Its takeaway hatch made the front cover of Visi magazine; our latest nominee for the Boschendal Style Award at the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards is one seriously hip place to eat.

The restaurant
Neil Roake is part advertising guru, part writer and part food fundi, but his Italian trattoria, Craft, is one hundred percent chic.

The food
Artisanal Italian food with flair is the order of the day at Craft Trattoria. Aside from the pizza and pasta, the Costina spare rib is a perennial favourite; cooked for six hours and served off the bone with ribbons of prosciutto, beef juice and butternut risotto. Another popular choice is the Sicilian chicken; de-boned, stuffed with cous-cous, garlic and thyme and served with lemony potatoes.

On the sweet side, the kitchen recommends the Budino; a take on chocolate fondant with dark chocolate on the outside, and a white chocolate centre. It’s served with a blob of caramel ice cream, marinated berries and spun sugar (just in case you weren’t drooling on your keyboard already…)

The x-factor:
Part-retro, part modern, this chic space is the darling of Durban’s design set. Neil and Roche Dry of Egg Designs dreamt up the Scandinavian cool interior with poplar wood, a glass-fronted kitchen and giant matchstick lights. Quirky details like the takeaway hatch – a glossy pair of lips – and the twisted fibreglass fork by Egon Davell, make it a truly memorable place to eat.

Does Craft have what it takes to win the Boschendal Style Award at the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards?