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Generally speaking, the restaurants of the Eastern Cape are good but not great. Of course there are always a few exceptions to every rule, and in the Eastern Cape the number of these exceptions is always increasing. But for really good food, choose a great hotel or guesthouse, some of which are noted for their cuisine. Not surprisingly, most restaurants are reasonably casual, and there are none where men would be expected to wear a tie.
With huge portions of delicious food made with extra-large servings of love, Hogsback's old faithful is located in heart of the town's main drag. The restaurant got a new injection of energy in 2021, and locals and visitors continue to come for the great-value menu which features something to satisfy every possible taste, especially the popular Sunday lunchtime roasts. Pop in for coffee or a beer, arrive early for breakfast, order a steak, or tuck into the tastiest vegetarian dishes in town.
While locals love to stop in for coffee, breakfast, and brunch, this house-converted-into-a-restaurant is also an excellent place to tuck into a selection of popular South African dishes such as slaphakskeentjies (boiled onions served in an egg sauce) or mosbolletjies (a kind of sweet dessert bread). There's also pizza, burgers, and BBQ chicken on the menu, but look out for anything featuring Karoo lamb. They also use the local rum to make cocktails, so be to try it. A selection of deli items (artisanal jams, teas, toffee, and more) is available to buy. It's not necessarily fine-dining, but fine eating in a relaxed environment.
Next to the Seal Point Lighthouse, this restaurant, bakery, and deli has brought a sophisticated touch to the laidback holiday resort of Cape St Francis. At the helm is Wesley Randles, a celebrated Cape Town chef who moved to the Eastern Cape with his family, which has allowed him to be more adventurous with fresh seafood ingredients, bake decadent treats (like chocolate-filled doughnuts), and integrate a profound knowledge of sensual flavors with a knack for creative plating. Dishes are imaginative and flavorsome, and range from rib-eye steaks and burgers to prawns in a wood-roasted coriander "mojo" (which means "special sauce"). That said, you can also sit here and stare dreamily through the wraparound windows, watching the waves battering the promontory and admiring the old lighthouse as you sip coffee, nibble on delectable wood-fired potato bread, or slurp down fresh oysters. There's a take-away hatch where you can stock up on sourdough loaves or buy homemade ice cream.
Constantly busy and bustling thanks to its simple formula of good, well-presented gourmet burgers and thin-crust pizzas topped with only the freshest ingredients, combined with sharp but always friendly service. The decor and layout of the place are equally simple and effective, with heavy wooden tables and exposed brick walls and pillars, and lots of air and light, despite the tightness of the space. If the weather suits (which it generally does in these parts), you can eat outside in the courtyard. There's a good selection of South African craft beers as well as a decent wine list. The one drawback, though, is the location on a very busy road that can feel quite intense, almost industrial.
Accessed by the back entrance of Port Elizabeth's oldest hotel, the Stage Door is one of the city's best-kept secrets and has long been a favorite with locals in the know for its cheap and cheerful menu, good range of beers, and an eccentric and old-fashioned pub feel. Although it can get very busy here, the service remains excellent, as do the steaks. The menu offers advice such as "Want great service—we suggest you try somewhere else," and the walls are adorned with an eclectic mix of retro bric-a-brac. The hotel bar just across the hall from the restaurant is equally interesting, as much for the characters it attracts as for the original, dark-wood furnishings.
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