I’ve heard that most of the soccer teams who are headed here next month are bringing their very own chefs with them, which is a bit of a pity because we have such great local food for them to sample.

This is the main reason we kicked off with local kos in the first in our Best of … series. The World Cup a great opportunity for visitors to discover our unique cuisine and the ideal time for us to celebrate our great restaurants and to revisit our favourite places.

Looking at the votes that have come in so far, it’s quite easy to see who is showcasing their favourite neighbourhood Italian restaurant or local Greek taverna.

Here are some real South African gems that I think are worth a recommendation:
· Gold in Cape Town serves delicious traditional African-inspired dishes such as smoorvis and potato-and-pea samoosas
· Get Together in Bloemfontein boasts the best melkkos and vetkoek
· Gramadoelas in Newtown, Johannesburg, makes an excellent umngqusho (samp and beans)
· Mzoli’s Place in Gugulethu in Cape Town is famous for its XXXL chops and braaied ribs with pap and fiery chakalaka

Please keep on voting!
Abigail