Across Africa, different restaurants serve various local and international cuisines. These restaurants are some of the bests on the continent and are highly recommended for tourists, who want to ‘taste Africa with their tongues’. When you visit a place, you have to experience a lot of things about the place and the food is one of those things. Food, along with culture and travel destinations is a very important part of tourism.
Although the taste of dishes served in these restaurants may differ, every restaurant is incomplete if it is not in the right location, have the right aesthetics or architecture, right ambiance, or has uncomplimentary customer services. These factors play a huge role in the choice of the top restaurants in Africa, and should also play a huge role in every tourist’s choice of restaurant.
Here is a list of restaurants in Africa you would enjoy and wish to visit again and again
1 The Tasting Room
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Housed within the luxurious Le Quartier Francais Hotel, in the center of Cape Town, The Tasting Room is not just one of the best restaurants in Africa; it has also conquered the world stage. This restaurant is run by award-winning Dutch chef Margot Janse.
The incredible décor sets the tone for you to enjoy the delicious meals served by the restaurant’s multi-cultured staff. The menu itself passes information about African culture.
The Tasting Room is famous for Chakalaka lollipop, spekboom leaves, Kalahari salted kabeljou, continental food, and luxurious cocktails
2 Tamarind Restaurant
Location: Mombasa, Kenya
Tourism in Africa is incomplete without mentioning or visiting Kenya, and there has to be a restaurant that meets the needs of tourists. Tamarind Restaurant is that restaurant.
Located near a harbor, Tamarind Restaurant is a paradise for lovers of seafood, which is the specialty of its chefs. The menu is made up of French, Asian, and African cuisines, while only fresh ingredients are used to prepare the dishes.
The atmosphere at Tamarind Restaurant is exciting, as it is built-in Arab style with high arches and a crenelated roof. The sitting arrangement is top- notch and you can never miss the view of the Mombasa harbor.
- 3 L’Orange Bleue Restaurant
Location: Limpopo, South Africa
There are different places you can find wonderful restaurants, but have you tried a restaurant in a wildlife reserve? Food should taste better there.
L’Orange Bleue Restaurant is located in Thaba Pitsi Nature Reserve, at Limpopo in South Africa, and run by a Belgian chef. Its environment consists of wildlife, wild terrain, and the beautiful African sky. The restaurant itself has a magnificent, yet simple design.
Dishes at the L’Orange Bleue Restaurant are Belgian- influenced, with a mix of French cuisines that hit the right spot. You are rating this restaurant high after a wonderful experience
4. Crocafellas Restaurant
Location: Kruger National Park, South Africa.
From eating in a wildlife reserve to eating on crocodile- infested waters. Could discovering new restaurants in Africa get any better?
Crocafellas Restaurant is located at the entrance of Pestana Kruger Lodge and suspended above the crocodile river near Malelane. Across the river is the Kruger National Park, a famous tourist attraction in South Africa.
Traditional African Bistro dishes dominate the menu, and the restaurant is well known for its peri-peri Mozambique chicken and seafood
5. Angsana Riad Bab Firdaus
Location: Marrakesh, Morocco
Angsana Riad Bab Firdaus is located in Baid Firdaus Hotel in Marrakesh and is one of the most popular restaurants in the North African region. While enjoying your meal, you will experience the luxurious environment of this restaurant, with the pool being the main attraction. Although the menu consists mainly of Moroccan dishes, Angsana Riad Bab Firdaus specializes in Thai cuisine
6. Café Chrysalis
Location: Ibadan, Nigeria
Ibadan, the largest city in Nigeria by landmass is home to Café Chrysalis, one of the best restaurants in Africa. The restaurant is located in Bodija, a residential area in Ibadan and though there are other branches of the restaurant, there is none outside the city of Ibadan.
All branches of Café Chrysalis have a jazz theme and are very comfortable. The customer service is exceptional and the atmosphere makes you feel at home, while you enjoy your meal.
The menu contains a wide range of continental dishes and they take personalized orders; making sure both vegetarians and non-vegetarians are satisfied equally.
7. La Tante DC10 Restaurant
Location: Accra, Ghana
Eating on a plane might be normal but how about eating in a restaurant that is a plane? Awesome, isn’t it?
La Tante DC10 Restaurant is sometimes referred to as ‘The Green Plane’, and is located in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. It is not a restaurant built like a plane but an actual decommissioned Ghana Airways McDonnell Douglas DC- 10, which served as a passenger airplane from 1983 to 2005.
The plane used to be part of the Ghana Airways fleet before the airline went bankrupt in 2005. It was moved to Kotoka International Airport and opposite Marina Mall, where tourists enter through a covered staircase at ground level.
The former 380-seater passenger plane has been creatively redesigned to seat 118 people, with most of the seats being removed to make way for eating tables. The air conditioning also sets the tone for you to enjoy the restaurant’s amazing meals.
La Tante DC10 Restaurant’s menu consists of mostly Ghanian food, like Jollof rice (Africa’s gift to the world) and chicken, maize porridge, and seasoned tilapia served with banks
8. The Cargo Hold Restaurant
Location: Durban, South Africa
From eating on a ‘plane restaurant’ to eating in a ‘ship restaurant’; only this time the ship is not real. The restaurant experience in Africa is more fun than any tourist would expect.
Like crocodiles and wildlife was not enough, another South African restaurant offers you a view of sharks while you enjoy your meal.
The Cargo Hold Restaurant is located in the famous uShaka aquarium and is inspired by the South African ghost ship ‘The Phantom’. As scary as it sounds, sharks and other sea creatures will move close to the windows while you eat. You can choose to sit by the oceanfront windows, or close to the aquarium where you can watch the sharks.
The menu in this restaurant consists of mostly international and South African dishes
- Santoku Restaurant and Bar
Location: Accra, Ghana
Located in Accra, Santoku Restaurant and Bar is seen as the top restaurant in Ghana. Founded by an executive chef from Nobu London, it was opened in June 2012 and designed by interior architect Hubert de Givenchy, Paris.
It is a luxurious Japanese restaurant and bars the first in West Africa, with interiors inspired by eastern philosophy and ancient designs. It has the main restaurant, bar, lounge, private dining room, and terrace. Their customer service is excellent and it is a destination for wealthy tourists from different parts of the world.
Santoku Restaurant and Bar’s menu includes Santoku’s Chicken Karanga and Santoku’s slow chicken beef fillet, carefully enhanced with spicy den miso and panzu.
- The Greenhouse
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Owned by famous chef Peter Templeoff, The Greenhouse Restaurant is located in Hohenort Hotel, Cape Town. It is a destination for a lot of tourists and most have described the restaurant as ‘a work of art’.
The restaurant’s beauty is enhanced by a garden, which provides a perfect atmosphere to enjoy any meal. Customer service in this restaurant is top quality and it earned a ‘Certificate of Excellence’ in 2014. The menu includes South African food, French food, and seafood. The wines are also exotic and exclusive.
The Greenhouse Restaurant is widely popular for Springboks, wild oysters, Ostriches, and its wine
11. The Phatt Chef
Location: Mofutsanyana, South Africa
South Africa is blessed with most of Africa’s best restaurants, and The Phatt Chef is one of them. It is run by Simon Kerr, who has over 30 years of experience in dishing out special cuisines. It is also located in Mofutsanyana, South Africa. Primarily a steak house, The Phatt Chef makes sure all its meat is matured for at least 28 days. If you are a fan of steak, this restaurant is the best destination and you can also enjoy your steak with a variety of sauces.
Attractions close to the restaurant include Tugela Falls & Gorge Walk (second highest waterfall in the world), Tugela Vaal Pumped Storage Scheme, Sterkfontein Dam, and Royal Natal National Park Drakensberg World Heritage Site
12. The Blue Heron
Location: Arusha, Tanzania
The Blue Heron was opened in 2002 and is one of the most popular restaurants in Tanzania. It has an environment suitable for every taste. Every Friday, you can listen to different traditional and international music, while you enjoy your meal.
There are not many restaurants on the continent that offer exotic Italian cuisines, on The Blue Heron’s menu including its delicious wood-burnt pizza and Italian soups
