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

This is an Argentinian-styled mecca for red-meat lovers where steaks are cooked on an open charcoal fire and South American music dictates the atmosphere. There's also an on-site butchery where local grain-fed beef is aged and cut to size to suit all appetites. Cuts are served with a choice of sauces (mushroom and red wine, cheese, or garlic to name a few) and vegetable sides. Alternates include deboned chicken and freshly seared tuna. Their exclusive Malbec is an obvious wine choice, with a range of other high and low vintage reds and whites to choose from.

Follow your stomach 15 minutes north of Umhlanga to Umdloti where you'll dine on Italian fare with a contemporary twist. The seafood is outstanding—think line fish baked in the wood-fired pizza oven and perfectly cooked calamari or prawns done in a garlic, white wine, tomato, cream, and chili sauce. Italian staples like pastas, pizzas, and risotto also hit the spot. The wine list is noteworthy and waiters are knowledgeable, although there are sometimes delays with food when the restaurant is busy. To make the most of the gorgeous sea views, book for lunch or an early dinner.

You'll dine on wooden picnic tables at this rustic no-frills seafood shack near (but not on) the bay, where the food is fresh, plentiful, and unfussy—fresh lobster, prawns, whole grilled fish, and a range of salads. Cocktails are taken seriously, and you'll find a surfeit of colorful frozen drinks plus wine and beer. There's entertainment on weekends.

Although it's on the Hotel iZulu property, you don't have to be a guest to eat at this excellent restaurant. Only the finest ingredients are used, and they are locally sourced whenever possible, like South African cheeses, lamb from the KZN Midlands, venison, and fresh seafood. Try the Hotel Izulu curry of the day—always delicious. Dining is fairly formal but lunch is best enjoyed poolside. There's an excellent wine cellar, so take the opportunity to sample some of the best South African wines.

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.

A welcome change from the soulless chain restaurants that dominate the wharf, this humble mom-and-pop restaurant (opposite the parking area, not the waterfront) serves up its own delightful mix of Italian-Indian cuisine. Portions are large and you can choose from a variety of Indian dishes, like spicy lamb curry, butter chicken, and traditional garlic naan, along with burgers and fish and chips. Everything is served fresh and with a friendly smile.

This L-shape restaurant opens onto a veranda overlooking the buzz of Florida Road. A red-and-black interior with ornamental silver mirrors and loads of celebrity photographs creates a vibe in keeping with tasty Spanish cuisine. A spicy, hot tapas selection—think grilled crispy baby calamari, panfried sardines, grilled artichoke hearts—with Catalonian flatbread makes for a light meal, and you can add more if you're hungry. House-made sangria is a good accompaniment.