Nobody really wants to leave the comfort of home in the depths of winter, especially when it’s dark and freezing cold outside. But there are, in fact, two very good reasons to extract yourself from the couch. Firstly, there are loads of great restaurants in your area with roaring fires; and secondly, winter is the time for half-price deals, bargain tasting menus and unbelievable specials. We’ve rounded up a selection of restaurants that can offer you either the blazing fireplace or both the fire and a hearty meal to enjoy beside it. (Don’t forget to phone ahead to book a table, seats next to the fireplace are always limited.)

Johannesburg

The Attic
Cosy up with the signature crab fettuccine with chilli, lime and coriander for R98.

Browns of Rivonia
Cosy up with an oxtail potjie (R164), ostrich neck potjie (R150) and sticky toffee pudding or apricot bread and butter pudding (both R54).

The Bull Run
Cosy up with one of the following specials: ?Monday: 1kg pork or beef ribs (R119); Tuesday: 500g T-bone steak (R129); Wednesday: 12 baked oysters (R149); Thursday: double Bull Run burger (R109); Friday: steak and prawn combo (R199); Saturday: 1kg queen prawns (R149) and Sunday: choose any one of the above.

Casalinga Ristorante
Cosy up with the osso bucco for R105 or the Jerusalem artichoke soup for R42.

Da Vincenzo
Cosy up with the T-bone steak with chips or veggies for R110.

Higher Ground Restaurant (Bryanston)
Cosy up with one of their soups – prawn and lemon, carrot and ginger or butternut – for R45. Book for dinner and get a complimentary sherry on arrival.

Il Giardino Degli Ulivi  
Cosy up with the lamb curry (braised lamb stew served with basmati rice, fresh salsa and home-made chutney) for R125 or a variety of pizzas ranging from R55 to R115.

Le Canard Restaurant
Cosy up with the signature duck breast with honey and pepper, seasoned with orange, ginger and Grand Marnier, and served with vegetables and potatoes for R178.

Olive ‘n Twist
Cosy up with the prawn and chicken curry for R89.

Pretoria

Al Fiume
Opt for the romantic dinner package for R895 per couple for a three-course meal with champagne, roses and chocolate on the table.

Capeesh
Cosy up with half price gourmet pizzas every Monday from 12 noon to 9.30pm. Pay half price on all pastas every Tuesday from 12 noon to 9.30pm. (No sharing and no take-aways.)

Cynthia’s Indigo Moon
Cosy up with ostrich potjie for R145.

Granita
Cosy up with the Gourmet True Romance package at R1 095 per person sharing, which includes a six-course dinner with wine, a night’s stay at Kievitskroon, and a buffet breakfast. (See the menu tab on the listing for more information.)

Hemingway’s
Cosy up with one of the winter warmers, such as lamb shank (R135) or pork belly (R115).

Le-Si Restaurant (formerly Casa Toscana)
Cosy up with the Moroccan lamb shank: whole 300g lamb shank, pot roasted with olive oil, rosemary, oreganum, thyme, garlic and lemon juice, then topped with a chunky Moroccan and peach sauce (R130).

KZN

The Boar’s Head (Nottingham Road)
Cosy up with the oxtail and mash for R85.

The Cooking Bear
The menu changes weekly. Sign up for their newsletter to hear what will be served each week.

Saporé (Nottingham Road)
Cosy up with the warthog loin for R138 or the weekly special soup or curry.

Yellowwood Café (Howick)
Cosy up with oxtail (R95), lamb shank casserole (R70) or one of their soups (R17).

Cape Town

Ashton’s at Greenways Hotel
Cosy up with a two-course fondue experience for R135 per person.

Asoka
Cosy up with the set menu every Wednesday, or the Thai green curry with vegetables (R60), chicken (R75) or prawns (R95). Also enjoy live music.

The Bay Café
Cosy up with the winter special of calamari, schnitzel, burgers and curries for R39.

Blue Water Cafe
Cosy up with a homemade beef burger.

Chapmans Peak Hotel
Choose any two meat dishes and get a free bottle of Cape Atlantic red or white wine, and two Amarula crème brûlées. Prices per main dish range from R79 to R150. (Available from Monday to Saturday, for lunch and dinner.

Catharina’s Restaurant at Steenberg Estate
Cosy up with the winter warmer menu of three courses plus a glass of wine. Two courses cost R185 per person; dinner is three courses for R250. (Available Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, until end of September.)

The Clipper at the Commodore Hotel
Cosy up with the aknie masala: marinated lamb shank served with a creamy gremolata pomme purée, steamed seasonal vegetables, onion bhajias and gravy (R90).

Constantia Nek Restaurant
Order the oxtail stew, braised in red wine and stock, with onions and carrots. Served with rice and vegetables for R110.

The ountry Kitchen at Mont Rochelle
Their blackboard menu changes regularly, but the braised lamb shank with biltong mash and vegetables is popular. Or cosy up to the winter special of one course for R99 per person; two courses for R130 per person; three courses for R170 per person, all with a complimentary glass of red or white Mont Rochelle wine. Available for lunch from Monday to Sunday and dinner Monday and Tuesday only.

De Grendel Restaurant
Cosy up with the lamb with sweet potato, baby carrots, thyme and garlic. You can order two courses for R255; three courses for R300; and a five-course tasting menu for R500 (plus R160 for wine pairing).

Den Anker
Try the seared Canadian scallop on a white asparagus risotto with a lightly curried beurre blanc.

Harbour House
Try the biodynamically reared, free-range beef short rib, with pommes Anna, baby vegetables and a balsamic and red wine reduction, for R120.

Karibu
Cosy up with the bobotie lasagne: traditional bobotie mince in layers of lasagne, topped with mozzarella cheese and baked to perfection. Served with a rocket, parmesan and piquant pepper salad.

Krugmann’s Grill
Try the fusion oxtail: hearty, rich and flavoursome rogan josh oxtail served with aromatic pilau rice and traditional naan bread for R110.

La Mouette
Cosy up with the July winter tasting menu of six courses. Order the likes of salt and pepper hake served with pea purée, roasted garlic, aioli, and pickled onions. (Vegetarian options available on request.) The winter tasting menu is R165 per person (R330 with wine) for dinner Monday to Sunday and lunch Sunday.

Massimo’s Pizza Club
Order something from their daily specials menu, or try one of their speciality pizzas.

Mezepoli (Camps Bay)
Cosy up with the winter special of half-price sushi every day of the week. On Mondays, get a shwarma, chips and a soft drink for R70 and on Sunday there’s a set menu special for R120 per person, including a glass of ouzo.

OYO at the V&A Hotel
Cosy up with the Thai chicken curry, bobotie or grilled fish of the day for R110.

Pastis
Cosy up with fillet steak au poivre (R98) or Béarnaise sirloin (R84).

Primi Wharf
Try the smoked spareribs poached in a red wine jus and served on soft polenta for R100.

Rafiki’s
Cosy up with a snack basket and a 2litre jug Black Label, Castle Lager or Hansa for R99. Available all day until the end of winter.

Rick’s Café Americain
Cosy up with a glühwein for R22 every day from 5pm to 7pm. Order a tapas or meze platter for two with 500mls house wine for R110.

River Café
Cosy up with two courses (R99) or three courses (R119) from their daily specials in winter. Enjoy the likes of brie and fig parcels, homemade meatballs done with a Provençal sauce with melted mozzarella and served with pita, and chocolate indulgence. (Available until end October for lunch Monday to Saturday.

Societi Bistro
Winter specials starting on 5 July. In the meantime, cosy up to pork belly with buttered mash, braised fennel and oranges (R112) or the mushroom risotto main portion (R112).

A Touch of Madness
Cosy up with Irish ale beef stew (R70); glühwein (R26) and malva pudding (R28).

Van Hunks
Blackboard specials change daily, but there is always a stew special offered in winter. Try the springbok potjie (R60) or slow braised oxtail (R85).

Winelands

96 Winery Road
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, cosy up with the Hollandse pepper fillet or the duck and cherry pie for half price.

Barouche
Cosy up with the braised lamb bobotie at R95.

Bistro Allée Bleue
Cosy up with one of the winter hotties at R75 per plate. Try braised oxtail with potato mash and vegetables; prawn curry with rice and vegetables; springbok shanks with celery purée and pumpkin; or lentil stew with frankfurters.

Bosman’s
Cosy up with the winter special: 2 for the price of 1 dinner from Thurs – Sun evenings. Available on the 3-course menu at R 310 per person and 5-course menu at R 540 per person. Excludes beverages. No BYO permitted.

Cassia Restaurant
Cosy up with the Thai chicken curry at R80.

The Common Room at Le Quartier Français 
Cosy up with the mushroom risotto for R40.

Delaire Graff Restaurant
Order the farmed kob with rye noodles, macadamia butter, red beets and mushrooms for R170.

Harvest at Laborie
Cosy up with the winter menu of two (R110 per person) or three courses (R135 per person) from Monday to Friday for lunch, or Wednesday and Thursday for dinner. On the usual menu, order homemade fettuccine with courgettes, oven-dried tomatoes, chilli and lemon, and chevin cheese for R48 (starter) or R88 (main course).

Henri’s
Cosy up with the three-course winter menu for R150 per person.

Indochine at Delaire Graff Estate
Cosy up with red Thai duck breast in red curry with litchi, pickled cabbage, coconut and giner for R165.

Morgenhof
Cosy up with the lamb shank with mashed potatoes and vegetables (R135); the whole baby chicken with ratatouille and potatoes (R80); or the line fish of the day (SQ).

Monneaux
Cosy up with the winter warmer menu with two courses (R120) or three courses (R150).

Pierneef à La Motte
From Tuesday 17 July 2012, cosy up with a traditional Cape winter lunch dish of smoorsnoek risotto, including a glass of La Motte Chardonnay (R120), or enjoy a three-course dinner for R198.

The Restaurant at Waterkloof
Cosy up with the12-hour cooked pork with seared scallops and salted peanut butter. They also have a winter special of a two meal for R220 per person and three courses for R280.

Seasons at Diemersfontein
Cosy up with the lamb shank for R65.

Sofia’s at Morgenster
Cosy up with the winter special of 2 courses for R135 (R205 with wine pairing) or 3 courses for 195 (R305 with wine pairing).

Taste (Somerset West)
Choose three courses from the à la carte winter menu for R175 per person. (Supplements apply on some items.) Booking recommended.

Terroir
Closed 25 June to 9 July for winter break. Once they open, order the winter special of two courses for R175 or three courses for R198.

Greyton
Searle’s Trading Post
Cosy up with one of their ‘blikbeker’ soups like butternut, lentil, or sweet chilli tomato for R45.

Clarens
Clementines Restaurant and Bar
Try the beef taliatta: 300g maninated beef fillet, topped with rocket and shavings of Parmesan, with a berry sauce and turmeric potatoes. For dessert, cosy up with poached pears in red wine, baked in phyllo pastry and served with crème anglaise and vanilla ice cream.

By Linda Scarborough, Tayla Africa, Katharine Jacobs and Kelly Pluke

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