Meat restaurants in South Africa

SSouth Africans really do love their meat, so if you're keen on sampling a perfectly cooked steak then you need look no further than the great South African steakhouse. 

Each town, suburb or city is sure to have a favourite steakhouse that serves top quality meat, piping hot side dishes (usually featuring chips, fried onion rings and vegetables), excellent wine and ice-cold beers. It's always a good idea to ask the locals what their favourites are. Here are a few suggestions. 

One of the best steakhouses in the country is Carne SA, an award-winning, upmarket restaurant chain with 3 branches in Cape Town. Italian owner, Giorgio Nava, specialises in meat cooked to perfection. 

Other old favourites in the Cape include Nelson's Eye in central Cape Town, Barristers in Newlands, Hussar's Grill in Rondebosch, Green Point and Camps Bay, and HQ (also in central Cape Town), which specialises in grilled sirloin with a side order of chips, salad and Cafe de Paris butter. 

In Johannesburg, the Butcher Shop and Grill in Sandton (with a butchery and deli too) is famous for its superior cuts. The Local Grill, in Parktown North and Boksburg, has made a name for itself, while the Grillhouse Group (Melrose Arch, Rosebank and Sandton) is an award winning steakhouse famous for superb meat dishes. 

The Carnivore Restaurant in Muldersdrift also gets the thumbs-up from carnivores, as do the Turn and Tender restaurants (there are 4 in Johannesburg), where regular clientele enjoy perfectly cooked steaks and great side dishes. For those who love a bit of tradition, the Thunder Gun Steakhouse in Northcliff is famed for its ribs (and other meat dishes too). 

Durban also has a few legendary spots. The Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga is home to the Grill Room, offering a variety of meat dishes. Havana Grill at the SunCoast casino on the Marine Parade, Steak and Ale in Umhlanga and Joop's Place in Morningside all offer something special for meat eaters. 

In Port Elizabeth, Flava restaurant, serving lamb steaklets and BBQ pork, has made a name for itself as the place to go for great grills and fabulous deserts. 

And don't overlook the smaller towns on your travels, where you are bound to find something special, in particular Karoo lamb, which is a great country favourite. 

If you’re visiting a township, don’t miss the opportunity of experiencing Shisa Nyama – the term used to describe a barbecue. People come to together, usually at a site provided by the butcher who sold you your meat, and grill said meat over an open fire. There are restaurants in the more tourist-oriented townships that are easily accessible and where you can have this experience. In Cape Town there’s Sunday ‘Shisa Nyama’ Mzoli’s and in Johannesburg, go to Soweto and take your pick of Shisa Nyamas or go to Joe’s Butchery in Alex. 

Take some local advice and tuck in.