Knysna is a popular destination in South Africa. Located on the scenic Garden Route on the south-eastern coast between Mossel Bay and Storms River, Knysna is an ideal stopover when exploring the Western Cape.
Knysna is about a five-hour drive east of Cape Town and has much to offer – beautiful scenery, beaches and forests as well as unique attractions including Knysna Elephant Park, Garden of Eden, Monkey Land – just to name a few. Knysna offers plenty of excellent accommodation and a host of wonderful restaurants.
Eating out is part of the fun on holidays but can sometimes be a hit and miss affair. On a recent trip to Knysna we discovered some new places to eat and some local favourites.
Freshline
Don’t miss Freshline for a rustic feet-in-sand experience and delicious local seafood.
This is the type of restaurant that South Africans do so well.
The food is fresh and the atmosphere beautifully rustic. The speciality here is fresh seafood – grilled, fried or on the braai – however you want it cooked, they will do it for you. There are also sides of delicious salads, rice, chips, etc.
The décor is rustic – sand covers the floor, seating is at wooden picnic tables under umbrellas, fairy lights and lanterns add a charming ambience. We visited in cool weather and loved the fires burning in sawn-off drums – smoke lingered in our clothes when we left and reminded us of the outdoors and campfires.
Freshline is not licensed and it’s not unusual to see the locals arrive with Eskies – it’s BYO wine, beer or spirits. Even better, there is no corkage fee.
You will find Freshline just off Long Street as you drive from Knysna Central towards Thesen Harbour Town (turn left just before you cross the Thesen bridge). Tel: +27 44 382 3131.
Rib & Rump
Right next door to Freshline and owned by the same people, Rib & Rump opened in March 2015. It is a great addition to Knysna’s restaurant scene.
We visited on a Monday evening and had no problems getting a table. The atmosphere is rustic and there is an outdoor area for the warmer weather – sandy floor and timber tables and benches.
The food was delicious. We ordered a 200g Rump Steak, a 300g serving of Pork Ribs and a Mediterranean Salad. The steak was perfectly cooked and tender, the ribs were meaty and delicious and the salad serving was generous.
At the time of our visit there was a choice of rump, sirloin, fillet and T-bone steaks in various sizes, plus beef kebabs, pork ribs, springbok loin, kudu loin and ostrich fillet. There is a choice of either pepper, peri peri, mushroom, monkey gland and garlic sauce to accompany your steak. The beef is AAA grade and aged to perfection. For dessert we ordered a Traditional Weskus Trifle (Weskus means West Coast), served in an enamel cup and deliciously fresh.
The menu is being expanded and it is possible to order seafood from Freshline next door, however our friendly waiter s”http://www.accommodationguru.com” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>
May 2015