ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in South Africa
Five dishes to try in South Africa, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in South Africa
Bobotie
Spiced minced meat with dried fruit, baked under an egg custard.
How to have it: A Cape Malay dish; try it in Cape Town's Bo-Kaap with yellow rice and chutney.
Bunny chow
Hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry.
How to have it: A Durban classic; order a 'quarter mutton' and eat it with your hands.
Boerewors
Coiled spiced beef sausage cooked over the braai.
How to have it: Eaten at any braai or as a 'boerie roll' with pap or bread and tomato relish.
Biltong
Air-dried strips of spiced cured beef or game.
How to have it: Buy it from butchers or biltong shops; a road-trip and rugby-match snack.
Malva pudding
Spongy baked apricot pudding soaked in a sweet cream sauce.
How to have it: Served warm with custard or ice cream, often on restaurant dessert menus.
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Questions
What food is South Africa famous for?
Bobotie (spiced minced meat with dried fruit, baked under an egg custard) comes first on our list, followed by Bunny chow, Boerewors, Biltong and Malva pudding.
What is the national dish of South Africa?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for South Africa is Bobotie: spiced minced meat with dried fruit, baked under an egg custard. A Cape Malay dish; try it in Cape Town's Bo-Kaap with yellow rice and chutney.
Which dishes in South Africa are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Malva pudding. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in South Africa?
Bunny chow (hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in South Africa
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.