What do you eat in South Africa? - 17 South African specialities

What do you eat in South Africa? South African food offers a wide variety, with influences from many different cultures. The country is known for both grilled and dried meat, but there are also many other things to try. In this article, we present tips on South African food.

What is typical of South African food?

South African cuisine is varied, due in part to the mixed population. There is a large black population, but also white people who once immigrated from the Netherlands or the UK, as well as people with roots in Indonesia and other Asian countries.

The country's restaurants are also largely very international, meaning that you'll find eateries everywhere serving things like pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, tapas, sushi, wok, European meat and fish dishes and so on.

Key ingredients in South African cuisine

South African cuisine is, as I said, very varied, but it is clear that meat plays a large and important role, whether it is grilled, dried or cooked in a pot. Spices are also widely used, not least in Cape Malay cuisine, the cooking culture passed on by descendants from Indonesia and Malaysia. And of course, there is a wide variety of exotic fruits.

South African food: Seventeen dishes and specialities of South Africa

Here we have collected 17 examples of South African food in the form of dishes and specialities. Enjoy!

1. Biltong and droewors

Some of the most typical things to eat in South Africa are biltong and droewors. Biltong is dried meat, traditionally used by the Boers during their long journeys in the fields. Droewors are a kind of sausage made from air-dried meat, which also has a good shelf life.

Today, biltong and droewors are popular snacks that can be bought almost everywhere: in supermarkets, souvenir shops and airports. The meat can be beef or different kinds of game, such as buffalo or greater kudu. Perfect to take with you on an excursion or hiking trip!

2. braai

Another thing that you just must eating in South Africa is braai. Braai is really about grilling, and this is extremely popular in South Africa. Every grocery store has a big focus on braai, with everything from meat and charcoal to barbecue spices and magazines with braai tips.

Together with our South African friends, we had a lot of braai, and we even did it ourselves when we rented a house in George.

3. boerewors

It is popular to grill different kinds of meat, and it is also popular to grill so-called buckwheat. Boerewors, which roughly means 'farmer's sausage', is a sausage that is ringed in a round shape. The sausage contains a high percentage of meat, usually beef or possibly lamb. Very tasty in our opinion!

4. ostrich meat

South Africa has a lot of ostrich farms, not least in Oudtshoorn, which has the largest concentration of ostriches in the world. This means that there is a large variety of ostrich meat, both in shops and restaurants, especially in some parts of the country. The meat is delicious, and this is South African food you might not want to miss!

5. Game meat

When in South Africa, you can also take the opportunity to eat game meat, from animals that feel exotic to us northerners. For example, you can eat meat from impala, wildebeest, greater kudu and springbok. Game meat is served in some restaurants and you can also buy it in well-stocked grocery stores.

6. shellfish

South African cuisine has a strong focus on meat, but along the coast there is also a wide variety of seafood. For example, you can eat fish such as kap-kingklip and 'snoek', which are part of the sea pike family.

There are also plenty of mussels, oysters and prawns. South Africa also has a special type of crayfish, or lobster, called rock lobster (Jasus lalandii). There are definitely good opportunities for great seafood, for example in Cape Town and along the Garden Route!

7. Pap and chakalaka

cardboard is a type of porridge/polenta made from maize flour that acts as a staple and filling carbohydrate. It can be eaten for breakfast or used as an accompaniment to meat or a stew, such as chakalaka.

Chakalaka is a South African vegetable dish usually served with bread or pap. The dish usually includes tomatoes, beans, vegetables and chilli, and can otherwise vary in its execution.

8. bobotie

Bobotie is a South African mince pie, or perhaps gratin rather, which includes minced meat, spices and egg custard. The dish is usually cooked in large moulds and can be served with yellow rice, for example. In the picture below, you can see small baked pies instead, which are filled with bobotie filling.

9. Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a type of grilled bread, in the form of round buns, which can be eaten as a side dish to a braai, i.e. a barbecue meal. It also happens that the bread is served with various toppings/fillings, as a lighter meal. We ate this on one occasion (the bread is delicious!) but forgot to take a photo...

10. Potjiekos

Potjiekos can be translated as 'small stew food' and is a dish usually prepared outdoors, in a small iron pot. Traditionally, the stew includes meat and vegetables and rice or potatoes, along with spices.

11. Cape Malay Curry

The group known in South Africa as Cape Malay is an ethnic group with roots in Asia and the Muslim religion. Today, this culture can be found in the colourful Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town, where there are also several restaurants.

There are several different dishes to try, including Cape Malay Curry is perhaps the best known. This dish can include chicken and dried fruit, as well as spices such as cinnamon and ginger.

12. samosa

Samosa are small deep-fried pies with a spicy filling, which can be made of minced meat or a vegetarian version. This little delicacy is made in many parts of the world, such as India, the Middle East and various parts of Africa. Even in multicultural South Africa, this little appetiser is relatively common.

13. Mopane larvae

When we visited the township of Soweto in Johannesburg the guide told us about different dishes that the black population eats. He showed pictures of pap, braai and chakalaka, but also kota (bread with lots of filling), papa ka malana (chicken feet and giblets) and mopane larvae. We never tried the latter in South Africa, but we did try them at the restaurant The Boma in Zimbabwe.

14. Coeksisters

Coexists is a traditional white African pastry made from dough soaked in syrup or honey. This little treat tastes very good, but be prepared for fat and sugar shock! Perhaps it was the shock that made us not get round to taking a photo ...

15. milked

MilkedMilk tart, or milk tart in English, is a South African dessert created by the Afrikaners. The dessert consists of a dough shell filled with milk, flour, sugar and eggs.

16. malva pudding

Malva pudding is a South African soft cake flavoured with apricot jam, among other things. The cake can be served with cream or ice cream. Very tasty! (The cake in the picture is a "half portion" at the airport in Cape Town, and it was more than enough!)

17. Exotic fruit

South Africa has a wide variety of exotic fruit. You will find, for example, mangoes, bananas, melons, avocados, citrus fruits, guavas, pineapples, pomegranates, grapes and lychees. We also tried a kind of prickly "pear", which we believe is the fruit prickly pear. Very good!

South African cuisine in restaurants in South Africa

Want to eat in local restaurants? We have visited many restaurants with very good food in South Africa, although the vast majority serve international cuisine rather than typical South African food. Here you can read more about dining experiences in some different cities in South Africa:

Combining South African food and drink

So what should you drink with your food, or in other situations? Here are some tips on drinks you might want to try in South Africa.

South African wine

South Africa is known for its fine wines and produces large quantities of wine that are exported around the world. Both red and white wines are made from grapes such as chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, chenin blanc and the native pinotage grape. If you want to visit vineyards, you can head to the famous wine destinations of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, among others.

Beer in South Africa

Although South Africa is known for its wine, it is actually beer that is most widely drunk. One brand that is common, and that we liked, is Carlings Black Label. Originally from Canada, this brand has become popular in South Africa, where it is also brewed locally.

Another popular beer is Windhoek from Namibia.

Amarula

Amarula is a popular South African liqueur where the main ingredient is fruit from the marula tree. This delicious drink can also be bought at Systembolaget, but it gives a little extra feeling to taste it on site in South Africa!

Rooibos - red tea

Another drink that you almost have to try in South Africa is rooibos, which can also be called red tea. This drink is made in the same way as regular tea, but using leaves from the rooibos bush, which does not contain caffeine.

More tips on South African food?

Have you been to South Africa, or perhaps you have encountered South African flavours in some other context? Do you have more tips on South African food?