Mahé
At Takamaka Bay, La Grande Maison is the home kitchen of Christelle Verheyden, arguably the country's most talented chef. The atmosphere, in a restored…
Must-see restaurants in Africa
Western Madagascar
The ‘crazy zebu’ is the most incongruous find in dusty Belo, possibly in all Madagascar. Dishes seem to come straight out of a Michelin-starred…
Mauritius
This intriguing dining option is located within an old mill that has been transformed into Victoria 1840, an oddly charming gallery space, with canvases…
São Tomé
This charming, well-kept and ever-popular tin-roofed patio restaurant is laid-back in style, but no slouch in the kitchen. Everything on the menu has an…
Chamarel
Barbizon may not look like much, but it's a fabulous place. Marie-Ange helms the kitchen, whipping up traditional Mauritian flavours from her family's…
Pretoria
Some of South Africa's best contemporary cooking is being served in a large mud-walled and tin-roofed shed in the east of Pretoria. Chef Adriaan Maree…
Calexico Vinyl Lounge and Restaurant
Johannesburg
A California-inspired Tex-Mex restaurant with a hint of craft beer and vinyl mixed in. The mix is delightful. The simple menu (nachos, ribs, sandwiches),…
Nairobi
Love it or hate it, Carnivore serves up Kenya's most famous nyama choma (barbecued meat) – it's been an icon for tourists, expats and wealthier locals for…
Marrakesh
Little sister to the Fez original, Cafe Clock is housed in an old school with sunset views over the Kasbah from its rooftop. The food, including vegie…
Gueliz & Ville Nouvelle
So many restaurants in Marrakesh reflect poorly on local cuisine, but here you get the real home-cooking deal. And, happily, it's all for a good cause:…
São Tomé
This well-known restaurant, an ever-popular weekend drive from the capital, occupies a sprawling deck at a classic roça administrator's house, with valley…
Johannesburg
Jo'burg's most memorable meal out is in this artily decorated cramped room with a balcony overlooking Rockey St, heart of the much-bad-mouthed, inner-city…
Kâat Ben Nahid & Bab Debbagh
The menu at this classy yet laid-back contemporary restaurant is on the money with its mix of little-seen Moroccan dishes, fusion food and international…
Mouassine & Central Souqs
Nomad's multitiered rooftop is one of the medina's buzziest venues, particularly at night when its lanterns twinkle over Rahba Kedima. The small menu adds…
Johannesburg
The designers have a done a grand job transforming this old Chinese restaurant into a pastel-shaded haven of mid-century cool amid the gritty 'burb of…
Antananarivo
One of the best addresses in the city for real gourmet cuisine, La Varangue serves an elaborate melange of French gastronomy and Malagasy flavours. Meals…
Hammamet
This delightful diner, where gingham red-and-white tablecloths clash with traditional North African tiles, is worth seeking out even (and especially) if…
Tunis
Pass through the bee-yellow front door in this 18th-century mansion and a magnificent courtyard dining space will be theatrically revealed. Start with the…
Dakar
Perched on stilts over the bay, Le Lagon is one of Dakar's top seafood spots, with a spread of culinary treasures – oysters, sea urchins, chargrilled fish…
Essaouira
Style meets substance at one of Essaouira's best fine-dining restaurants, housed in an old almond warehouse. The interior is a blend of traditional…
Marrakesh
Naranj's ultraslick interior of khamsa (hand-shaped amulet) mirrors, low-hanging copper lamps and bar seating is quite a scene change on Riad Zitoun El…
Nairobi
This classy cafe-bar-restaurant remains fashionable with the Karen in-crowd and it rivals any of Kenya’s top eateries for imaginative international food…
Tangier
This charming seafood restaurant is well worth the hype, offering an excellent, filling, four-course meal in rustic surroundings. First comes the fish…
Johannesburg
Even if Mad Giant's very quaffable beers are not your thing, do not pass over on the microbrewery's fabulous restaurant. Serving an inventive range of…
Tangier
This is a genuine, family-run bistro with Italian Tangier-born owners; it feels like you've been invited for Sunday dinner. Expect a highly international…
Accra
Tucked behind a petrol station (Engen Filling Station, next to Avenida Hotel), this outdoor Indian restaurant is a gem – cheap, delicious and with long…
Accra
Ever-popular Buka serves some of the best West African food in Accra, in stylish surroundings to boot. Hearty plates of jollof rice, tilapia and groundnut…
Marrakesh
Herbal teas, detox juices, henna tattoos, book exchange, Darija classes, good conversation…they're all on the menu at this intimate upstairs cafe, where a…
Lusaka
This picture-postcard idyllic cafe is worth every kwacha of the journey it takes to get here. Chill out for an afternoon at one of the picnic tables…
Marrakesh
Grilled meat and tajines as far as the eye can see, plus snail soup, sheep's brains and skewered hearts: eating amid the mayhem of the Djemaa food stalls…
Medina
With a clientele of foreigners and creative young Fassis and a staff that's cheerful despite the maze of stairs in the multilevel space, Clock is an ideal…
Harare
Don some nice threads as Amanzi is a class act and still the special night out. In a stunning colonial house with African decor, local art (for sale) and…
Marrakesh
La Maison Arabe's reputation precedes it: this was the first restaurant set up to cater to foreigners in the medina, in the 1940s. It was a favourite of…
Port Louis
Set in a refurbished colonial home in the heart of the capital's chaos, Lambic is a beer buff's paradise, with dozens upon dozens of local and imported…
Gueliz & Ville Nouvelle
This airy spot is the work of Kamal Laftimi, who launched the popular Nomad restaurant in the medina in 2014. It's his first foray into Gueliz, and he…
Gonder
Now here's something special. One of the best places in northern Ethiopia for both food and atmosphere, Four Sisters has brilliant traditional food (order…
Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula
Offering a gastronomic take on False Bay cool, Salt serves mains such as wild kudu goulash, but your best bet is to focus on the small plates (R45), which…
Zanzibar Town
The top spot in Zanzibar for a serious cup of genuine East African Rift Valley coffee is undoubtedly this charming cafe. Alongside espressos and…
Grand Baie
'Domaine' is the answer every local offers when travellers ask where to go to savour some Mauritian home cookin'. The best dishes are those starred on the…
Cape Town
Star chef Luke Dale-Roberts' latest venture hides in plain sight on the street it is named after. It's a gorgeous attic space with a wall of paper…
