Durban Restaurants

This culinary journey onboard Allen Gardiner Harbour Cruise Restaurant offers a different and exciting fine dining experience. Sailing all year round and within the scenic and tranquil waters of Durban Harbour, diners experience a spacious and elegant dining saloon, flanked by scenic ocean vistas and marine wildlife. Serving freshly prepared fine foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner and champagne sunset; the menu extends varied choices and dining styles. Choose from the American-style brunch – This 2 1/5 hour 3-course American style brunch cruise welcomes aboard with a glass of fresh orange juice, and 3-course brunch complete with a full English breakfast, hash brown potatoes, hot muffins, apple pie and cream. The a la carte lunch and candlelit dinner cruises from 12noon to 3.00pm. The Dinner cruise is from 7pm to 10pm. The fork lunch and dinner is a three hour cruise, during which a two course meal is served, with choices from the a la carte menu suitable for eating with just a fork. Finally the champagne sunset welcomes aboard with a glass of champagne, and a fully-stocked bar. Throughout the course of the cruise the galley crew serve trays of hot and cold canapés. The Allen Gardiner Harbour Cruise Restaurant offers diners the chance to explore the scenic surrounds of Durban harbour while tantalising the taste buds with decadent fare.

Nestled amongst the splendid tranquil grounds of Mitchell Park, Blue Zoo Restaurant in Morningside boasts a dainty little restaurant that spills out onto voluptuous grounds perfect for relaxing or indulging in Sunday afternoon tea. With indoor and outdoor seating and a simple menu that serves traditional Durban / English fare, diners can enjoy a variety of salads, soups and heart-warming meals such as lamb shank and succulent steaks. With weekly live music hosted on the scenic grounds, The Blue Zoo Restaurant is the place to indulge in simple fare and tranquil surrounds.

A vibrant and welcoming atmosphere awaits you at Bush Tavern, Umdloti. This African-themed restaurant/pub is perfectly situated to offer stunning sea views while you drink and dine. If you’re lucky, you may be able to spot a whale or a dolphin from the deck. A vast menu provides the choicest offering for diners at very reasonable prices and includes a dedicated kiddies menu. A superb venue for a relaxed drink or a family meal.

Situated on the sea-facing wing of the Suncoast Casino, hugging the golden shoreline of the Indian Ocean, Café Vacca Matta boasts stylish ambience and fine dining wrapped in delicious Mediterranean flavours. Dine within the indoor stylish ambience or alfresco, enjoying breathtaking views on the terrace sipping cocktails. Boasting mouth-watering signature dishes and extensive range of both local and imported wines, Café Vacca Matta will capture the palate with a distinctive setting and cuisine for a delightful cosmopolitan dining experience.

Boasting signature dishes brimming with flavour and colour, the prime competition being curries, El-Arish Restaurant invites diners to explore their extensive selection of starters, salads, seafood, curries and pastas. With great food created using only the freshest ingredient spilling off the Ala Carte menu and a small private dining area, diners can indulge in intimate privacy. El-Arish Restaurant is perfect for family dining and corporate function with an extensive selection of food complimented by an elegant setting.

In the heart of Glenwood is Hemingway’s Bistro and Cafe - a quaint, upmarket restaurant providing an extensive South African menu.Breakfasts, light lunches and main meals are served all day long. There are vegetarian options and only the freshest ingredients are used at all times.The ambience is warm and inviting with a lot of attention having been paid to the decor. An Afro-Latino feel runs through the restaurant with themed dining rooms. Diners may also enjoy their meals on the patio which has earned Hemingway’s the accolade of being voted among the top three outside-dining destinations in Durban.With a friendly and upbeat atmosphere, Hemingway’s is a memorable place to dine away some time.

This buzzing upmarket restaurant is housed in an old Glenwood home worn with intimate ambience and wrapped in exposed bricks, chic chandeliers and themed art deco paintings brushed onto an ivory palate. With contrasting wooden floors and crisp white linen, Hemmingway’s Bistro and Café exudes a unique Afro-Latino ambience. Whether dining in one of the themed dining rooms or taking in the balmy summer sun alfresco, this upbeat and friendly restaurant will delight the senses. Choose from the extensive menu the likes of simple prawn and pesto pasta with roast cherry tomatoes or for formal dining there is crispy duck after a starter of fresh fish cakes with oyster dishes and tapas perfect for light snacks. All meals paired well with a solid wine list. Hemmingway’s Bistro and Café renews the palate with modern South African cuisine. Voted one of top three outdoor dining restaurants in Durban

A steak lovers paradise Joops place is situated off the beaten track located within the trendy Morningside. Brimming with a warm and welcoming ambience, this bustling family run restaurant services up mature cuts of prime beef cooked to perfection and drenched in some of Joops best kept secret sauces. Take delight in a heavenly centre cut super grade fillet, stuffed with pineapple and cheddar cheese, cooked to crisp perfection, finished with button mushrooms and flambéed with brandy. In addition to the steak, Joops Place serves tender and succulent chicken breasts sautéed with bacon, onion and tomato, simmered with sage and rosemary or chicken schnitzel, plain or topped with a zesty cheese and mushroom sauce. For those looking for something a little different, try the oxtail casserole in a rich brown gravy, lamb curry, chicken and prawn curry or veal schnitzel Joops place is renowned for some of the best steaks in the world coupled with a bustling ambience and great hospitality, Joops Place offers your palate a heavenly night out.

The Chanteclar Hotel offers a choice of two well appointed dining rooms, each providing a unique setting and ambiance for idle chat and delicious food. The gourmet Zebra and Leopard Room entices with fine fare and excellent service, warmed by a roaring winter fire, perfect for secluded dinners and romantic meals. Enjoy legendary Sunday lunches, which draw regular visitors from all around, an excellent day of fine food and wine. The extensive kiddies play area invites relaxation for parents with an outdoor paved terrace securing a lingering lunch in the solitude and beauty of 1000 Hills. Soak up the balmy summer dining alfresco or enjoy a leisurely meal at the bar. The ladies bar calls for an intimate dining affair shaded by original stonework and crackling winter fire. The Chantecler Hotel is the perfect place to linger and indulge in the beauty of Madwala Conservancy and tantalising fare.