The Heads Restaurants

Located at one of Knysnas most impressive landmarks this premier restaurant in The Garden Route is the place where patrons can indulge and gather, sharing pizzas, sundowners and tasty antipastos. Offering seductive Italian cuisine and classic cocktails, Cornuti Knysna oozes Rivera chic in a chilled out atmosphere catering fine wines and fresh produce for their signature mouth-watering dishes.

Indulge in delicious full English breakfasts and scrumptious light lunches under the shade of ancient Fig Trees. Shaded from the wind, Leisure Isle Coffee Shop invites diners to relax and soak up the tranquil surrounds enjoying loving cuisine and decadent teas. Leisure Isle Coffee Shop embraces the art of relaxation and leisurely cuisine in the picturesque Leisure Island of the famous garden route.

Dressed in creamy white on white elegance with a relaxed atmosphere, patrons can enjoy light and airy dining or al fresco overlooking Bollard Bay and the lagoon. Boasting an Ala Carte menu balanced with luscious ingredients and wine list selectively prepared to compliment the menu, patrons are ensured of an elegant dining experience silhouetted by the picturesque shores of Leisure Island.

Located within The Premier Hotel in Knysna surrounded by the beauty of The Garden Route, Salmon Restaurant and bar serves up contemporary swing and jazz music to the notes of bistro dining. Enjoy a delicious meal al fresco on the refreshing patio looking out onto the garden or cosy up in front of the roaring fire on a nippy winter’s day. This intimate eatery offers breakfast and lunch with flair and dinner by candlelight seduced by cool jazz in the background.

NumNum Wholefoods is the place to grab natural wholesome food that's also a taste sensation. Delicious eat-at-home meals, superb pate', the best bush honey, delicious handcrafted jams with honest sugar, farm made hams, salami's, goat's cheese, wholesome yoghurt, the best most naturally cured salmon, fresh organic vegetables and grass fed beef, Namibian lamb, Karoo bush fed Springbok and whole grain spices, mountain salt and MSG free condiments. Fresh platters of asparagus lightly dressed with aged balsamic vinegar and shavings of sheep's pecorino dusted with lightly flavoured paprika salt.All in all honest food that is healthy and the way it should be!

Vibrant and buzzing, this popular lunch and dinner venue is the perfect spot for great food, attentive service enhanced with edgy decor. Situated in a scenic spot in Thesen Harbour Town, right by the water’s edge, this lively restaurant features waterside terraces, tall windows, strategically designed lighting and comfortably stylish seating. The decor is a simple and clean, using green tone to invite and create a lowing warmth. The menu is a fusion if inspirational cuisines and features a wonderful selection of shellfish. A memorable time awaits you at Sirocco.

Located along the waters edge of trendy Thesen Harbour Town, Sirocco Restaurant boasts a vibey sophisticated attitude with relaxed sophistication. Embodied by cutting-edge design, clever lighting and plush seating, dining at Sirocco Restaurant by night transforms the evening into a romantic ambience. Begin the meal with voluptuous mussels tossed in a classic white wine and garlic sauce finished with a garlic crouton before indulging in a mature beef fillet seasoned and grilled on the open flame. Served with crispy fries, garlic & paprika roast potatoes or savoury rice. Round off the tantalizing meal with a decadent chocolate coffee, berry, frangelico and nut mousse served with wafer biscuits. Serving long lazy lunches and relaxing dinners from the dramatic waters edge location, dining at Sirocco Restaurant warms the palate sophisticated cool.

Tapas & Oysters is the place where great food, good friends and sticky fingers meet. It’s all about Knysna’s laid-back lifestyle, that’s why we like to say that 34 Tapas & Oysters is “Not too shabby... Not too chic... definitely dockside.” Join us every day of the year in our bright and cheerful restaurant with its beautiful views over the Knysna Lagoon for oysters (the whole range, of course, fresh from our own holding tanks), tapas (with a South African twist, naturally), cocktails (including the coolest mojitos around), or a glass of Knysna’s famous Mitchell’s beer, which like 34 itself, is a celebration of the way we like to live down here beside the lagoon.

île de païn - Island of Bread is something of an oasis, even amoungst the plethora of good eateries in Knysna. When Liezie Mulder and Markus Farbinger together with a small, young team opened the doors of île de païn in 2002, it was as though they tapped into something so treasured by the collective consciousness, that the appeal was indeed universal.They built a wood fired oven and baked large, dark loaves of Companio bread for the nearby farmers market. Soon after, Liezie put a small menu together to complement the bread. Today the bread “complements” Liezie’s food breakfast and lunch take centre stage at île de païn. She draws from her love of local ingredients and utilizes her international experience and training to create menu‘s that are thoughtful, simple and unique for everyday enjoyment. The wine list changes as often as the menu and receives equal attention and care. The desserts on display are for the finale or to take home for a postponed indulgence. On your way out you remember to take along a loaf (locals reserve one or two before sitting down) and some of the specialties as a gift to yourself or those near to your heart. Their annual gastronomic trips around the globe will ensure that île de païn will keep on going for years to come.Need to know? Tuesday till Saturday: 8am to 3pm; Breakfast 8am to 11am; Lunch 11:30am to 3pm; Sunday: 9am to 13:30 breakfast and lunch menu all day. Closed on Mondays.

With live bands, big screens and a warm fireplace, Quay Four on Thesen Islands, Knysna, is all about keeping you entertained and giving you a space to relax, unwind and enjoy a good meal without breaking the bank.Quay Four on Thesen Islands, offers a variety of light meals and salads, as well as hearty pub fare for those with a bigger appetite though the emphasis is on sumptuous seafood. Visitors can spend a leisurely day on the deck at Quay Four drinking cocktails and enjoying delicious oysters while soaking up the numerous spectacular Thesen Islands views.

The perfect setting to enjoy lazy breakfasts and alfresco lunches indoors or on the sheltered terrace marvelling at the awaking of the early morning or lingering sunset; East Head Café is where friends and family meet to reconnect for good food and casual conversation cooled by cocktails and wine. East Head Café boasts quality and service accentuated by flavour and freshness using the best local ingredients for sumptuous breakfasts and creamy cappuccinos. Indulge in a selection of the finest wines by glass or bottle complimented by fresh battered fish and chips or a delicious gourmet burger from the Café style menu. Kids are welcome and catered for ensuring parents get much needed time to relax and enjoy the well thought out setting and food. With a kiddies menu complimented by colouring boards, blackboards and toys, kids can be kids without the worry and stress associated with dining out. You can be forgiven spending a little more time here than expected, enjoying delicious food on a balmy summer days or curling up to the crackling fireplace.

For the simple, easygoing palate, Pembrey’s compliments the experience basic classic styles reduced sauces and Bistro style main courses. Delight in the flavours of Quall, Lamb Shank, lovely homemade churned ice creams. Vegetarians can take delight in the extensive salad buffets and legendary deserts such as traditional Bread and Butter pudding. Pembrey’s boast top 180 in American Express Restaurants and won Restaurant and Chef of the Year in The Garden Route. Dine al fresco on the enclosed porch with views of the shimmering lagoon or cosy up to the crackling log fire on a chilly winter night. With commitment to flavour and natural fresh ingredients, Pembrey’s transports the palate on a Mediterranean journey for a simple, easygoing experience.

Known as one of Knysna’s top restaurants blended with old world charm and housed in a quaint 1848 year old manor house, Boogies Restaurant charms the palate and senses with original and unique dishes much suited to the characteristics of this old manor house. Charming and unique, patrons can dine on daily specials or experience cuisine from the menu taking in the fresh breeze on the veranda under the shady oak tree. If intimate dining suits the taste - cosy up to the crackling fireplace warmed by original yellowwood and Oregon pine floors for a wintery warm experience.

Settle into the comfort and welcoming ambience infused by glorious aromas and tantalising flavours for the finest meals cooked using only the freshest local ingredients; freshly picked from Hoekwil near Wilderness. Discover a unique and exciting cuisine from the menu or social tapas for lunch, whatever you choose, JJ’s Restaurant will delight the palate complimented by Diners Club International wine list of the year. Enjoy lunch or dinner at this romantic quayside location brimming with a welcoming ambience and superb food and wine.

Discover the freshest seafood, tantalizing salads and a fusion of flavours and textures garnished by sinful deserts all while taking in the idyllic surroundings over a glass of wine. The Drydock Food Company serves fusion cuisine touched by International elegance inside or out on the enormous deck overlooking the yacht basin. Boasting a casual elegance combined with tasty honest cooking, diners can enjoy intimate lunches or dinners along the magnificent waters edge. Discover tantalising starters - Thinly sliced fillet of venison, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, parmesan, marinated mushrooms and rocket before savouring 18 delicious prawns grilled and drizzled with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, served with savoury rice and your choice of garlic butter, lemon butter or peri-peri. The Dry Dock Food Company is the perfect choice for a lazy lunch or romantic evening lit by candlelight and the sweeping harbour basin.

Chef’s @ Nauticus Place Restaurant, Brenton-on-Sea, Knysna, was bought over on the 15th November 2009. The Restaurant has been going from strength to strength. We at Chef’s @ Nauticus Place Restaurant pride ourselves on serving excellent food and drink. The beautiful, unique surroundings of Brenton-on-Sea guarantees a great time for everyone, young and old. We are open throughout the year for tour groups. Set menus can be arranged ahead of time according to the budget of the client / company. We cater groups, kid’s parties, weddings, team building, birthdays, anniversaries and anything else you could think of.

This Authentic Italian Café gastronomically infuses the palate with traditional Italian cuisine on the patio overlooking the water. Considered by many as the most popular restaurant in town, Café Mario serves intimate meals and hearty breakfasts complimented by reasonable Italian wines. A wonderful place to linger the day away, people watching and indulging in flavour infused Italian faire.

A beautiful pleasure cruiser, The John Benn at Knysna is a nautical dining experience for the whole family. This unique floating restaurant makes daily cruises to the scenice Knysna Heads while patrons eat, drink and enjoy themselves. An enthusiastic onboard team serve tasty, fresh food with a smile and ensure that everyone on board is having a superb time.

Casual and laidback, Knysna's bustling food emporium claims that it's "not exactly a restaurant, not exactly a bar, definitely not a deli... well, not exactly a deli... it’s an eating place, a drinking place and definitely a meeting place". Well, it's a good place to be if you enjoy fresh seafood and fancy a bit of shopping. 34 South is also "a gift shop, a clothing emporium, a food store, a fish monger and a bakery, too. And the finest wine shop this side of the grape curtain!" Start with a platter of freshly shucked wild coastal oysters still tasting of salt and sea. Tuck into calamari (tubes, heads and steaks) and mussels (in and out the shell) done in many ways - in vinaigrette, masala, with peri-peri or with wine and garlic. The herring comes six ways, the fish pates four and the mezze too many ways to mention. Traditional Greek, Spanish and Portuguese themes run through an eclectic menu that highlights Mediterranean flavours - with chicken, ostrich and vegetarian options for diners averse to seafood. With tastebuds still tingling from oysters and bubbly, the mains are sure to tantalise. Signature dishes tempt with fresh linefish brought in through the Knysna heads, east-coast sole, linefish espetada, Portuguese sardines, jambalaya and seafood paella.

Perfectly located within the heart of Knysna, perched on the shimmering waters edge, surrounded by sweeping views and tranquil sunsets, Fisherman’s Cabin welcomes patrons with a warm laidback ambience and fresh selection of seafood, meat and combination dishes. Enjoy a lazy al fresco lunch sampling Malay Seafood Curry Pot – A medley of seafood medium spiced served in a “Potjie” with savoury rice or fresh oysters dressed in fiery Tabasco sauce. With a selection of the freshest seafood, fish, combination dishes and sushi, patrons can also enjoy a choice of beef, chicken and pork dishes rounded off by delicious homemade baked deserts and fresh local wines and beers. Watch the lingering sunset over the Marina and lagoon while enjoying a tranquil lunch or romantic dinner indoors or on the covered terrace.