Thinking back to the 1970s, when most households still prepared their own dinners during the week, so many familiar dishes come to mind. Creating a rainbow of flavors in my memory. This was the start of many beautiful food experiences in South Africa.
Some recipes had been passed down through generations, others were inspired by different countries and cultures, and many found their way into our kitchens through cookbooks, magazines and television programmes. We might have been making an Italian-inspired pasta dish, a British-style pudding or a curry influenced by Indian cooking, all in the comfort of our own South African homes.
But for us it was simply called – dinner!
Looking back, it’s fascinating to realise just how many journeys these recipes had made before they reached our tables. Some travelled with families who settled in South Africa, others evolved through generations of cultural exchange, and many were adapted with the ingredients we had at hand. Over time, they became part of our own family traditions.
And that is one of the lovely things about South African food. Our plates tell stories of different places, people and traditions coming together. Today, visitors can discover this wonderful mix of flavours across the country, from Cape Malay cooking in Cape Town to the famous curries of Durban, and so many local specialities in between.
I remember my mom making dishes that seemed perfectly ordinary at the time, but today I wonder about their journeys.
Where did that recipe come from? Was it something her mother had made, something she had discovered in a magazine, or a dish she had seen on television? Perhaps it was a little of each.
A while back I discovered a family recipe book handwritten by my husband’s aunt, with recipes still written in German. Just imagine the journey those recipes had made before they reached the kitchen of an Afrikaans family!
It made me realise how easily food carries a little piece of another country into our homes, sometimes for generations.
Many South African families in the 1970s had meals on the table that came from other parts of the world, sometimes without even thinking of them as foreign dishes. They were all part of our rainbow of flavors – homemade goodness in mom’s kitchen.
Italian influence: Spaghetti bolognaise, macaroni and cheese, pizza and lasagne.
British influence: Shepherd’s pie, roast dinners, fish cakes, milk puddings and steamed puddings.
German influence: Frikadelle-style meat patties, sausages, sauerkraut and various baked goods.
French influence: Crêpes, quiches and classic sauces, often adapted for the family kitchen.
Dutch influence: Pannekoek, vetkoek’s distant culinary cousins in the world of fried dough, and sweet baked treats alongside familiar Cape cooking traditions.
American influence: Hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans and, increasingly, convenience foods.
Portuguese influence: Peri-peri chicken and spicy dishes that became especially familiar in South African cooking.
Indian influence: Curries, samoosas, breyani and fragrant rice dishes, with particularly strong roots in South Africa’s Indian communities.
…and even Turkish: With dishes like Menemen (It was one of my best food experiences in South Africa growing up, yet we did not even know the name way back then…)
And then there were the dishes that became thoroughly South African in our kitchens: bobotie, melktert, koeksisters, bredies and countless family recipes passed from one generation to the next.
What makes this such an interesting story is that our family tables were already a little world tour.
In Cape Town, start around the V&A Waterfront for international cuisine, enjoy a meal overlooking the ocean in Camps Bay, and explore the colourful Bo-Kaap for Cape Malay flavours. Travel into the Cape Winelands for leisurely lunches, local produce and regional wines, or stop at farm stalls along the way for homemade treats.
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Influences from Southeast Asia and other parts of the Indian Ocean world.
This is one of the most distinctive places to explore Cape Malay food. Look for fragrant curries, bobotie, samoosas and koesisters. The colourful streets are lovely to explore, and a food experience gives you another reason to stop and enjoy the neighbourhood.
Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and surrounding wine country
Come for the beautiful vineyards, mountain scenery, farm stalls and long lunches. European cooking traditions have influenced the region’s food, alongside local ingredients and South African adaptations. You’ll find everything from traditional Cape dishes to contemporary farm-to-table menus.
Italian influences are easy to enjoy in the Cape Winelands, where you can settle in for a leisurely lunch with fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza or a beautifully prepared Italian-inspired dish, often paired with local wine.
In Durban, follow your appetite towards the city’s Indian food traditions. Look out for bunny chow, fragrant curries, roti and breyani.
Along the coast, seafood is another tempting choice, while local markets and neighbourhood eateries offer opportunities to discover everyday favourites.
Indian culinary traditions adapted over generations.
Durban is the place I would recommend for a proper bunny chow, Durban curry, breyani or freshly made roti. The city’s Indian South African food traditions developed over generations and have a distinctive local character.
South Africa’s rainbow of flavors is full of surprises, and some of the best food memories begin with a dish you have never heard of.
When eating out, ask your host or server about a local speciality, how it is traditionally eaten, or what makes their version special. You might discover a new favourite, learn a little about the people who make it, and leave with a story to share long after your holiday is over.
In Johannesburg, explore the city’s diverse food scene, where South African favorites sit alongside cuisines brought by communities from around the world.
Look for a shisa nyama experience, try pap and chakalaka, or explore local food markets and neighbourhood eateries for a taste of everyday city life.
Portuguese and Mozambican influences
Johannesburg is a good choice for Portuguese-style grilled chicken, peri-peri prawns and seafood. Portuguese-speaking communities, including people with connections to Mozambique, have helped make these flavours familiar across South Africa.
You can find Portuguese restaurants in several parts of Johannesburg, so this is a food experience you can build into a city stay.
Local food traditions and the social side of eating
For pap, chakalaka, grilled meat and the atmosphere of a local shisa nyama, look for a reputable township food experience with a knowledgeable local host. Chakalaka is particularly associated with township cooking, although its precise origins are not firmly established.
This is a chance to discover food as people enjoy it in everyday life, rather than only through restaurant menus.
Ask about traditional Xhosa dishes such as umngqusho, made with samp and beans, and look for local specialities in towns and communities along your route.
On a Northern Cape road trip, keep an eye out for farm stalls, small-town cafés and country kitchens. In the Karoo-influenced parts of the province.
Look for lamb dishes and homemade preserves, while local stops can introduce you to the flavors and hospitality of this vast, sparsely populated region. This is the region where one of the best food experiences in South Africa features highly: Tradisional “Boerekos”.
When driving through South Africa, don’t rush past every farm stall.
These roadside stops can offer a delightful rainbow of flavors, including homemade pies, preserves, rusks, fresh fruit and regional specialities. Availability varies by location and season, so let curiosity guide your choices.
Here’s a good rule when travelling through South Africa: eat local and order what the area does best.
E.g. In North West province, look out for a well-prepared steak, tender lamb chops, a traditional potjie or a hearty South African braai served with pap and chakalaka. Farm-style meals and good-quality meat are often a wonderful choice when exploring the countryside.
Save your seafood feast for a coastal stop, and enjoy the local flavours wherever your journey takes you.
Leave room for dessert! Melktert, koeksisters, malva pudding and soetkoekies bring their own stories of home baking, inherited recipes and local adaptations.
They are also lovely examples of how familiar ingredients can become something distinctly South African.
One of the nicest ways to discover South Africa is to let food help you explore.
Visit a local market, try a dish the region is known for, ask a local about a family favourite or make time for a long lunch in the countryside.
If you’re invited to a braai, even better! You may discover that the most memorable part of the meal is the conversation around the fire.
Look for food tours and cooking experiences when planning your trip, too. The people who prepare and share these dishes often have wonderful stories to tell, and those stories can become just as memorable as the food itself.
Want to discover what South Africans really eat at home?
Pop into a local supermarket such as Woolworths, Checkers, Foodlovers, or SPAR. You’ll find familiar international products alongside South African favourites, local snacks, biscuits, sauces and ingredients you may not have tried before.
Look out for biltong, rusks, chutney and local treats to take back to your accommodation or enjoy on a road trip. It’s a simple, everyday experience — and a lovely way to bring a little taste of South Africa into your holiday.
For a list of South African food you should try, read more…
What makes all these food experiences in South Africa so interesting is that these flavours rarely tell just one story.
The same dish can taste a little different from one kitchen to the next, and that is part of its charm. So when you sit down for a meal in South Africa, don’t just look at the menu. Ask about the dish, try something you haven’t tasted before, and discover the people and memories behind it. You may even recognise a flavour that reminds you of home — with a distinctly South African twist.
Perhaps the most memorable part of all the food experiences in South Africa… isn’t just the food, but the people you meet along the way.
South Africans love sharing their rainbow of flavours, inviting you to a braai, telling stories around the table and making visitors feel welcome.
It’s that warmth, friendliness and joy in sharing a meal that can make a visit so special — and leave you dreaming of coming back.
And because we believe good food brings people together, we also share some of our very own family recipes here on Travel and Home. We hope you’ll try them in your own kitchen, share them with the people you love, and take a little taste of South Africa home with you.
One of the simplest food experiences in South Africa might become one of your favourites: enjoying a cup of coffee with a rusk. These crunchy, twice-baked treats are made for dunking, and many South African families enjoy them first thing in the morning. You’ll often find them in supermarkets, farm stalls and guesthouses. Try a traditional buttermilk rusk, dip it into your coffee, and you’ll understand why this little ritual is such a beloved part of everyday life here.
More to explore:
