If you haven’t thought of Africa as a foodie’s paradise, it’s time to reconsider. Whether you want to sample intriguing local dishes or fine dine, the continent will please (and tease) every palate.
For starters, the hip city of Cape Town is undoubtedly one of the world’s epicurean capitals, and a dining experience there (or in its nearby vineyards) won’t disappoint.
I won’t lie to you though – everything tastes better on holiday, and an African safari, north of Cape Town, is no exception. But it’s not just the remarkable views that enhance the flavours, it’s the innovative use of local ingredients by a new generation of African chefs who aren’t afraid to reinvent their culinary heritage.
Organic produce, boutique wines and freshly caught fish are key ingredients in this African dining renaissance, with many luxury lodges offering an authentic farm-to-fork experience. After all, you could have your sushi delivered by conveyor belt back home, or you could eat tuna sashimi while playing castaway on an idyllic ocean sandbar in Mozambique.
There’s also the undeniable romance that safari dinners offer: magical meals taken under a blaze of African stars, where you and your partner feel like the only two people on the planet.
I’m also careful never to overlook the rituals that bookend the safari day, whether coffee and rusks before dawn or appreciating the art of the safari sundowner with the crisp tang of a G&T as the sun falls…
