I’ve always considered myself a food and wine lover. Food is an incredible connection to local communities and one common bond between people, so I always go out of my way to find some street food or a genuine local restaurant. Africa is a continent of contrast. I’ve eaten basic staples in the East, totally unique dishes in the horn (who doesn’t love Ethiopian food!) and some of the most elaborate degustations of my life in the South.
On this trip, I’m primarily in my African base of Cape Town, which I consider to be the foodie capital of the world, yet it doesn’t get the recognition it truly deserves. As the most developed country on the continent (and still the strongest economy), South Africa benefits from infrastructure that is on par with Australia, however a significantly lower cost of goods and labour. This means you can enjoy experiences that are simply out of reach to most of us at home. As a perfect example, I happen to live a short walk from one of Sydney’s leading 5-star restaurants. A quick glance at their website shows the dinner price (with wine) at $900 for a couple!
My little tradition on arrival in Cape Town is to head to the waterfront for oysters. This little exercise sets me back about $20 for a dozen oysters and two glasses of champagne (while sitting directly on the waterfront with Table Mountain behind). For dinner, one of my favourites is Pot Luck Club, an ultra-trendy warehouse conversion that serves cocktails and “small plates”. The food is out of this world amazing, and a cocktail, a few wines and four plates doesn’t break the $100 mark.
On this trip, I ventured somewhere new, the sleepy seaside town of Paternoster, a popular weekend escape for Capetonians. This little beachside location is scattered with high-end restaurants (and not a Maccas to be found!). I decided on Leeto and enjoyed an amazing fresh prawn starter, local beef fillet and a creme brûlée with three large glasses of wine. The damage was a whole $50 for one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, and certainly outdid the $48 burger and beer (ordered from the bar without table service) that I had in Canberra before coming over!
I can’t count the number of examples that rival the above. While it still remains largely undiscovered to Australians, there’s no better time to set off on a foodie tour of South Africa! We even offer it as a safari add-on. I haven’t even mentioned the Winelands yet …. Let’s save that for next time!
