No visit to Jeffreys Bay is complete without having a meal at Die Walskipper, says Jeanne Calitz.

Food

Located as it is on the beach just outside of town in the Marina Martinique development, which is looking a bit sad and deserted these days, there is, however, nothing sad about Die Walskipper.
Set right on the beach, complete with a sand floor and centered around an enormous fireplace, this is the kind of place where you’re invited to help yourself to a starter of homemade bread, pâté and jams, and your wine is served in blikbekers (tin cups).

Die Walskipper. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

All the usual salty suspects are here, but we decide to blow the budget on the shellfish platter. Its composition may vary, but on the night we feast on crayfish, crab, mussels, oysters, prawns, scallops and langoustines. Served with fragrant rice and a variety of sauces, it is simply scrumptious, and has some sustainable credentials as well, seeing that much of the fare is of farmed origin.
There’s also a “food from the land” section for those not in the mood for seafood, but really, at a venue such as this it’s hard to imagine eating anything else. After our enormously satisfying platter, we manage to share a sweetly simple malva pudding, and then call it a night – with a view to call again as soon as we’re in the area. Next time we might enjoy our moerkoffie with a koeksister or two.

Drinks

A solid wine list, with a corkage fee of R30 per bottle. It may feel a bit odd drinking your vino out of a tin cup, but it all adds to the rustic charm of the place.

Service

Service is informal but at the same time very informed and on the ball. The staff members are a friendly bunch and will go out of their way to make you feel at home.

Ambience

Rustic wooden furniture, flickering lanterns, the sand beneath your feat and the roar of the ocean only meters away sets the tone for a relaxed meal. It’s a great spot to hang out with a group of friends or for a function.

Die Walskipper. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

And…

Most people, especially first-time visitors, overindulge on the delicious bread and spreads. Save some room for the seafood – it’s a fresh as it gets.
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