaurants in South Africa

Summer is upon us and that means plenty of time at the beach. If uncomplicated seaside eating is what you’re after, try our top 10 suggestions. But book early! By Kim Maxwell, Charlotte Pregnolato and Tracy Gielink.

 

Find a seat at a restaurant table overlooking the ocean during the summer holidays, and it’s hard to beat a glass of chilled white with seared tuna or lightly battered hake and chips. We’re talking uncomplicated holiday food, for when you’re comfortable wearing a T-shirt and shorts after time at the pool or beach.

Discerning WINE magazine readers don’t settle for any old fare, though. Many restaurants cheekily serve blast-frozen fish as “fresh”, kingklip being just one unfortunate example. So we figured that whether it’s a chalkboard scribble announcing the day’s catch or a printed menu’s seafood platter, you’d appreciate the heads-up on what’s fresh and what’s not.

On a serious note, we also asked seafood restaurants if they served sustainable fish species. Current overfishing means that sustainable seafood is an issue which should demand consumers’ attention and waiter education. To date only a few restaurants have signed up with the South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI). But they’ve pledged to support sustainable fish species and responsible fishing and production guidelines, which is great. They should also be training staff never to buy or sell illegal “red” fish, and encouraging customers to select sustainable “green” species – tuna, hake, yellowtail, gurnard, dorado, snoek, santer or squid – from their menus. Threatened “orange” species such as cob, Cape salmon, sole and kingklip should only be occasional treats.

We kept all this in mind while tracking down 10 seaside favourites, remembering that good eating in a seaside town doesn’t always mean seafood specifically. For two venues, “seaside” was a bit of a stretch, but delivering high standards and being far from the bustle made them worthy contenders. Just make sure to book in advance, and try not to lose your cool if you didn’t!

SEAFOOD

Bean Bag Bahia
Umdloti, KZN. Tel 031 568 2229. Lunch and
dinner daily. Linefish R115, shellfish R150 –
R170. Children welcome. Wheelchair access.
Exploiting its location across the road from the beach, big windows and palm tree-emblazoned wallpaper bring the tropical outdoors inside. The food is Med-inspired with the flavours of Portugal well represented. Start your meal with oyster shots presented Bloody Mary (or Virgin sans vodka) style. And, if available on special, try the starter of grilled calamari with couscous, rocket, macadamia, sweetcorn and lemon. A fantastic linefish manifestation sees fish served on a crab and pea risotto.
WINES: a well-priced and well-considered choice of white, local bubbly and Champagne has summer charm, while red lovers aren’t sidelined. Corkage R30 to R50.
SEASIDE APPEAL: you can practically taste the salt on your lips when dining on the outside deck.

Bel Punto
Umdloti, KZN. Tel 031 568 2407. Lunch Wed to Sun,
dinner Tues to Sun. Linefish R119 – R149, shellfish
R159 – R175. Children welcome. No wheelchairs.
At this stylish modern Italian eatery manned by wellversed waiters, perfectly grilled calamari is the best in town and linefish in the wood-fired oven is blissful in its simplicity. Trademark dish gamberi alla padella sees nine magnificent king tiger prawns grilled and served in an understated garlic, white wine, tomato, cream and chilli sauce. If you can embrace soup mid-summer, indulge in the crab version.
WINES: a careful compilation will placate discerning palates and is priced accordingly. Corkage R50.
SEASIDE APPEAL: across the road from the beach with an elevated vantage point. The outside deck is pure bliss in summer.

Cargo Hold
uShaka Marine World, Durban, KZN.
Tel 031 328 8065. Lunch and dinner daily.
Linefish R86, shellfish R155 – R250.
Children welcome. Wheelchair access.
Don’t be put off by the tourists, and leave the shorts and slops behind at night. In a restaurant tastefully replicating a ship’s interior, unsurprisingly, good seafood is a priority. Many dishes have a flourish of accoutrements, like fresh mussels flambéed in Pernod then simmered in a lemongrass-infused sauce with leeks. For a pareddown experience, try the calamari tubes fried in basil, lime and chilli, Norwegian salmon tartar or linefish grilled in lemon butter.
WINES: list covers all bases without being innovative but a good number are seafood friendly. Corkage R50.
SEASIDE APPEAL: despite its proximity to the ocean, the appeal is introspective – request a table near the mesmerising double-volume shark tank.

Chapman's Peak Beach Hotel
Hout Bay, Cape Town. Tel 021 790 1036. Lunch
and dinner daily. Linefish R109. Shellfish R99 –
R300. Children welcome. Wheelchair access.
It doesn’t get better for summer lunch with a glass of wine on a sea-facing veranda. Be warned, seasonal service takes a dip, queues are long (veranda reservations aren’t possible) and chips are out of a bag. But order a pan of tender calamari rings in light crumbs (R89) and you won’t bother going anywhere else again. Also delicious are calamari combos with linefish or diced Portuguese steak – the latter spiked with the owner’s secret tangy sauce. An affordable array of prawns and platter variations are worthy too. WINES: reasonably priced, seafood-friendly and plenty for wine buffs. BYO by arrangement.
SEASIDE APPEAL: views, a refreshingly unfashionable crowd and the best calamari around.

Grand Café
Grand Hotel, Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route.
Tel 044 533 3301. Lunch and dinner, Mon to
Sat. Linefish R85. No children or wheelchairs.
Decadent elegance such as oversized candelabra, chipped antique china and floor-length tablecloths exemplify the quirky uniqueness here, but casual flip-flops are apt to be hidden under the posh tables. Prices are also decent. Good-humoured, knowledgeable staff recommend flourdusted linefish, scrupulously fresh and flash-fried in olive oil and butter with lemon. Signature fish cakes are crispy and creampuff-light. Local mussels, prized for their meaty texture, are delicious in creamy garlic sauce. The eclectic menu includes everything from Asian-inspired tempura prawns to pastrami on rye.
WINES: a wine lover’s list, with a house range (the Grand Café rosé is stunning with seafood). Corkage R20.
SEASIDE APPEAL: good views from the curtained terrace of whales dancing in season.

Live Bait
Kalk Bay Harbour, Cape Town.
Tel 021 788 5755. Lunch and dinner daily.
Linefish R110 – R140. Shellfish R110 – R170.
Children welcome. Wheelchair access.
Order lunch on mosaic tables and mismatched chairs while waves crash dramatically on windows or over the fishing quay. At this casual operation, owned by Harbour House upstairs, chips being returned for extra cooking isn’t ideal. But beautifully succulent grilled linefish (it’s usually gratinated with tomato butter) and extra care in presentation are redeeming factors. Battered fish and chips vie with fresh mussels and prawn and platter specials. While not the cheapest seats in town, the venue serves SASSI yellow and green fish where possible, fresh from its own boat.
WINES: a small list includes eight by the glass. Corkage R25.
SEASIDE APPEAL: waveside harbour action doesn’t get closer.

Quayside Cabin
New Harbour, Hermanus, Western Cape.
Tel 028 313 0752. Lunch and dinner
daily. Linefish R89. Shellfish R98 - R150.
Children welcome. No wheelchairs.
Shorts and slops are standard at benches and bare tables in a permanent balcony draped with fishing nets, abutting a kitchen in a container near a slipway. It’s uncomplicated food prepared and priced well, so avoid the stodgy sauces and order from the infinite variety of plain grilled or fried fish combinations. There’s hake plus calamari, or grilled linefish with calamari, or kingklip and prawns, and more. SASSI stickers on the door follow through with sustainable linefish choices as specials, while snoek samoosas make a fun shared starter.
WINES: straightforward fish-friendly wines lean towards the Overberg. Corkage R25 after first bottle (free).
SEASIDE APPEAL: look past the fishing nets to the harbour quay.

Ristorante Enrico
Keurboomstrand, near Plettenberg Bay,
Garden Route. Tel 044 535 9818. Lunch and
dinner daily. Linefish R99 – R119. Shellfish
R160. Children welcome. No wheelchairs.
Flock to Enrico’s en famille to bask in Italian atmosphere and eat, drinking in spectacular views with grappa shots while your kids play on the beach below. Passionate Enrico makes the most of his proximity to the sea by offering a daily fish menu. Linefish can be fried, grilled, baked in a delicate garlic and white wine concoction (Fish Enrico) or prepared whole, festively garnished with seafood. Italian standards osso bucco and ruffiana tomato-based sauces are other options.
WINES: a short list includes drinkable Italians like sparkling Lambrusco and Riccadonna plus go-witheverything Frascati. Corkage R30.
SEASIDE APPEAL: The restaurant overlooks a dramatic swath of Indian Ocean. Perfect for an après feast stroll.

OFF THE MAIN DRAG

Heaven restaurant
Hemel en Aarde Valley, Hermanus, Western Cape.
Tel 072 905 3947. Lunch Tues to Sun. Two courses
R140. Children welcome. Wheelchair access.
If seasonal holiday traffic and clogged seafood restaurants in town annoy, distant sea views of Sandown Bay and stylish country cooking should provide the idyllic antidote. The trick is to book early. Linefish is a speciality if it’s fresh, while delicious poached trout garden salad offers valley greens and trout from the dam at Cape Agulhas winery Lomond. Also consider stuffed quail or springbok loin with good sauces and vibrant vegetables. Mini lemon meringue and pavlova with valley berries make dessert hard to resist.
WINES: Cape Bay and Newton Johnson labels with low mark-ups, all by the glass. No BYO.
SEASIDE APPEAL: escape the holiday traffic for good food, views and wines.

Pembrey’s
Belvidere, Knysna, Garden Route.
Tel 044 386 0005. Sun lunch, dinner Wed to Sat.
Linefish R90 – R110. No children or wheelchairs.
In Knysna, consistently yummy food means Pembrey’s, where whatever is fresh, local, seasonal and delicious inspires the chalkboard menu. For seafood specifically, starters might include local mussel soup or the chef's own catch or fresh octopus, boiled till tender and served cold, simply dressed in olive oil. Two medium soles (sourced in the area) might be simply sautéed in lemon butter. The Mediterranean salad bar is particularly good and pasta lovers should opt for homemade Italian ravioli as a starter or main. WINES: an extensive list includes delicious go-with-fish options. Corkage R30.
SEASIDE APPEAL: enclosed veranda tables offer only a glimpse of the Knysna lagoon, but it’s far from the bustle and the food is really good.

THE RESERVE BENCH

Fiddler Fare
WESTERN CAPE – Harbour House, Kalk Bay (Tel 021
788 4133, lunch and dinner daily). You’ll pay
dearly for the privilege of a glorious window table
dropping off into the watery horizon. The plus is SASSI-endorsed fish and superior kitchen skill. Seafood at the Marine, Marine Hotel, Hermanus (Tel 028 313 1000, lunch and dinner daily) caters to the smart side of casual with creative fishy choices (R180 for two courses) and respectable wines.

GARDEN ROUTE – For panoramic views and elegant gourmet dining, Plett’s Sand restaurant at The Plettenberg hotel (Tel 044 533 2030, lunch and dinner daily) makes a point of sourcing locally when turning out European seafood classics.

KZN – Ile Maurice, in Umhlanga (031 561 7609, lunch and dinner Mon to Sun) offers mouth-watering French Mauritian-inspired fare in a colonial house. The octopus curry or signature Vindaye de poisson are worth ordering when available.

Follow the crowds
WESTERN CAPE – Harbour Rock, Hermanus (Tel 028 312 2920, lunch and dinner daily) draws the summer crowds for harbour views. Find respectable sushi, linefish and prawns plus the chef’s creations, with Overberg-focused wines. Many knock Bientang’s Cave, Hermanus (Tel 028 312-3454, lunch daily) for inconsistent service and frequent groups. But bouillabaisse and linefish on a rocky caveside precipice within reach of ocean spray may be worth the gamble. Wakame,, Mouille Point (Tel 021 433 2377, lunch and dinner daily) offers views but turns its tables. Sushi aside, tasty crispy squid and signature tuna have a fusion touch. If inconsistent service and Cape Point tour buses are tolerable, order affordable fish overlooking False Bay at Black Marlin, near Simon’s Town (Tel 021 786 1621, lunch and dinner daily).

GARDEN ROUTE – In Knysna’s Belvidere, O’Pescadore (Tel 044 386 0036, lunch and dinner, Mon to Sat) serves zesty Mozambican fish, grilled sardines and calamari “lulus”. It’s best experienced with a lively crowd to offset the grim interior. Can’t be bothered to dust off the sand? Mosey up Central Beach to the Plettenberg Bay Ski Boat Club Association (Tel 044 533 4147, lunch and dinner daily), where deep-fried calamari steak strips or only-fresh fish stand out among the usual pub fare. KZN – Umhlanga’s So Sushi! (Tel 031 561 5393, lunch and dinner daily) serves lipsmackingly fresh sushi. Boards list seafood options with an eastern influence. At local secret Umhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club (Tel 031 561 3519, lunch Wed to Mon), grab an outside beach table, watch the boats launch and eat inexpensive grilled linefish, prawns or calamari. Umdloti’s La Casa Nostra (Tel 031 568 1996, lunch Wed to Sun, dinner Tues to Sun) is a casual trattoria with outside tables offering sea glimpses. Gutsy Italian dishes include wood-fired linefish and grilled shellfish. At fabulously unpretentious Mo-zam-bik in Ballito (Tel 032 946 0979, lunch and dinner daily), the repertoire includes delicious beer prawns or linefish with saffron and coconut milkinfused mango, green bananas and lime.