Everyone has one. That favourite, comforting neighbourhood restaurant where you always end up going. The kind of place whose number is on your speed dial, where you’re on a first name-basis with the owners and where the waitrons know what you’re having before you’ve even placed your order. The sort of spot that you love introducing your friends to, that’s a home away from home and where you’re always guaranteed a good time and great food. In celebration of these darling eateries, we approached some of the country’s favourite foodies and asked them where they instinctively head to on an empty stomach.

Sumien Brink, editor Woolworths TASTE
My best place to eat is Hemelhuijs in De Waterkant Street just before you cross Buitengracht on the fan walk. It is a beautiful place to sit in. Jacques Erasmus’s food is delicious and seasonal and portions are just the right size. The customers are trendy and you can have a look at what is new in the Free World Design Centre after you’ve had your meal. Best of all, it is just one block away from my office!

Anna Trapido, author
Ritrovo: it’s close to me, the food is of an excellent quality, and it’s extremely child friendly – so much so that my son asked to go there as a treat after his first day of school!

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Blog
My absolute best is currently Dash at the Queen Victoria Hotel. I love their snacks that come with drinks, and their elegant dining room, with Gregor Jenkins tables and Beezy Bailey paintings. Nothing is too much trouble. The ‘Alice in Wonderland vegetable garden’ that comes with the beef fillet is a masterpiece. I LOVE the palate-cleanser sorbets. The Valrhona chocolate fondant is to die-for delicious. I feel like a queen whenever I go to Dash, and am absolutely addicted!

Jason Lilley, baker at Jason
Posticino in Sea Point Main Road. They have the best pizza in the world and the owners Jack and Eric are wonderfully warm and friendly. Dining there feels like having a Sunday lunch at home.

Simon Hemingway, co-owner of Chuck and Bobs
Craft Trattoria in Glenashly. The owner absolutely loves food. When you eat your meal you can taste that it was made from scratch and with absolute passion.

Herman Lensing, food editor of Sarie
El Burro and Bizerca. I love simple, no-fuss food, and here I’m always guaranteed it.

Michelle Barry, Eat In Produce Awards judge
It would have to be Café Jiran on Durban’s beachfront. There is a huge focus on holistic, organic foods. They serve fantastic breakfasts with 5 different kinds of cappuccinos and the evening bistro menu is sensational. It’s definitely a hidden gem in Durban.

Kobus van der Merwe, Chef of Oep ve Koep and blogger of Sardines on Toast
Theresa’s in Cape Town is always a favourite. The food is hearty and delicious, and it feels like a home away from home. Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira, Graham Beck cellar master It really depends on what I’m in the mood for. For fine dining, I like Le Quartier Français and Rust en Vrede. When I have a craving for meat, I go to Carné. When I want fish and chips, I go to Hook, Line and Sinker. If I feel like sushi, it has to be Willoughby’s in the Waterfront. For a Japanese craving, I go to Nobu. For a family meal, Kalfi’s can’t be beaten.

Alida Ryder, blogger Simply Delicious
I’m going through a bit of a dim sum phase at the moment, so I’m loving Koi’s beautifully made dim sum. The interior is also lovely. I also love Thomas Maxwell Bistro, because the service is consistent and the food always good.

Reuben Riffel, chef of Reuben’s
Hook, Line and Sinker at Pringle Bay. It’s unpretentious, uncomplicated, and always feels like you are just visiting old friends.

Hillary Biller, food editor and author
A little place around the corner from us called Renato’s Trattoria and Pizzeria. They’ve probably been around for close to 40 years now and the menu is still the same. You don’t come here for variety, but you can always expect consistently excellent, very reasonably priced food. You know what you’re going to get even before you arrive.

Marthinus Ferreira, chef at DW Eleven-13
On Mondays I love going to HQ when you can get their standard steak, Café de Paris butter, shoestring chips, and salad for only R75. I also like going to Il Tartufo’s, where I regularly enjoy the olio olio peperoncino, as well as Assaggi, whose gnocchi with gorgonzola is absolutely delicious.

Jan Scannel a.k.a Jan Braai, pioneer of Braai for Heritage
My friend Georgio Nava owns two adjoining restaurants in the middle of town, 95 Keerom and Carne. No matter how late I phone, he always manages to find us a table. 95 Keerom is an all-rounder and good for bigger groups as their menu is more diverse. My order is always the same: butternut ravioli starter, filled and rolled pork belly for mains, and chocolate fondant for desert. When everybody in the group feels like eating meat, we go to Carne. There I always share the 1,5kg T-bone steak for two with whomever is keen. The steak is sliced in the kitchen and served on two plates and their fries are my favorite side dish. The type of parties where everybody eats meat are usually the type of parties heading to Long Street (one block away), so I usually don’t have dessert at Carne. For take-aways I usually go to Mr Chop Chop in Seapoint Main Road and order either the Nasi Goreng or the Bami Goreng. Both cost R37, are prepared in minutes, are big portions, and are the best value for money this side of the mountain.

Michael Olivier, wine guru and editor of Crush!
The Foodbarn in Noordhoek. I continuously go back there for several reasons. I have a long-standing friendship with Franck Dangereux and Pete de Bruin. Whatever is on the plate is made with passion, using the finest ingredients prepared by someone who really knows what he is doing. I enjoy drinking the wines of Cape Point Vineyards when I am there as you can virtually see the vineyard from the restaurant. Lastly, the service is knowledgeable, professional and consistently good and the waiters [both male and female] are charming.

Dax Villanueva, Relax with Dax
My favourite restaurant is actually a little place called Miller’s Thumb. It always makes a big difference when the owners are actually involved. At Miller’s Thumb, Solly is in the kitchen and his wife Jane is front of house. The staff are well looked after which means turnover is low and you can go 5 years later and have the same waiter. The food is always good, the ambiance is good and it’s busy even on a Monday night. Nothing ever goes wrong, which means I can relax when I go there.

By Annette Klinger