Luxury Food & Restaurants in Africa
Where can you find authentic African cuisine? That is the challenge faced by many travellers to the African continent. Why? Just think of the scale of the “location”…it is a massive continent with several different time and climate zones, all kinds of cultures, and a huge amount of modern influence. For instance, you might go to one of the smaller countries of Africa, such as Morocco, and find half a dozen European cuisines influencing the traditional foods of the native populations.
We have narrowed down a huge list of the three best places for authentic food in Africa (In a Luxury setting may we add!),
If you are looking for truly authentic cuisine, you can turn to Le Quatrier Francais in Western Cape, South Africa. It is a restaurant that is literally dripping with awards and industry recognition. This is because it is in the home of South Africa’s Winelands area, and that allows it to have access to the best produce, wines, and even chocolates! It highlights all of the best of South African cuisine’s flavours, and the chef’s goal is to use only African produce. Currently, the restaurant feeds its many visitors with around 80% native grown and made foods.
If you are looking for a similar experience in Kenya, you have to visit the popular city of Mombasa. There you can take your pick from two of the most frequently recommended spots for authentic cuisine. Both have upscale settings and top of the line service, but one is in the heart of the town while the other sits prettily atop the Old Harbour district.
The first is Safari Inn Bar and Restaurant. It is a popular hang out for locals and for those who want authentic Kenyan cooking. Less luxurious than most of its counterparts the Safari Inn offers live music and dance, big screen TV’s for sports fans. The restaurants staple is mainly meat and fish, however there is a ‘chefs special’ each evening which comes highly recommended!
The second is Tamarind Mombasa, and while it too specializes in Kenyan food with flavours spanning France, Asia and of course Africa. The Tamarind however is especially famed for its freshly caught seafood dishes which have eared the restaurant international acclaim and rave reviews from critics representing ‘Gourmet’ and The London Times. If you visit be sure to sample the Lobster Shela – a locally sourced lobster dish served with a tomato and coconut cream sauce.
As a bonus, another South African restaurant recently hit the “top” of many lists. This is The Greenhouse in the Constantia area of Cape Town. This is another Winelands location, and it specializes in African cuisine and wines, and is considered one of the best ‘fine dining’ locations in the country. With emphasis placed on locally sourced ingredients and flavours paired with wines from the surrounding vineyards.