Joburg’s Illovo is quite the foodie hub of late. By Lisa van der Knaap[wp_gmaps lat=”-26.128355″ lng=”28.050799″]There are the ‘old favourites’ that we keep going back for and a number of delicious new additions that you’ll want to try out – all within a few kilometres of each other… BEST FOR… A CELEBRATION Assaggi, Post Office Centre, 30 Rudd Road, Illovo, 011-268-1370 From a humble trattoria with a few chairs outside to being one of Joburg’s culinary landmarks, the restaurant is renowned for its Italian traditional and fine-dining dishes. Fresh pasta is made daily and their signature dish, Brie and asparagus…

These days there’s more to this corner of the Cape than just sunny vineyards, French flair and bubbly…By Clifford Roberts[wp_gmaps lat=”-33.913591″ lng=”19.134235″]Taste chocolate, ride horses, visit a microbrewery, tour gardens and taste wine – there’s always plenty going on in Franschhoek. However, new additions to the established fine food and wine scene in SA’s self-proclaimed Gourmet Capital are the reasons why so many fans keep returning. BEST FOR CELLAR DINING Haute Cabrière, the renowned mountainside cellar restaurant, now has a new outdoor terrace with magnificent views, instituted as part of a makeover. Crisp white linen, chandeliers and artwork have brightened…

Thonga Beach Lodge is an eco-friendly gem on an unspoiled beach along the northern KwaZulu-Natal coastline, with sublime swimming bays and snorkelling reefs, and white sand as far as the eye can see By Rosanne Buchanan[wp_gmaps lat=”-29.446773″ lng=”31.223145″]WHERE: The Elephant Coast, Maputaland (about 25km north of Sodwana Bay) GETTING THERE: It is an eight-hour drive from Johannesburg or a flight to Durban followed by a three-hour drive. BEST-KEPT SECRET: The main wow factor is the lodge’s remote setting. You park at the local nut factory and then it’s an hour’s transfer drive. Signs that greet you as you drive through…

Vast stretches of sugar cane may have given way to retail development and exclusive housing estates, but KZN’s Umhlali maintains its appeal with great foodie haunts and things to see and buy…Tracy Gielink[wp_gmaps lat=”-29.482419″ lng=”31.233358″]Best for casual dining MANGE TOUT (98 DUNKIRK ESTATE, 1 SALT ROCK ROAD, SALT ROCK, 032-525-7803) Essentially a club house for eco-estate dwellers, Mange Tout is also a superstylish respite for outside diners. The sign of civilised society is an all-day breakfast with chef-patron Jacqui Rey’s classics such as Eggs Benedict or scrambled eggs with truffles. Light lunches include homemade fish cakes with Hollandaise sauce, while…

The Free State town of Clarens has emerged as a destination for foodies and lovers of the good life. F&HE shares top restaurants to eat, places to shop and stay and things to do.Zaza Motha[wp_gmaps lat=”-28.513802″ lng=”28.417683″]278 on Main For the best burger in town, head straight for 278 on Main in the heart of Clarens. Owned by Sue Campbell, it’s a great place to spoil your taste buds. Try the minced lamb or chicken burger with a hearty portion of crisps. Also worth a mention is the ostrich carpaccio served with ciabatta, salsa and a balsamic glaze, as well as the baked Camembert with chives, garlic and white wine…

Majestic scenery and hearty food make Switzerland a mustsee destination RICHARD HOLMESThe diminutive Asterix may have been from an indomitable village in Gaul, but – on a cold night in Switzerland – I find it hard not to think of the moustachioed hero as I dunk my skewer of yeasty rye bread into the fondue pot of bubbling cheese at Restaurant Laterne. When Asterix and the ever-faithful Obelix “visited” Switzerland they were quickly warned about the strict rules of fondue: “Everyone got it? If you lose your piece of bread in the fondue, you pay a forfeit! The first time…

Sue de Groot embraces global gastronomy at a British food festivalSue de GrootYou can tell a lot about a country from its food. If you got into a time machine and were dropped in post-war London, you’d know it immediately from the ration books, the eggless cakes and the way people reacted to the sight of a lemon. With England in the grip of a punishing recession you might expect to find similar privations and belt-tightening measures today. But no. Far from cutting back on luxuries, the capital’s restaurants and purveyors of fine foods seem to have embarked on an…

Melanie Hansche takes a bite of the new, the classic, the fun and the fancy…According to the register of The New York Health Department, there are currently 24 000 restaurants in New York City, It hurts just thinking about where a touring glutton might take their bites of this vast metropolis, which is home to many and varied ethnic groups, food traditions and influences ranging from Mexican and Jamaican to Russian and Jewish. This is the city that has given the world the Waldorf salad, Steak Diane, the ice-cream cone, the Reuben sandwich and the deep-dish pizza, among other delights.…