Destination: South Africa
Eat & Drink Cape Town - Western Cape Darling - Western Cape Franschhoek - Western Cape Montagu - Western Cape Paarl - Western Cape Stellenbosch - Western Cape Swellendam - Western Cape Tulbagh - Western Cape George - Garden Route Knysna - Garden Route Plettenberg Bay - Garden Route East London - Eastern Cape Port Elizabeth - Eastern Cape Graaff-Reinet - Eastern Cape Grahamstown - Eastern Cape Durban - KwaZulu-Natal Umhlanga Rocks - KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzberg - KwaZulu-Natal Midlands - KwaZulu-Natal Dullstroom - Mpumalanga Hazyview/White River - Mpumalanga Nelspruit - Mpumalanga Pilgrim's Rest - Mpumalanga Sabie - Mpumalanga White River - Mpumalanga Louis Trichardt - Northern Province Pholokwane (Pietersburg) - Northern Province Tzaneen - Northern Province Johannesburg - Gauteng Pretoria - Gauteng Bethlehem - Northwest Region Bloemfontein - Northwest Region Ladybrand - Northwest Region Welkom - Northwest Region Sun City - Northwest Upington - Northern Cape	Prices Prices give the approximate cost of a meal for one person, not including wine and tips: Dress Code The dress code, such as it is, at most South African restaurants is described locally as smart-casual, meaning shirt and trousers (no bare torsos or bathing costumes). Very few establishments require men to wear a jacket and tie. Wine The cost of wine in restaurants can be anything from 30 to 80 per cent more than you would pay in a liquor store. Some restaurants will let you bring your own wine (BYO) without extra charge. Others charge R10-R20 corkage. Phone in advance and ask. Liquor Stores The sale of liquor in South Africa is still somewhat restricted. Until very recently it was difficult for restaurants to get a liquor licence, but now most have one. Outside of licensed premises, liquor is sold at specialized 'bottlestores', open daily except Sunday. Because of a quirk in the law, supermarkets can sell wine (except on Sundays) but not beer. Tipping Very few eateries include a service charge in the bill. The norm is to tip around 10-15 per cent, depending on the quality of the service you have received. Be generous if you can afford it: there is no minimum wage in South Africa, so waiters and waitresses are often paid extremely poorly, and rely heavily on tips to boost their income. Monkey Gland Sauce Diners at steakhouses may be startled to see something called 'monkey gland sauce' on the menu. Rest assured that the sauce has nothing to do with monkeys or their glands. The name was jokingly given by its inventor to a piquant sauce of onion, tomato, fruit chutney and Worcestershire sauce designed to spice up steak and other cuts of meat. Beverages Some South African restaurants - particularly those in the lower price range - have been a little slow to improve the quality of their beverages. Coffee, unless otherwise specified, may mean instant rather than filter. And so-called 'fresh' fruit juices are quite often made from concentrate containing preservatives. If in doubt, ask. Waitrons Your restaurant menu, or the manager, may refer to your 'waitron', but don't expect to be waited on by some sort of mechanised device. The term was invented by someone who wanted to save space and not to be gender-specific when advertising for staff. The word appeared in South Africa recently and seems to have caught on. Well-cooked Meat South Africa produces excellent beef, lamb, pork, ostrich and poultry; mutton and veal, though available, are somewhat rarer. In general the locals prefer their meat reasonably well done, so what is called 'medium rare' here might be regarded as 'well done' elsewhere, and 'well done' might be thought 'overdone'. If you are very particular about the way your meat is cooked, explain this clearly to the waiter. Cafés You will see many outlets called 'cafés' around the country, but don't go in expecting to sit down, drink coffee, eat cake and read the papers. A 'café' in South African parlance means a corner store selling cigarettes, cool drinks (soft drinks), small groceries, magazines and newspapers - the equivalent of a British newsagent or corner shop, or American 7-11. Unusual Drinks Visitors to South Africa may be unfamiliar with some of the local alcoholic drinks. Quite popular are several types of liqueur, flavoured with indigenous fruits, such as the amarula berry, with added cream for smoothness (their names often contain the words 'velvet', or 'cream'). There are a number of other varieties of potent, locally distilled alcohol (some of doubtful legality), such as mampoer (home-distilled brandy), or witblits (white lightning).	COUNTRY South Africa   Viewing   Top Ten   What To See   Where To ...     Eat & Drink     Stay     Shop     Take The Kids     Be Entertained     What's On When   Practical Matters REGION CITIES MAPS World Europe TRAVEL BOOK