
03 Dec 2024
Do you long for biltong? Would you like to nom on a bokkom? Or perhaps a braai has caught your eye. Whatever South African delicacy you want, Dish Cult is here to help you find it without leaving Britain’s capital. Today’s guide will cover some of London’s best South African restaurants.
High Timber is a South African restaurant stuffed with excellent South African cuisine. There’s homemade sourdough and biltong available as appetisers to supplement any meal, while the following dishes are real highlights for us:
There is a steak section to this menu, too, with classic ribeye, sirloin and fillet options.
Jungle Braai takes its namesake from the popular type of South African BBQ. The restaurant is a family-friendly takeaway serving gourmet burgers, wors rolls (South African brioche hot dogs), continental breakfast and seekos (grilled seafood). The last category particularly is a fave, encompassing everything from chargrilled sea bass to king prawns. Both are served with salad.
Many of the gourmet burgers have obvious South African influences, like the Durban Double Burger containing double 4oz flame-grilled patties, fried egg, real double cheese, fresh lettuce, fried onions with mayonnaise and red pepper sauce. Another is the Smokin Joburg containing Double 4oz flame-grilled patties, turkey rashers, double real cheese, lettuce, mayonnaise and jalapeños, with smoky BBQ sauce.
Afrikana aims to bring a wide variety of African cooking and cuisine to the UK. It began as a restaurant in Aldridge in the Midlands but has since blossomed across the country, and your tastebuds will be glad it did! There are now locations in Derby, Birmingham, Cardiff, Blackburn, Dalston and Leicester.
You can expect plenty of steak and BBQ options here like other restaurants on this list, but there is also a massive selection of chicken dishes. The standout BBQ option here are the baby back ribs, served in a smoky BBQ sauce with mash and chakalaka.
Vivat Bacchus is named after a South African celebration of wine and food. It endeavours to create sustainably sourced menus using high-quality ingredients. The focus on quality also translates to the wine list, and the establishment proudly states that it’s all about consistency with the slogan “good food and great wine, time after time”. What can you expect from a trip to Vivat Bacchus? The menu starts strong, featuring a South African-style cured meats section. The mains section is short but sweet with five options, featuring delicacies like wild mushroom risotto and pan-fried fish dishes. You can also get a gorgeous 21-day aged steak here, too!
Vivat Bacchus specialises in South African wines and both locations have vast, well-stocked walk-in wine cellars.