TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in South Africa - Updated November 2024

Cafe Mario

85/100 (5241 ratings)

Restaurants

Gluten Free Options

Pizza

European

Italian

Mediterranean

Italian

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Mediterranean

European

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Dinner

Breakfast

Lunch

Brunch

Drinks

After-hours

Bruschette

Veal Pizzaiola

Chili

Pesto

Ham and Mushroom Wheat Free Pizza

Calamari

Spaghetti carbonara

Amalfi Pasta

Calamares

english breakfast

Bruschetta Modo Mio

Cheese Cake

Autunno Pasta

شاي لآتيه

heineken

Tramezzini

Caprese

Bolognese Pasta

Toasts

Grappa

Tiramisu

Al Salmone

Pizza Mario

Mexicana Pizza

Focaccia

Rucola Salat

Pasta

Fettuccine Alfredo

Salad

Sit down

Mediterranean

Italian

Pizza

European

Television

Street Parking

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Wine and Beer

Parking Available

Highchairs Available

Reservations

Full Bar

Free Wifi

Accepts Credit Cards

Outdoor Seating

Takeout

After-hours

Lunch

Drinks

Brunch

Breakfast

Dinner

Mid-range

"The pizza is second to none!!! I would recommend anything off the pizza menu - all of it is incredibly tasty! The coffee is also really great. The..."

Hannah Abdoll

"A really lovely experience here.The restaurant space is enough to give you that homely feeling. I sat in a corner, by the window. Snugged..."

Mpho Mogale

"Best pizza in Knysna, friendly staff and cosy atmosphere. Their pizzas are always juicy with enough cheese. Be sure to book before your..."

Lize

"Perfect place for a breakfast alongside the water. All components of the breakfast was cooked exactly as requested and we also did not had to wait..."

Johannes

"Lovely place ..nice staff.. good vegetarian options and great taste..We were turned away the earlier day as we did not have reservation....."

Satkaj

"Great setting with good service and beautiful food made with love. Very cosy. Would certainly go back again and again. Most..."

Helen Rossouw

"Pizza???Huge it wasLike 4 people can have a heartbeat mean. Also it was delicious and had an amazing flavour of cheese I will..."

Avneet Kohli

"A nice cozy coffee shop in the heart of Knysna waterfront. The place was full of people and it tends to be quite noisy but the service received was..."

'Alessandro Cernuschi

"The waterfront in Knysna is where you find the hub of Restaurants, and Cafe Mario was my favorite.They serve delicious pizzas and garlic..."

Pratik Goel

"Really loved the vibe and atmosphere! The Pizza and drink was good , only thing That was a downer was they didn’t have Dom Pedro’s . Other..."

Julanie J Kok

"Delicious pizza, great view, friendly waitress! The only flaw I can comment on is the wait for our pizzas which was a tad too long & we even joked..."

Megz Mackintosh

"This is our go-to place in Knysna for tasty simple food. The food is tasty, the atmosphere is friendly and the owner can always be seen somewhere..."

Elizna Fourie

"Caffe Mario is the most popular restaurant in Knysna Quays on the waterfront. When we visited them last evening, the restaurant was packed with..."

Megsblogged

"After reading the reviews, I decided getting pizzas to go would be the way to go. We weren't disappointed! 5 people, 5 different pizza's and 5 happy..."

Redarmyrecruiting

"Delicious pasta! Wonderful vibe and really great service. I quite enjoyed the Italian theme and the warm lighting. The huge portions are so worth the..."

Nastasjia-Leigh Pillay

"Fantastic experience from start to finish. The ambience was warm and felt like an authentic Italian restaurant. The food was perfect, and the service..."

16341317r

"Just stopped by for some cake and tea. Beautiful place with Italian style decor. Try coming on a sunny day and enjoy sitting outside by the river...."

Heinri Van Zyl

"Trendy small restaurant , great service , pizza was very good , fair size , when sharing salad and pizza they brought pizza and salad already shared..."

Russel Roth

"Really tasty food at a reasonable price . Restaurant very busy on a week night so that speaks for itself of the good quality food wine and service,..."

Michelle Elliott

"This quaint cafe was walking distance from our hotel , Boy Oh Boy , it did not disappoint. It's authenticity makes you feel at home like you're in..."

Azrah Kadwa

"Nice little lively joint in the happening part of Knysna. We went there since they happen to have a decent selection of vegetarian dishes. The food..."

Subramanian

"Fundi was our waiter this year. Please ask for her when you are waiting to be seated. Fundi means intelligence. And was she a pleasant, positive and..."

Kari-Mari

"Really awesome. Grennaro (Mario's dad) managed to squeeze us in at the very last minute after a really bad experience upstairs at O Pescador. His..."

Justin Asher

"This now was a good place to go to. We were shocked as we couldn't even get a table we waited and waited and finally something came up. We had our..."

Abdullah Mahamed

"I think it's a great place to hangout, especially on rainy days. Warm atmosphere, professional staff. The service was a bit slow, however the..."

Chelsea Natalie Le Roux

"Cafe Mario is a beautiful little restaurant overlooking the water at the waterfront in Knysna, with a great vibe and quaint feel to it. The menu is..."

James Marsh

"The best pizza I've had outside of Cape Town . Amazing owner, lovely friendly staff. True Italian atmosphere and food. Would definitely recommend..."

Chelsey Kayla Matthys

"Caffe Mario is brilliantly situated to catch the sun at on a chilly winters morning. The pizza with Buffalo Mozzarella is really good. Just..."

Marentia Van Kasterop

"Am visiting Knysna with family. Over the last 2 days we had a lunch and breakfast at Caffe Mario. Have to admit they are the most hospitable hosts...."

Rallid73

"Food was so good and very well priced ! Delicious cappuccinos and the trammezinis are just delicious. Paintings are fantastic ! Service is only..."

Jean Baard

"Nice italian place overlooking waterfront and near the Quays. Not a bfast place of course but decent selectio. The Super mario is filling and will..."

Kudzai Maeresa

"Wine by the glass selection was poor. Service good, food - one great dish (chicken livers)- one okay (melanzane parmigiano)- really nice vibe and..."

Janice Scheckter

"Brilliant desserts and the tiramisu that they serve can definitely not be missed if you are visiting knysna. The margarita pizza is also worth..."

Vasundhara Sikaria

"I ate breakfast at Caffe Mario's not long ago and again recently, to meet a local friend who swears by it and have some of their great thin base..."

Lauras World

"Came here years ago and was in Knysna again and just had to come back. Supper was gorgeous. I devoured a baked pasta dish that I even enjoyed the..."

Cait McWilliams

"Fantastic dinner at Marios in Knysna. Feels just like home-cooked Italian with a South African twist. Great setting on the knysna Waterfront -..."

Ryan Goodman

"By far the best restaurant in Knysna! We make sure to go each time we visit! Only small 'problem' is that you need to book WAY in advance if you hope..."

Kirsty Metcalf

"Quaint little italian place with a very nice atmosphere. Friendly staff and really good food, with good service. I will go again. Very nice pasta and..."

Arno Van Staden

"We had a team dinner here for the Big 5 Sports Challenge and we absolutely loved the pizzas, wine and cake we had. Our waitress was fantastic and..."

Emilie Van Baalen

"Delicious food (try the veal dishes) with large portions and competitive prices. Warm atmosphere with helpful staff. This venue is immune to..."

Ulwin Hoffmann

"It's certainly one of the better restaurants in Knysna.One can either sit inside or outside and it has a nice ambience.I find the food..."

Martini

"Best pizza in Knysna. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance as well, but not over the top and child friendly. Everyone really enjoyed their meals...."

Andrea P. Diaz

"Lovely restaurant, great decor and vibe. We order focaccia and a pasta each. They did forget the focaccia and the food did take a while to arrive,..."

M B

"Caffe Mario will always be my go-to recommendation for a spectacular dinner in Knysna. Italian food, prepared with special care and attention. a..."

Hendre Visagie

"Very tasty food, incredibly attentive staff and thoughtful atmosphere. A new favorite and must visit in Knysna especially if you are looking for..."

Stevie Hoesel

"I had a wonderful evening at Mario's. Everything was perfect, staff, food and atmosphere. Very friendly waiters! Best pizza ever! Will..."

Heidi Smit

"Very happy we decided to eat here. The smells coming from the food around us was so delicious and we were not disappointed when we got our pizza,..."

Veronica Noakes

"Great food and friendly service. Best kingclip I've ever had. So good, we went back the next..."

Lee-Ann Smeed

"Wonderful service! We called in our order in advance. They waited for us at the door and as soon as they saw us they started taking our food to the..."

Duhne Liebenberg

"Brilliant gem of a place. Great Italian..."

Kevin Dabinett

"Cafe Mario's is consistently good, with very friendly staff along with a relaxed and informal atmosphere. They have been making great tasting Italian..."

Richard Kopman (RSK London)

"We had a great experience at Café Mario. Staff were exceptional and we had the best customer service. Food was prepared with organic ingredients and..."

Jan-Harm Steenkamp

"Another wonderful experience at Mario's. Loved your pasta dishes. Great atmosphere and a high 🙌 to our host Patrick.....you are a..."

Reynier Kapp

"Absolutely fantastic! We made sure we tested all the food pizza ,pasta,peppery veal and waffles! Food was well prepared, with lots of flavours..."

Jurilee Du Toit

"The food and atmosphere is wonderful. The waiters are full off life and are enjoying what they are doing. It is such a refreshing difference to the..."

Pierre Rossouw

"If you like pizza or pasta then this restaurant for..."

SoS Traveler

"This was a really great Italian restaurant! The food and atmosphere where great. Worth making a booking - we went on a Monday and it was very busy...."

Kate Allen

"This is one of the best spots for really good Italian food,I highly recommend their Pizza's and their ice coffees,best in town. My favourite Pizza..."

Average Gamer

"Stumbled across this little place looking for a late afternoon lunch with an outside area. Tucked away off the main road (yet very easy to find) is a..."

Laralee Aldridge

"Great food and friendly staff. The thin crust pizzas were fantastic and well topped without being soggy. They had such a vast variety of vegetarian..."

Vivek Rendall

"A lovely little Cafè situated near the Quay’s in Knysna. It is constantly buzzing with happy customers as well as upbeat energetic waiters..."

Jessie Watson

African Bean

81/100 (1412 ratings)

Coffee & Tea

Vegan Options

Cafe

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Breakfast

Lunch

Brunch

Cappuccino Coffee Cake

Cappuccino with Cream

Feta and Spinach

Toasts

Scone with Jam & Fresh Cream

Tomato and Bacon Quiche

Quiche

Sandwiches

croissant

Burger

muffins

Breakfast Bun

Cappuccino Coffee

cappuchino

Apple Pie with Cream

Big Daddy Burger

Smashed Avo on Toast

Salad

French Toast Breakfast

Café

Wheelchair Accessible

Highchairs Available

Free Wifi

Outdoor Seating

Takeout

Seating

Table Service

Lunch

Brunch

Breakfast

Mid-range

"This place has THE best toasted chicken mayo (their own twist), the loveliest owners and staff, decent coffee and Red cappas � and the type of..."

Amy Aquila Campbell

"Daar is net een woord vir hierdie coffee shop...FANTASTIES!!!! Die kos was heerlik en die diens uitstekend!!!! As jy deur Knysna ry...is dit die..."

Marina Pool

"The food, the service and the ambiance are wonderful. I had a waffle with bacon and banana - yummy..."

Merryl Streak

"Cannot fault in any way. Great service, friendly people, and food which is so fresh and well presented it is almost a pity to eat it and destroy..."

Phil Cooper

"I was in love with African Bean. Friendly, good coffee, very tasty coconut cake and so much more. We will come again �..."

Can Ko

"Absolutely fantastic! Best chicken mayo I've probably ever had in my life. The food was quick, tasty and authentic. W also had the frappes which were..."

Chad Sterley

"Excellent service and great chai latte's. Been here before and continue to come back for..."

Dan Osorio

"Always friendly, wonderful service & super cool menu..."

Anita Zeelie Heunis

"Fantastic! Chicken pie yummy yummy! Coffee excellent! Nice place to be for..."

Blove Michael Edeh

"Great breakfast, highly recommend it if you are in Knysna or passing..."

Alton Tania Stallbaum

"Mees Lekkerste koffie wat ek al oooit gedrink het en ongelooflike breakfast! Net jammer ons is so ver weg. Well done African..."

Mandy Stals

"..."

Jo Green

"Really nice breakfast...look forward to a burger..."

Andrew Little

"Thanks to the girls for running the competition. Ron & I enjoyed our prize, 2 nights in Cape..."

Jill Hogeweg

"Very awesome. Great food, excellent ambiance and friendly service. We'll certainly be repeat..."

Marc Bandemer

"rly awesome..."

Ryan Jf Quinlan

"Best coffee in..."

Gabby Vurgarellis

"Well trained barista! Excellent service! Pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. The food was made with incredible attention to detail, will come back..."

Joshua Watts

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so they say. We had a delicious breakfast and some top notch coffee. My wife still cannot get over..."

Redarmyrecruiting

"A legit coffee shop in Knysna at Last... Their salmon omelette is the best ever... Burgers, you name it... Friendly efficient staff as..."

Paul Zeman

"Such friendly staff. On a hot day the iced coffee and frappe range will be you're best bet. They were quite delicious and refreshing. I would like to..."

Jenevieve Fabre

"Went here yesterday to escape the 35 degree heat and what better place to have an iced coffee! The little café has a beautiful vintage style and the..."

Ruth Simone Gray

"We were just passing through and got stuck in holiday traffic so decided to stop off here.the service from waitress here was great ,she was so..."

A Foodie Travels

"absolutely lovely breakfast. worth a visit when you are in knysna. my husband had omlette and i had the banting breakfast. food is well priced and..."

Dominique Rowlands

"Lovely food, excellent service, great coffee. Cozy ambiance, too, and the prices for breakfast were reasonable. I recommend sitting inside, though,..."

Zoe Hawkins

"Every time we drive down the main road in Knysna I have looked at African Bean and said I wanted to visit it for breakfast so when we finally did I..."

Courtney StarBerry

"The best Chai Latte I have had in Knysna so far. Just a pity they don't offer the same with Rice Milk or Soy Milk for our Vegan counterparts...."

Amy Kay

"A rustic coffee shop set in a historic home or building, the cappuccino was outstanding, the service was great, and the breakfast bun was tasty. It's..."

Dennis Osborne

"Absolutely loved this place! Had the best cafe mocha I've ever had (in my entire life), and a chocolate croissant and they were absolutely amazing!..."

Bethany Hopkins

"Wow. We have found family. Nicci the manager was a dream. Her staff, super. The best dirty Chai (with almond milk) we've tasted so..."

Lloyd Sefanyetso

"Very surprised how good this place was! I had to post some pics of food. The old ones weren’t really attractive. Service is nice. Food taste great!..."

Zdeněk Tretiak

"Nice place in a historical building. Good to see that their decor shows the history of the place. Good spot for a quick coffee and dessert although..."

Edyta Dolan

"Nice stop for a flat white on the garden route..."

Ed Barney

"Great local fare and delish coffee. Yummy choc croissants! And Dame Blanche hot choc. Whoop!! Thanks RoomDesign.co.za is coming back. Aoli garlic..."

Melissa C. Kirchmann

"There is nothing not to love about African Bean. The place, the staff and the food cannot be beaten in Knysna. This place has been my go to for 5..."

Dave Partridge

"My daughter was dreaming about their fabulous chocolate chip and Oats biscuits! 🤭 It's such a nice place, with great coffee (thanks Max!),..."

Geraldine Leach

"Good affordable food, their friendliness and hospitaly 5 star. Kept the kichen open for us after closing time on a public holiday. Will go back for..."

Karon Barnard

"Best coffee bar in town - what a nice fibe between the workers! Thank you for the nice service and Beautiful designs on the..."

Philippe Verhaegen

"Great coffeeshop, in an unexpected place. The food is very, very good. All made with fresh ingredients, and the taste shows it. As a tip, the salmon..."

Bas Smit

"Great selection on the menu and good coffee. The coffee beans can also be bought. My favourite lunch option is their chicken mayo toastie. They..."

Andi Wolmarans

"If you're in Krysna, visit this place! We had the pleasure to eat the best cheesecake and carrot cake in South Africa!! And the staff is great as..."

Sjoerd Welberg

"Always good coffee ☕ and good food love the big daddy burger always a winner! The staff always friendly too! Top cafe in..."

James Ross

"What a wonderful experience!! Exceptionally friendly staff, we arrived just as the kitchen was closing and they had no trouble accommodating us. Food..."

Nastassia Lamont

"Such a lovely restaurant with professional friendly staff. The health breakfast of toasted muesli, double cream yoghurt, fresh frut and honey was..."

Adrienne Bartlett

"Truly a place that revives the tired soul with good coffee, food and company! By far the best coffee shop in knysna. The coffee is amazing, the..."

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Hannah Abdoll

Mpho Mogale

Lize

Johannes

Satkaj

Helen Rossouw

Avneet Kohli

'Alessandro Cernuschi

Pratik Goel

Julanie J Kok

Megz Mackintosh

Elizna Fourie

Megsblogged

Redarmyrecruiting

Nastasjia-Leigh Pillay

16341317r

Heinri Van Zyl

Russel Roth

Michelle Elliott

Azrah Kadwa

Subramanian

Kari-Mari

Justin Asher

Abdullah Mahamed

Chelsea Natalie Le Roux

James Marsh

Chelsey Kayla Matthys

Marentia Van Kasterop

Rallid73

Jean Baard

Kudzai Maeresa

Janice Scheckter

Vasundhara Sikaria

Lauras World

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Kirsty Metcalf

Arno Van Staden

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Martini

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M B

Hendre Visagie

Stevie Hoesel

Heidi Smit

Veronica Noakes

Lee-Ann Smeed

Duhne Liebenberg

Kevin Dabinett

Richard Kopman (RSK London)

Jan-Harm Steenkamp

Reynier Kapp

Jurilee Du Toit

Pierre Rossouw

SoS Traveler

Kate Allen

Average Gamer

Laralee Aldridge

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Lisha

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Chantál Fourie