It’s easy to fall in love with the West Coast. The striking colours, calming atmosphere and tasty cuisine make for the perfect summer holiday. As for food, it’s more about thick slices of hot bread, saucy oysters and fresh line fish caught straight off the beach, than fussy fine dining. To make sure you don’t miss out, we’ve compiled a list of all the best places to dine on the West Coast.

Paternoster

Noisy Oyster
It’s pretty difficult to get a dinner table in season, but it’s worth the effort. Order the fish of the day or oysters with a glass of West Coast wine. The backyard shady setting with fireplaces lends itself to romance.

Oep ve Koep
The most surprising of places to find world-class cuisine with locally sourced ingredients and flavours.
Chef Kobus van der Merwe is enormously talented and this low-key eatery is well worth a trip out to Paternoster. Magical flavour combinations emerge from the tiny kitchen, with artful plating and a wonderful hands-on feel. Wild herbs and seasonal local produce are the hallmarks of the daily
chalkboard menu. Kudos must go to the eatery for sourcing local craft beer and unusual wines from the Swartland. Past highlights: Saldanha Bay oysters with gooseberries, green apple and orange beurre blanc; and mussel and lentil bobotie.

Gaaitjie
Signature West-Coast comfort food with chef-patron Suzi Holtzhausen’s flair. Expect innovative artichoke and mussel soup and seafood mains served with wildflowers.

Langebaan

Die Strandloper Restaurant and Beach Bar
This beach restaurant has a view to remember – not to mention the unforgettable buffet with grilled sardines, salty snoek, yellowtail, smoked angelfish and garlicky crayfish straight from ocean to the braai to your plate. Grab farm bread and konfyt for afters (if you have room), with a mug of moerkoffie or a glass of cool chardonnay.

Yzerfontein

Strandkombuis
Help yourself to the groaning seafood buffet and bread, fresh from the coal fires. Right on the beach, it’s perfect for kids to run around and parents to pretend they’re young again. A must for a lingering lunch with flowing wine.

Die Rooi Granaat
A surprise and delight in the sleepy coastal town. The owner is also very passionate and knowledgeable about wine. Wonderful for a romantic adventure or road trip.

Riebeek Kasteel

Bar Bar Black Sheep
An oasis at the end of the road. Using home-grown and often organic ingredients, the menu sums up living in the Swartland. Good selection of local wines, too. Try Hot Turkish eggs, poached and served on creamy brown mushrooms; chicken and bacon pie; juicy lamb burgers; or
Zanzibar chicken curry.

Mama Cucina Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant
A seriously good pizza place with a hippy vibe. The kids will love it, and so
will you, if you like thin bases and tiramisu for dessert.