15 Best Restaurants in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

Durban desperately needed a first-rate seafood offering, and this upmarket restaurant perched at the scenic harbor delivers. Think crispy fried calamari with black garlic aioli and pickled cauliflower, grilled baby crayfish with passion fruit and lemon verbena coconut broth, and magnificent seafood pasta. The chefs also cater beautifully to vegetarians with dishes such as exotic mushroom and butternut cavatelli with vanilla and maple sauce, and mushroom gnocchi with sun-dried tomato foam. Everything—purées, clamshell bisque, cilantro gel—is made from scratch in the open kitchen, and seasonal sustainability is a core focus, with meat sourced from the Midlands, fish freshly line-caught from this very coast, and the comprehensive wine list supports female winemakers. It's one of Durban's finest gastronomic experiences, with excellent service to match. 

Though you'll be surrounded by the big screens of Hollywood Bets broadcasting live horse races and games, don't be put off. The air-conditioned restaurant, with a large covered deck and dedicated Bunny Bar for takeout, serves some of the best bunny chow in Durban. The mutton curry is hell-fire hot, and the broad beans (try to get there before noon) bunnies are legendary. Prepare to wait for a table, but you won't have to wait for long.

Located in the small suburb of Glenashley, just a short drive south of Umlanga Beach, this restaurant has an elevated position that offers diners a pleasant sea view, but it's the fresh seafood, prepared in unique and traditional ways, that's the drawing card, with excellent service keeping the place busy during lunch and dinner. For starters, opt for the sushi or the grilled Falkland Island calamari, served with your choice of sauce, followed by any of the seafood entrées, and if you have room, round out the meal with a panna cotta—flavors change daily.

This casual café in the reinvigorated Point Waterfront district is great for coffee (especially if you’re averse to the crowds of uShaka Marine World) and a fancy breakfast that won't break the bank. Vegetarians will love mixed mushrooms with dune spinach on sourdough with nasturtium and sunflower seed pesto, while classic orderers might enjoy the herby pork sausage or generous croque monsieur, and the counter is always stacked with pastries and tarts.

An unexpected find within a residential section of the Morningside neighborhood, Mali's is loved by chefs and locals for its broad Indian menu serving specialties from the North and South, like steamed idli with sambar, masala dosa, and vadai—dishes you'll be hard-pressed to find in many Indian eateries. Don't miss the mango lassi and good ol' favorites such as biryanis and tandoori dishes.

Perched at the top of the ever-popular Florida Road, Spiga is something of a Durban institution, and it certainly represents the attitude and overall feeling of Durban—unpretentious with an animated atmosphere that makes diners feel part of the crowd. The Italian menu is not always classical in its interpretation, but you can count on it being delicious and a good value (pasta dishes come in medium or large portions). The bruschetta di pomodoro is a good way to start, with lots of ripe, well-seasoned tomato on grilled bread, and the linguine di casa, made with prawns, olive oil, chili, and a Napoletana sauce, is perennially popular. And, if you enjoy taking your time over a meal, there are no overzealous staff trying to turn your table. Be prepared for a wait.

This beachfront spot serves a solid menu of great breakfasts, burgers, flat hot dogs, freshly pressed juices, and deluxe milkshakes. Try some of their 100% free-range burgers (or the veg options), wood-fired pizzas, or delicious breakfasts, which come in biodegradable cartons, so you can dine at the café or stroll and eat on the promenade.

This is one of few upmarket restaurants in the city to indulge in a six-course tasting menu, though the à la carte options are plentiful, too. Think gin-cured salmon, creamy shellfish orzo, and roast lamb rump—classics with a twist, done perfectly. The setting (in a small shopping center) is simple, but don't let appearances alone sway you—this is one of Durban's finest gastronomic experiences, with excellent service to match. The wine list contains a great choice of South African and international wines, and your waiter will be able to advise on any unfamiliar local labels.

You might need to book well in advance to secure a table next to the shark tank here, but if you do, it'll be one of your most memorable dining experiences. Enjoy beef carpaccio or pomodoro pasta—while massive ragged-tooth sharks drift right by your table and sand sharks stir up the sandy bottom. Aside from the array of generous seafood platters, Cargo Hold also serves beef fillet with oxtail phyllo and confit duck with an orange glaze. The restaurant is done up like a shipwreck; both floors have tank frontage.  The view of the shark tank is best from the bottom floor, so ask for this when booking.

Attention to detail and freshly prepared, quality food combine to make this one of Durban's finest restaurants serving steak—prepared and aged in the in-house butchery—and seafood. It offers spectacular sea vistas (ask for a table with a view when making your reservation) and a chic interior, with white leather-upholstered chairs, wall-length couches, and antelope horns on the walls. Try the tasting platter for starters (minimum of two people sharing): a mix of nachos, jalapeños stuffed with cheese, grilled calamari, bruschetta, lamb, and spring rolls. For mains, consider the grain and grass-fed rump duo with a side of both peppercorn and red wine sauces; seasonal varieties of venison; or line fish (likely swordfish, dorado, or Cape salmon). There's a good domestic wine list, but take the opportunity to make a selection from a walk-in cellar lined with lesser-known wines.

On Lilian Ngoyi Road in Windermere, which some say is the "new" Florida Road, Love Coffee is your best bet for noncommercial, top-notch coffee in a veritable hole-in-the-wall, of the contemporary, well-designed kind. The bran muffins, rooibos cappuccino, fresh juices, packed salads, toasted sandwiches, and brief breakfast menu are highly recommended.

Founded in 1912, this place has built a family legacy of good traditional Indian food. They serve only vegetarian dishes in the form of curries; the first customers arrive around 6 am. Food here is cheap, quick, and ever-popular.

In business since 1973, this slowly revolving restaurant, which takes about an hour to do one full rotation, offers what has to be the most spectacular views of the city, especially the harbor. The extensive menu runs the gamut from pasta to seafood, and there's something pleasingly old-fashioned about the place, from old-school waiters and the hard-to-resist dessert trolley to the kitschy interiors. Also, the Roma Skyy bar offers even more incredible panoramic city views. The recently renovated restaurant perched atop a high-rise building is a popular choice for birthdays and weekend dinners.

This popular spot overlooks the Durban harbor and often hosts live music. It serves breakfast until late, as well as lunch and dinner.

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.