Miila is a conservation biologist from Finland, and she’s currently living in South Africa, where she works on her PhD, does travel writing and proofreading, and spends time with her small baby and two dogs.
Initially named Bahia Formosa by the Portuguese for its jewel-like bay, Plettenberg Bay is a stunning holiday location that is also a heaven for friends of good food and characterful restaurants.
You can easily spend a good few days just exploring the restaurants of Plettenberg Bay – or Plett, as it is often referred to. This journey would take you from gourmet restaurants by world-class beaches, to locals’ favorite eateries in the town centre, and to special venues nestled within the forests beneath the Tsitsikamma mountains. During this food journey, you can expect sea food, pizzas, local wines, traditional South African cuisine, quaint bakeries (featuring many famous South African desserts), and more.
View of Plettenberg Bay, jewel of the Garden Route (Source: info.co.za)
In this article we present what in our view are Plett’s very best restaurants, recommended by locals.
Surfing is one of the best activities to try in Plett, and Surf Café with a surfing vibe is one of Plettenberg Bay’s old-time favorite restaurants. It is a meeting place, a locals’ hub, a wonderful place to eat, and a live music venue.
On the menu here you’ll find delicious curries, as well as homemade burgers that come with a beef, chicken, or vegetarian patty, along with fantastic chips. There are also Mexican-style meals on the menu, including nachos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. As to desserts, you’ll enjoy their decadent, homemade brownies with ice cream, but Surf Café also makes a really good milkshake.
Surf Café is the only venue in Plett where you can enjoy different live music every night of the week; Wednesdays are usually open mic nights, and on the other evenings, various local and visiting artists come perform here.
Local band at Surf Café (Credit: Miila Kauppinen)
Barrington’s
Just entering the property at Barrington’s is an experience. You’ll arrive in front of the stylish, grand building past almost Victorian-style, open vegetable beds that supply the restaurant. Barrington’s is a relatively new restaurant in Plett, but already they have cemented their place in the town as a superb craft brewery, restaurant, bakery shop, and a small hotel. There is often an art exhibition going at the lobby, showcasing works by local artists.
Barrington’s is said to have some of the best French fries in Plettenberg Bay. For starters, there are special dishes such as dahl spring rolls or beer & bacon mussel pot. Mains that come highly recommended include homemade tagliatelle, moussaka, or kimchi chicken burger (with the famous chips). Of course we highly encourage you to taste their various craft beers. And something else with Barrington’s craft beer, is the unique dessert, berry beer and vanilla ice cream cone.
The bakery contains largely local and organic produce. You’ll find lovely jams and gifts here, and of course stunning breads and other baked goods such as croissants, carrot cake, or the South African hertzoggies.
The Lookout Deck
The Lookout Deck by the Lookout Beach offers a fabulous beach access. It is a hip venue with a beach vibe and friendly staff, where you have a chance to enjoy a variety of quality dishes and drinks.
The restaurant is great for seafood and meat, as well as pizzas. Try for example tempura prawns, East Coast sole, or seafood pasta. And the pizzas are definitely some of Plett’s best, we would say – taste, texture, everything is wonderful. Add to that a cold drink on a warm day and the magnificent views; it’s no wonder many visitors come back to The Lookout Deck again and again.
There is a lovely selection of South African wines to choose from, to accompany your meal. You’ll want to keep an eye out for any from Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. Furthermore, the venue makes delicious signature cocktails. Try for example Lookout Caribbean iced tea.
Local tip: The Lookout Deck is right on the beach and you can easily walk to the lagoon from here, or all the way to Plett’s river mouth and back. The lagoon is fairly shallow, and great for windsurfing or paddle boarding.
Early morning at Lookout Deck (Credit: Hendré Wassermann)
Nguni
Nguni restaurant, connected with Plettenberg Bay’s White House Theatre, is located in the heart of Plett. The restaurant and theatre share a small, atmospheric courtyard, and you can choose to be seated either there or indoors.
The place has the feel of a pleasant, classy restaurant in the Mediterranean, and yet, it is also truly South African. The restaurant gets its name from the traditional Nguni cattle of South Africa. These cows are appreciated for their beautiful, patterned skin. Many dishes portray the testimony to South Africa’s cuisine: you can enjoy smoked ostrich, Nguni steak, or springbok loins, combined with a variety of wines if you like. Vegetarian have nothing to worry about here, with an extensive menu including roasted harissa cauliflower or wild mushroom risotto.
For dessert, I’d always recommend the lemon meringue or cheese cake.
Nguni steak and potatoes (Source: Nguni-restaurant)
At Nguni restaurant you’ll be able to feel at ease while the considerate waiters and waitresses help make your evening a special one. Eating at Nguni is a bit more on the pricey side, but the charming dining experience is well worth it.
Nguni is only open in the evenings, from 6 pm to 10 pm. It gets busy during the summer months so I always recommend to reserve a table.
Adi’s Kitchen
Adi’s Kitchen at Bayview Hotel is centrally located, modestly but beautifully decorated, and it has stunning, spacious indoor seating area as well as a balcony with views towards the ocean. This reasonably priced restaurant serves great breakfast as well as dinners. I personally find it to be one of the most lovely, easy places to go out in Plett for an evening with friends, or just to meet someone for a coffee.
The owner Adi was himself inspired by his travels and foods from around the world, which is reflected in the menu. You could start your meal with tapas or a salad. For mains, choose something traditionally South African such as fish and chips or lamb chops from the Karoo, or opt for sea food, for example prawns, calamari, or local kingklip. There are also Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as seafood paella or Turkish Seekh kebab. If you’re a vegetarian, try falafel with hummus, or chickpea masala & pita bread. These can be made vegan, as well.
Perhaps you’d like to stay the night? Bayview Hotel has lovely accommodation. For breakfast here, you could enjoy eggs benedict on South African roosterkoekor a healthy yogurt with muesli.
Healthy breakfast with a view at Adi’s Kitchen (Credit: Hendré Wassermann)
Emily Moon
If you would like to experience a truly romantic evening out, we suggest booking a table at Emily Moon, overlooking the Bitou River. The place has an atmosphere of another era, and indeed, it is often used as a wedding venue.
Just slightly more on the moderately expensive side, at Emily Moon you can enjoy meals in an intimate yet comfortable setting. You could have lunch by the pool, or be seated at antique tables for dinner. Much of the fresh produce on your plate comes from their own garden or otherwise from organic farmers in the area.
We can recommend a roasted butternut salad for starters, and butter chicken curry for mains. You could also try something uniquely South African, such as kudu loin with potato fondant. Or, try their home made sweet potato gnocchi. For dessert, wonderful options include a classic crème brulee or pannacotta with homemade chocolate mousse and strawberry caviar.
I’d also recommend checking out Emily Moon’s accommodation, featuring some gorgeous rooms overlooking the river.
Enrico’s
Many places in South Africa, such as Cape Town, have stunning restaurants where you can enjoy seafood and wine with spectacular ocean views. Plett has a few restaurants of this kind, as well, and perhaps the most loved of them is Enrico’s. This Italian restaurant draws crowds, partly due to the superb location overlooking a sandy beach and the Indian Ocean, but mostly because of their famous sea food, pizzas, and pasta dishes. Some of the recipes are by the owner, Enrico, himself, who often comes out of the kitchen to mingle with the guests.
Enrico’s is moderately priced. You can order fish such as kingklip pizzaiola, or various meat dishes. Enrico’s delicious pastas include fettucine poverella, ham and mushroom sauce, or a traditional pasta Bolognese, which is my personal favorite at Enrico’s. There are also a range of pizzas available, and various vegetarian options. As to desserts, their tiramisu is wonderful, and they also serve great Italian ice cream. If you’re lucky, you can have your meal complemented by the view of dolphins or whales leaping out of the waves.
Live music is another drawcard of Enrico’s – Sam the musician has been entertaining guests for many years here, with his mellow covers of golden oldies and more modern favorites. Enrico’s does get rather busy during Christmas and Easter holidays, so you may want to book a table in advance.
Local tip: If you feel like a sunset walk after your meal, you can stroll along the beach right below the restaurant, or walk the other way towards the famous Arch Rock and Matjes river mouth (just take note of the changing tides if walking this way).
Villa Villekula
If you’re looking for a truly unique experience, visit this small restaurant and accommodation venue in the Crags, 20 km outside of Plettenberg Bay. The owners and chefs, Willie and Daniela, are passionate about making your evening special and creating delicious, home-cooked meals.
The restaurant at Villa Villekula (Source: villavillekula)
Villa Villekula generally serves breakfast every day, and dinner from Wednesday to Saturday. You’ll need to book your table beforehand; they shop for and prepare the meals based on the amount of bookings received. The dinner is either a buffet or a full course meal.
You can expect delicacies such as osso bucco putanesca served with a cheese potato and leek roulade; roast leg of lamb tapenade served with a creamy potato bake; or cabbage bake with lemon ricotta. For dessert, they offer treats such as mascarpone cheesecake or traditional malva pudding, as well as coffee or tea. You can bring your own alcohol with you.
Eating at Villa Villekula is a bit on the pricier side, but, in my opinion, you get fantastic value for your money. One thing to note, in case of possible allergies; the restaurant is also part of the owners’ home, and their dogs, cats and donkeys (the latter not permitted indoors!) live on the premises. Overall, this is an experience you won’t want to miss when visiting Plett, so be sure to book your table at Villa Villekula well in advance.
Just for drinks
If you feel like a bit of an adventure, head over to Fisanthoek Cloud 7 Brewery in Harkerville, some 15 km outside of Plett. The owner, Derek, has created a unique craft brewery nestled within an indigenous forest. The IPA’s, stout beer, and blond beer are very much worth a taste, and the location itself with the stunning brewery building and permaculture gardens is highly inspiring. For brewing, they use GMO free grains and rainwater. However, Cloud 7 Brewery doesn’t have usual opening hours – they’re generally only open for a few hours on Friday afternoons. It is best to call the owner beforehand, just to make sure they’re open before visiting.
Especially for something baked
Café Le Fournil is perhaps Plett’s most famous café, and for a good reason; their chocolate breads and almond croissants are to die for. Not to speak of their healthy rye loaves, bread sticks, and cakes. The restaurant also offers breakfast and lunch-time meals. Owing to its originally French owners, Le Fournil has a unique French-European vibe, emphasized by its beautiful decorations and a lovely courtyard.
Le Fournil café in central Plettenberg Bay (Source: lefournildeplett.co.za)
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