Bacon. To some, it’s a stock standard breakfast ingredient. To others, it’s more than just cured pork, it’s a lifestyle. While the versatility of this smoky, salty delight is undeniable, the manner in which bacon is cooked can really make or break its appeal. Forget the usual eggs with fried bacon at your local coffee shop, or a BLT with grilled rashers from the café on the corner, we’ve decided to find restaurants that offer true bacon artistry.  We’ve enlisted the help of one of South Africa’s favourite foodies, who also happens to adore bacon, and a few choice suggestions from the Eat Out team.

Blogger David Cope, better known as The Foodie, is unashamed to admit that he worships bacon with an unwavering commitment. What is it about its smoky sanctity that has him hooked?

‘My affection for it started the same way as most people’s did, I imagine,’ David muses, ‘with the morning fry up. But, as I became more interested in cooking, I realised the true potential of bacon. There aren’t many things that can’t be improved with the addition of bacon. Fish? Wrap it in bacon. Roast chicken? Pancetta and breadcrumb stuffing. Bacon just adds so much flavour. Does anything smell better than frying bacon? Quite simply, a day with bacon is a good day indeed.’

So where does this bacon addict find his fix? He recommends trying Brad Ball's unique confit of pork belly bacon at Bistro 1682, as well as the bacon and egg breakfast pie at Cookshop. He swears by anything that charcuterie whizz Neil Jewell does with bacon at Bread & Wine. The bacon-wrapped scallops at The Noisy Oyster in Paternoster are also very memorable for David, along with DW Eleven-13’s amazing scallops with tiny bacon cubes.

Here at Eat Out, we rather fancy a perfect piece of salty, cured pork. We especially enjoy the bacon at Caffé Milano –many are adamant that it’s the best in town. The bacon balls at Caffé Villagio also get the thumbs-up at the office.

Our editor and much-loved food expert, Abigail Donnelly, has a particular penchant for the crispy, wafer-thin bacon at Park Café, her favourite breakfast spot in Johannesburg. She is also a big fan of the delicious bacon at Freedom Café and Hartford House in Kwazulu-Natal.

Know of a restaurant that serves brilliant bacon? Let us know here!