If you’re a gourmet and you enjoy a good plate of food, South Africa is definitely the country for you. A lot of traditional South African cuisine is tasty, filling and well worth every cent. The combination of cultures, which merge beautifully on this colorful tip of the continent, means that not only will you find a wonderfully diverse range of ingredients, but also an array of spices, cooking styles and recipes. Here you’ll be able to enjoy tasty treats like abalone cooked to perfection or fat-free Ostrich fillet for those conscious of their cholesterol. Meat is often a big feature on the menu in South African restaurants and you will find plenty of red meat, white meat and fish available. However there are also plenty of vegetarian-friendly restaurants and most establishments will at least offer a few healthy and tasty vegetarian alternatives.

There are also a variety of restaurants which specialize in food from other countries. This means you can enjoy Chinese, Japanese, Thai, French, Italian, Mexican and Indian restaurants, among others. For those with religious concerns, there is also quite a wide variety of kosher and halal food available. Of course you will also find a number of fast food outlets where you can grab a bite to eat when you’re in a hurry. Some of these are internationally recognized, while others are only enjoyed on a more local scale. Whatever the case, the food is usually very tasty and provides the perfect way to satisfy your taste buds when you’re in a hurry or on a budget.

If you’re looking for some fine-dining alternatives, you will find a number of top-class hotels also feature restaurants where you can dine on fine food of the highest standard. There are also a number of five-star restaurants situated around major cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth. You may be required to dress smart at some of the more up-market hotels and restaurants. If you’re looking for more of a smart-casual sort of atmosphere, there are plenty of smaller restaurants and bistros, steak-houses and coffee shops where you can enjoy great food at a good price. Most decent restaurants offer a variety of drinks and alcoholic beverages, though your choice of drink may increase substantially at the more posh restaurants. Generally speaking, you will find that eating out in South Africa is very affordable and that the less classy your choice of venue, the lower the bill is.

Tipping for service is a standard practice in South Africa and any tip is normally welcome. As a guideline, patrons should consider tipping about 10% of their total bill, depending on service and satisfaction. Waitresses and Waiters seldom receive any other form of remuneration, so generous tips are greatly appreciated.