London might be far from home, but the city’s food scene is full of South African flavour.
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From Cape-inspired fine dining to laid-back brunches and wine bars pouring the best from Stellenbosch, there’s no shortage of ways to taste home. You just need to know where to look. Let this be your guide.
Kudu
Kudu has become a must-visit for anyone who loves creative, flavourful food. Led by Cape Town chef Patrick Williams and Amy Corbin, this Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant blends British produce with South African inspiration. The menu features dishes such as braaied cabbage, snoek pâté, and the famous Kudu bread served warm with melting butter and spreads.
Every dish includes seasonal ingredients reimagined through a South African lens. The restaurant’s intimate setting makes it the kind of place where you can enjoy a calm dinner with a glass of Cape wine.
Tashas Battersea
Situated within the restored Battersea Power Station, Tashas Battersea brings Natasha Sideris’s much-loved South African café to London. Expect bright, beautiful interiors and a menu that celebrates flavour and freshness. Favourites include halloumi with chilli jam to fillet medallions and freshly baked banana bread. It’s refined yet relaxed, just like a sunny brunch back home.
The Truro
The Truro in Tooting offers the kind of warmth that feels instantly familiar. Owned by South Africans, this neighbourhood gem combines classic London pub charm with subtle flavours from home. The menu includes boerewors-inspired sausages, steak with chimichurri and malva pudding. With friendly staff, great wine, and rugby often on screen, The Truro feels like a little piece of South Africa in South London. It is the perfect spot to gather with friends.
Viva Bacchus
Viva Bacchus, with branches in Farringdon and London Bridge, has long been a cornerstone of South African dining in London. The restaurant is known for its outstanding collection of South African wines from estates such as Meerlust, Kanonkop and Spier. The menu pairs beautifully with the wine list, offering biltong carpaccio, grilled sirloin with peppercorn sauce and bobotie spring rolls. Whether you are dining with others or enjoying a quiet solo night with a glass of Pinotage, Viva Bacchus is a true celebration of South African food and hospitality.
Pop-Ups
London’s South African food scene keeps evolving through creative pop-ups and braai-style markets. Keep an eye on Kudu Collective’s pop-up dinners for collaborative menus by South African chefs. You should also visit Broadway Market or Maltby Street Market, where chefs often serve boerie rolls, vetkoek and other local favourites fresh off the grill.
Where to find South African snacks
For a little bit of a lighter option for when cravings hit, there are plenty of spots across London that stock some of your favourite SA snacks. Here are a few places to add to your list:
- The Savanna
- Big J’s Biltong
- Snoggy’s
- Jumbos
- The South African Shop
London may be thousands of kilometres away, but these restaurants and shops prove that the warmth and hospitality of South Africa travels far beyond our borders.
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