32 Best Restaurants in KwaZulu-Natal and Durban, South Africa

No trip to South Africa would be complete without a good traditional steak, and without a doubt, Joop's (pronounced yopes) is the best and most popular steak house in Durban. It goes without saying that most customers are regulars. It has an intimate, homey atmosphere, though the interior design is certainly nothing special. The food is the true focus, with Joop—a butcher by trade—himself selecting and preparing the steaks in an open kitchen. The specialty here is panfried steak; the pepper steak and Hollandse (Dutch-style) biefstuk (a center-cut fillet panfried in black butter and flambéed in brandy) are tasty favorites. The exceptionally hungry should try the 800-gram (about 21-ounce) T-bone.

The menu features mainly North Indian dishes that are so large and filling that—take our word for it—appetizers are not needed. Standout curries include butter chicken, lamb gosht pasanda (done in an almond-and-cream sauce with saffron), and the navratan korma (mixed vegetables cooked in cashew gravy with fruit). The interior provides a sophisticated dining experience, which continues onto an enclosed terrace. There's a good, reasonably priced buffet on Friday and Saturday nights and a carvery for Sunday lunch.