Lifestyle Get techno fit / Techno gadgets / Getaways / Top restaurants / Books / Events calendar   Summer Restaurant & Cocktail Bar Picks After our typical hibernation period we are all dying to dine outside and eat at a great pavement cafe rather than being huddled around a gas heater inside a restaurant. So, whether you are looking for a cosy eatery or something a little more decadent (see editor's choice) there is something for you in this issue.     Eastern Cape / Free State / Gauteng / KwaZulu-Natal / Limpopo / Mpumalanga / North West / Western Cape   Eastern Cape THE BIG TIME TAVERNA (St Francis Bay) Type: Restaurant & Cocktail Bar The Big Time Taverna is located on the canals in St Francis Bay, the only restaurant on the canals. You can lazily watch water enthusiasts enjoying themselves or amble up t the deck for superb cocktails and watch the sun gently set. The restaurant specialises in Greek cuisine but also offer a variety of other specials including pizza, pasta and other light meals. The wine list goes on forever and you can make your pick from the selection on display. It is said to be one of the top restaurants in SA. back to top 10 Mayotte Circle, St Francis Bay 042 294 1309   Free State SEVEN ON KELLNER (Westdene, Bloemfontein) Type: Restaurant The Moroccan colour palette and dècor creates a warm atmosphere and the ambience is hip and happening. The Mediterranean and African cuisine uses North African spices combined with Mediterranean ingredients to make the dining experience flavourful. The wine selection is as diverse and original as the menu. Service is of a very high standard and the waiters are well trained and knowledgeable. There is also a bar available to relax in during the evenings. back to top 7 Kellner Street, Westdene, Bloemfontein 051-447-7928   Gauteng Cnr Cafè Bistro & Deli (Craighall, Johannesburg) Type: Cafè Bistro/Deli Cnr Cafè Bistro & Deli is perfect if you're looking for some comfort cooking and a perfect outdoor cafè summer atmosphere. Greig Walker's place continuously lives up to its name. It's exactly what you'd want from a corner Cafè - familiar food, wrapped up in friendliness and cleanliness. Due to its popularity it has recently expanded and apart from being bigger, it still looks the same - concrete floors and gleaming white walls with bright lights. Housing the day's cakes and desserts, a clear glass display is twinned with a frosted one for all the less decorative foods. There is a wide range of deli style foods to chose from and be sure to try their famous French fries. Their classic breakfasts (served till noon) are too die for and you cannot walk out the door without tasting some of their delicious cakes. back to top Buckingham / Rothesay Avenue, Craighall Park, Johannesburg 011-880-2244   KwaZulu-Natal AL63 (Gateway, Durban) Type: Restaurant This place brings a little bit of Europe right in the heart of Durban. The dècor is fresh, modern and stylish. The atmosphere is an air of quiet sophistication which, is created by modern lines and a tempered use of colour and you can enjoy the piazza (outside dining option) to enjoy Durban's temperate weather. Expect authentic Italian pastas lightly caressed by sauce plus a wonderful selection of risotto, seafood and meat. The wine selection includes some interesting Italian imports. back to top Shop 5, 9 Palm Boulevard,   Limpopo THE RED PLATE RESTAURANT (Haenertsburg Village) Type: Restaurant The Red Plate is set in an extremely peaceful spot, and tables are set outside under the trees so a great place for lazy weekend afternoons. Freshness is key at the Red Plate where local ingredients like trout, vegetables and fruit regularly make an appearance on the menu. Presentation is beautiful yet simple, salads are the pinnacle of crunchiness and platters and wraps combine tastes with ingredients from all over the world. Although the menu is updated often, but firm favourites include grilled fillet topped with wilted baby spinach and feta and served with rosemary potato rounds and veggies, as well as the spiced pork neck, and the steak burger topped with sautéed peppers, onion and feta. The wine list offers some easy-drinking options. Be sure to take cash, as Red Plate does not ?have credit card facilities. back to top 161 Rissik Street, Haenertsburg Village, Haenertsburg 083-305-2851   Mpumalanga PIZ-ZAZZE (Sabie) Type: Restaurant If you have the opportunity to visit this restaurant you will not be disappointed. The atmosphere is warm and cosy and is very comfortable and casual which makes for the perfect romantic evening or a fun night out with friends and family. The cuisine is South African and includes delicious seafood dishes and some very good light meals. The service is excellent and the owners are great which affords this restaurant its style. back to top Meintjie Park, 1km out of Sabie on the Graskop Road (R532), Sabie 013-764-3067   North West THE SKYE BISTRO (Hartebeespoort Dam) Type: Restaurant & Culinary Experience The Skye Bistro is a wonderful restaurant which, as its name suggests is in the sky, situated high above ground level in the towers above the entrance to the Landsmeer Equestrian Estate. The experience is a supreme dining with a contemporary cool ambience and a pleasant atmosphere with soft music elevated above everyday life. It is recommended that you spend at least three hours there when you come for dinner. On arrival all guests receive a welcoming cocktail and are then seated for a five-course dinner to enjoy an exquisite culinary experience by Executive Chef, Daniel Tharrat. It is a fine restaurant specialising in customer satisfaction to the highest degree. back to top Opposite Jasmin, On the R511, Hartebeespoort Dam, Hartebeespoort 072 905 4919   Western Cape PARANGA (Camps Bay) Type: Restaurant & Cocktail Bar Located along the world-renowned sunset strip of the Camps Bay beachfront, Paranga has been thoughtfully designed for both comfort and class with great attention to detail. Paranga, meaning hut on the beach, is anything but - in the short time it takes to walk from the outside to the inside you will have undergone a journey of transformation. Choose to kick off your slops and sip down a cocktail on the couched terrace or don your finest and enjoy one of the elegant back booths. Sushi and international cuisine provide variety and the cuisine combines bold flavours and stunning presentation. The bar is highly popular as an after-work stop and Paranga is able to boast a comprehensive Champagne list and has also managed to secure allocation of some of SA's finest wines. www.paranga.co.za Shop 1, The Promenade Victoria Road Camps Bay 021-438 0404   Cassis Paris (EDITOR'S CHOICE) Type: Patisserie/coffee shop Life is sweet in Newlands since this adorable authentic French patisserie and boulangerie recently opened in Newlands, headed up by French pastry chef Patrick Moreau, who after 27 years of travelling the world, decided to settle in Cape Town to share his indulgences. How happy am I that he made that decision. Choose from a range of baquettes, croissants and absolutely mouth watering pastries or go all out with their melt in your mouth lemon tart, (like you have never tasted) peach tart, or chocolate cake. All products are made with the freshest ingredients, melt-in-the-mouth Belgian butter, French flour and decadent chocolate. You can sit outside the new branch in Newlands and indulge in a piece of Paris with a great cup of coffee. I have to say it is the best pastry I have ever tasted and I am hooked. You can also experience Cassis in Gardens if you are in the City Bowl or on the Atlantic Seaboard side. back to top 5 Cardiff Castle corner Kildare and Main Rd, Newlands, (021) 671-1305 Shop 37a, Gardens Centre, Mill Street, Gardens, Cape Town (021) 461 6232

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