A thriving agricultural sector yields excellent meat, fruit and wines and the long coastline produces very fresh and cheap seafood. South Africans like to eat out so there is an excellent and diverse range of restaurants. This is especially so in cities, where all international cuisines are represented. Fruity and sweet Cape Malay cuisine can be found in Cape Town, while the Indian influence in Durban provides some authentic Asian food on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, and Mozambique
peri peri spicy chicken and prawns are popular all over the country.
Braais (barbeques) are hugely popular
and every campsite, self-catering accommodation and picnic spot has a
braai pit. Meat is a well-loved staple in South Africa, although vegetarians are offered at least a couple of dishes in even small-town eateries.
Things to know: All restaurants and bars/cocktail lounges have waiter service and you pay your bill at the end. Some restaurants close on Sundays or Mondays. ‘Liquor stores’ are open weekdays 0900-1800 and Sat 0900-1300. Supermarkets are permitted to sell wine but not beer or spirits. No alcohol can be sold from shops on a Sunday.
National specialties:
•
Sosaties (a type of kebab).
•
Bobotie (a curried mince dish, of which
waterbolmmetjiebredie, made with a local water plant, is particularly good).
•
Potjiekos (a casserole cooked for hours in an iron pot, usually outside).
•
Bredies (meat, tomato and vegetable casseroles).
•
Biltong (seasoned dried meat).
National drinks:
•
Umqombothi, a home-brewed sorghum beer.
• Excellent local red and white wines (including chardonnay), sherries and brandies.
•
Rooibos, a red-leafed tea grown in the Western Cape.
•
Amarula Cream, a sweet creamy liqueur made from the fruit of the Marula tree.
Legal drinking age: 18
Tipping: Normally 10 to 15% if service is not included. It is customary to tip waiters. By law, hotel rates do not include a service charge.
NightlifeCinemas show a variety of international films. In the cities, art cinemas show grittier releases and foreign language films and occasionally host film and documentary festivals. All the large cities have theaters, comedy clubs and various performance venues showing
plays,
operas,
musicals and symphony
concerts. The local music scene is thriving, and there is a unique South African
township jazz style, exponents of which can be seen in all large cities.
There are a number of annual local
music festivals and in Cape Town and Johannesburg, open air concerts are held in botanical gardens over summer. Sports stadiums host international pop and rock stars. Most restaurants and cafes double up as bars in the evening and some have large screen TVs to watch sport. There are a number of
nightclubs open until late and Cape Town has a thriving gay scene. The large hotels usually have
live music, while the glitzy
casinos not only have gaming floors but also entertainment such as bowling alleys, restaurants, and sometimes supper theaters for comedy and cabaret.
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