Holiday dining: Knysna

Knysna, the home of feathered dream catchers, crystal pendants and mythical forest elephants, has grown up. The seaside town has in recent years become a top golfing destination and remains popular with visitors thanks to its warm weather throughout the year. Whether you want to sip sundowners on a deck overlooking the lagoon, soak up the atmosphere in a street-side bistro or indulge in pudding on an old farmhouse stoep, Knysna can offer just what you need this holiday season.

34 Tapas Oyster Restaurant  
South African frikkadelletjies (little meatballs) are favourites for homemade flavour, prawns are delicious and tasty, and briny local oysters are as fresh as can be. This is a relaxed and classy restaurant with tables spilling out to the water’s edge.

African Relish  
Local produce enjoys a starring role on the innovative menu, which sometimes incorporates the region’s edible veldkos. The twice-baked three cheese soufflé with fresh tomato relish is a winner. You’ll always find some kind of homemade pasta on the menu, whether it’s spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola, or broccoli, mushroom and feta rotolo. Try one of the venison options, be it slow-braised springbok shanks with red wine, or seared kudu loin with juniper poached pears.

Caffé Mario  
Authentic Italian food with gusto infuses the menu at this well-loved café. Start the day with the Super Mario breakfast of the works, including spicy Italian sausage. Full-flavoured pasta like pasta aurora – broccoli and gorgonzola – or piquant puttanesca are offered alongside main dishes like veal marsala, osso bucco or the catch of the day grilled in olive oil. The patio overlooking the water makes for wonderful people watching. (Booking is advised.)

Caroline’s at Belvidere Manor
The elegant dinner menu includes springbok and eland fillet, fresh oysters and local fish, ostrich carpaccio and South African favourite butternut dressed up as a soufflé. Daily specials make the most of seasonal produce. Wide-planked yellowwood floors, elegant lush gardens and an old-fashioned gazebo complete a charming setting.

Cruise Café  
Lunches are light and fresh, with salads, burgers, wraps and excellent fish and chips on offer. Dinner kicks it up a notch with seafood and steaks and a nod to Asian influences in dishes like prawn tempura. The restaurant is right on the lagoon, with the inside seating area’s vast glass windows making the most of the view. You can also sit outside on the deck’s wooden benches for sundowners.

Daniela’s  
The best of local, seasonal fare is presented in gorgeous creations like springbok loin fired up with Szechwan pepper. Luscious local goat’s cheese might be served warm on frilly greens as a starter, or with pasta as a main, and a selection of fine Garden Route cheeses with homemade preserves makes for a beautiful finish. Serene lagoon views, creamy linens, soft music and candlelight create a perfect setting for a memorable evening.

Firefly Eating House  
Spices are the heart and soul of Firefly so expect inventive riffs from cocktails to sweets. Appetisers are tasty morsels such as cheese and mielie spring rolls with clove mustard; lemongrass fishcakes; and not-to-be-missed bobotie spring rolls. For mains, the curries are versions of Asian and Indian classics served with panache. There’s bohemian romance in this restaurant’s unconventional charm, warm red décor and fairy lights.

Île de Païn  
Daily menu changes include delicious renditions of spicy fish tacos, crispy samoosas or truly wow pizza. Hamburgers, fillet and brioche French toast are always excellent. The café vibe balances creative cool with genuine warmth. Simple wood tables, colourful cushions and intoxicating odours keep the crowds coming back for more. Some of the tables comfortably accommodate eight to ten people, making this a great destination for families.

Island Café and Tapas Bar  
A small menu of beautifully executed dishes stars local and seasonal produce. Buttery pink glazed Norwegian salmon is nicely paired with mixed greens and dill cream cheese, and whisper-light butternut and goat’s cheese filled ravioli is complemented by sage butter and pine nuts. Sophisticated starters like baby calamari and chorizo salad with zesty mustard dressing are worth savouring. The industrial turbines overhead are warmed by a quirky collection of mismatched Queen Anne-style chairs and art-covered walls.

JJ’s Seafood Restaurant  
Share melt-in-your-mouth fish goujons, authentic Portuguese steak trincado and grilled mushrooms with herbs and cheese. JJ’s is renown for its comprehensive list of game, including crocodile, kudu and ostrich plus local fish and seafood prepared beautifully. This is a choice spot for watching the harbour activity.

Mon Petit Païn  
Pop in for hearty sandwiches, individual quiches or baby muffins. The slow food ethic is evident in the taste of homemade mayonnaise, fresh pesto and hummus on sandwiches, inventive salads and super-fresh smoothies. Indoor and outdoor seating accommodates a merry mix of hungry locals and holidaymakers.

Pembrey’s 
The blackboard menu assures that only the freshest ingredients are on offer. Specials like roasted marrow bones with oxtail marmalade or slow-roasted pork belly with mustard mash are worth exploring. Then pull out all the stops with the Amarula crème brûlée with strawberries, rhubarb panna cotta, or bread and butter pudding. The atmosphere at this old-fashioned country house with its wraparound porch is unpretentious and the food is excellent.

Phantom Forest 
Six courses include your pick of starters, mains and dessert, plus soup, amuse-bouche and a cheese course. Touches of Africa, like kudu with prune sosaties, herb-infused polenta, oxtail and ostrich, appear in imaginative dishes. The boma setting in the forest offers camp-style luxury or drink in far-reaching views of the Knysna lagoon from the Eyrie cocktail lounge.

Raasoie  
Try tasty roti, naan and tandoori dishes made in the authentic clay oven. Delectable biryani, chicken korma, paneer (homemade cheese) and aloo gobi (cauliflower and potato curry) are authentically spiced and better than ever. The no-frills restaurant overlooking Main Street is best enjoyed with friends to share the food and soften the ambience. There are plenty of vegetarian options, as well as halaal chicken and lamb.

Thai Kitchen  
Most dishes are made to order and cooked perfectly. Order the delicious coconut green curry with veggies, chicken or prawns, or the exceptional pad Thai. Starters include spring rolls and tom yum soup. The kitchen dominates the room but tables are comfortable and you have a bird’s eye view of the cooking.

The Olive Tree  
Neighbourhood regulars quickly claim their favourites like roasted whole baby kingklip, seafood curry and excellent fillet. Starters vary, but might include pleasers like bobotie spring rolls and hearty, homemade pea soup. Pudding lovers should not miss a slice of citrus cake bursting with juicy flavour. The chalkboard menu and classic white tablecloths evoke a bistro atmosphere, well balanced between comfort and elegance. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in light, but keep the main street traffic noise minimal.

The Orchid Room  
The main menu offers many choices with rich, creamy sauces, like tasty prawn and chicken korma, or a red coconut mussel soup. The beef (fillet or Chalmar sirloin) is of excellent quality and the cob and salmon are succulent. The sushi menu is authentic and includes teppanyaki stir-fried noodles and vegetables with your choice of protein. The views of Knysna in every direction add to the luxury of the dining room.

The Red Barn  
Ingredients are often sourced from nearby farms and food producers in Rheenendal, including free-range chicken and eggs from Chix Farms, artisan cheeses, hand-cured meats, and jams made from local fruit. Favourites are the peri peri chicken livers, wood-oven cooked roasts, and thin-crusted gourmet pizza. This is a great venue for a sense of getaway without going too far. Hear birdsong from the macadamia orchards surrounding the shady patio.

Tides  
From the impossibly tender duck to excellent steak and fresh fish, the food here is consistently good. Main courses are served with fresh vegetables in little filo baskets. Finish with crêpes served with fruit and cream while you enjoy the landscape paintings by local artists, soft music and candles on the tables.

Wu’s Chinese & Sushi Restaurant  
The long Taiwanese menu includes some surprises like Chinese-style ostrich, and very good sushi. Noteworthy is their homemade tofu: creamy perfection that is especially good with vegetables and spicy sauce. Everybody loves the crispy prawn toasts, spicy kung pao chicken and broccoli with beef. The pagoda-style building boasts intimate booths and a covered patio, as well as large traditional round tables upstairs.

Zachary’s 
Fine dining with good, honest ingredients. Contemporary global flavours infuse dishes of local (when possible) and seasonal produce like Knysna oysters, buttery sea scallops, homemade foie gras and organic duck. Earthy colours and sculptural shapes add a sense of relaxed elegance to the décor. Booths are quite cosy for intimate dinners, and plush textures keep the noise level subdued.

Photograph by Christiaan Botha