Flavours of South Africa: 5 dishes and where to try them

As the ‘cradle of humankind’, South Africa is considered the birthplace of cooking. The country’s long culinary heritage is duly seasoned with an incredible diversity of people, ingredients, flavours and preparation methods that have graced its shores for millions of years.

Cooking as we know it was born in south-eastern Africa at least 1.5 million years ago, when Homo ergaster realised fires weren’t only good for keeping warm. Since then, South Africa has experienced wave upon wave of migration, with each group of new arrivals bringing with them ingredients, flavours and techniques, all the way up to the current day.

On the surface – especially in the more touristy areas – South African cuisine can feel predictable and Westernised these days. It is entirely possible to dine only on imported favourites like pizza, pasta, burgers and sushi while touring the country. Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll find the influence of Khoekhoe pastoralists, Nguni herdsmen, Dutch and British colonisers, Malay slaves, Indian indentured labourers and Greek, Lebanese and Jewish immigrants, to name but a few.

Many of South Africa’s dishes combine the influences of several of these cultures in surprising ways. In Cape Town, immigrants from the Portuguese island of Madeira have made classic British fish and chips their own, whereas chakalaka, a spicy mixed-vegetable relish that brings many a township meal to life, clearly has its roots in Indian atchar.

South Africa’s well-developed restaurant scene has something for every palate and price point. While you should certainly try to get bookings at some of the big-name spots in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, you should also make a point of eating at the markets, cafés and greasy spoons that cater for everyone else. South Africa is a land of many flavours, and nowhere is this truer than in its food.

Five South African dishes to try and where to try them

1. Braaivleis

The scent of braai (barbecue) smoke hangs thick in the air every Sunday in South Africa. Different language groups call barbecue by different names – braaivleis, shisanyama, etc – but they all loosely translate as ‘burnt meat’. Common cuts include boerewors sausage, lamb chops, steak and even chicken feet. Braais are traditionally family affairs but township shisanyama joints have become popular in recent years. Try PDL in Johannesburg (they’ll wash your car too, Mzoli’s in Cape Town, and Max’s Lifestyle in Durban. 

2. Koeksisters

These plaited golden ingots of dough are crisp on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside and slathered in way-too-sweet syrup. Despite being an Afrikaner icon, just one letter separates koeksisters from koesisters, their spongier, spicier, non-plaited Cape Malay cousins. The two names are so similar, says South African culinary historian Errieda Du Toit, “because they arose from the same kitchens”. Afrikaans koeksisters can be found in roadside farmstalls, while every corner café in Cape Town has a bowl of Malay koesisters behind the counter.

3. Bobotie

The first recipe for this spiced mince and raisin dish topped with a savoury egg custard was found in a Dutch cookbook in 1609. But the ex-slaves of the Cape Malay community made it their own by adding curry powder and serving it with sambal, chutney, sliced banana and yellow rice. These days it is a nationwide winter staple, but the best versions can be found in Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap neighbourhood – the one at Biesmiellah Restaurant is really good.

4. Waterblommetjiebredie

Waterblommetjies (‘water flowers’ in Afrikaans) are the centrepiece of waterblommetjiebredie, a soup-like mutton stew that can only be made in winter (June to September), when cold fronts lash the Western Cape and blooms cover its seasonal vleie (marshes). Traditionally a bredie is cooked for hours until the vegetables break down into one “glorious indiscernible mush”, says du Toit. Zomerlust Gastehuis in the winemaking town of Paarl is known to make a mean one.

5. Amasi with umphokoqo

Amasi – fermented unpasteurised milk similar to kefir – was born centuries ago as a way of keeping milk edible for longer in a fridgeless society, and it’s still a staple for millions. Xhosa people typically enjoy amasi with umphokoqo, a polenta-like maize meal porridge. Nelson Mandela loved it so much that he even had a portion smuggled from home to London’s Dorchester Hotel on one visit. Amasi is sold by the litre in supermarkets, and if you ask nicely, your hotel should be able to conjure up a bowl of umphokoqo for breakfast.

Did you know?

Durban is home to the largest community of ethnic Indians outside India, and it shows in the city’s food. Everything in Durban is a little spicier and the curries are, not surprisingly, excellent. But the most iconic Durban dish is bunny chow, a half-loaf of white bread that’s been hollowed out and stuffed with a hearty filling of your choosing – the spicier the better. 

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