Durban is a beautiful coastal city in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province with a unique blend of African, Indian, and European influences. It’s a place where different cultures come together to create something extraordinary. And guess what? Durban is not only known for its amazing food but also for its fancy, fine-dining restaurants. These restaurants offer a wide range of delicious dishes, but they take it up a notch by making sure everything is healthy and good for your well-being. Best of all, they all use organic free-range ingredients! So get ready to discover the crème de la crème of Durban’s culinary scene. I hope you’re hungry because here are 5 of the most fantastic fine-dining restaurants in Durban.
1. Kauai Durban North
Kauai Durban North is all about creating a brighter food future. This fine-dining restaurant passionately believes in discovering fresh and exciting ways to provide people with simple, seasonal, and sustainable meals. Their menu caters to various diets, offering convenient on-the-go choices and a healthy array of options. With a focus on sustainable and organic sourcing, Kauai prioritises ingredients that are both nourishing and kind to the planet. For this reason, it’s one of the best places in Durban for enjoying delicious and eco-friendly meals!
The menu at Kauai Burban North has four main sections: breakfast, coffee, wraps, and salads. For breakfast, the Protein Egg Pot is a standout choice with poached eggs, sausage, and tasty seasonings. On the other hand, the Spicy Chicken Caesar Wrap with cheese, veggies and a creamy dressing is a great choice for a quick meal. If you want a yummy hot drink, try the Red Cappuccino which gives you the option to use oat or almond milk. And if it’s salads that you prefer, the Avo Steak Salad Bowl is a delicious option containing steak, avocado, and a nutty dressing.
So, whether you want breakfast, coffee, a wrap, or a salad, Kauai Durban North remains among the best fine dining restaurants in Durban for healthy eaters!
2. Nu Health Food Moses Mabida
Nü Health Food has been making a buzz lately because of its strong belief that eating the right food is crucial for becoming the best version of yourself. In fact, they have been prioritising this principle in their business for nearly ten years now. Every ingredient they use in their meals is guaranteed to be organic, free-range and packed with nutritional benefits.
Nu offers a diverse breakfast menu with a range of options. Some highlights include free-range eggs on toast with a choice of poached or scrambled eggs, poached eggs on greens with kale, spinach, broccoli, and cashews, and scrambled eggs with avocado, feta, and honey on toast. There are also various open sandwiches such as avocado toast classic, avocado toast with spicy Korean broccoli, and avocado toast with kimchi and shimeji mushrooms.
For wraps and salads, you can choose options like the Iron Kick salad with chickpeas and lentils, the Rainbow Pad Thai salad with edamame beans and spiced cashews, and the BBQ chicken wrap. Nu also offers soups, smoothies, protein shakes, and hot beverages. With organic ingredients in each of its dishes, it’s clear to see why Nu is ranked so high on this list of the 5 most fantastic fine dining restaurants in Durban!
3. Roma Revolving Restaurant
Roma Revolving is one of the most elegant fine-dining restaurants in Durban! This amazing restaurant has a really cool feature – it actually revolves! It’s been around since February 1973 and was created by geniuses Bartholoeo Ribero, Turi, and Gino Leopardi. I had the privilege of speaking with Mr Leopardi prior to writing this article and I could hear in the enthusiasm in his voice that he is truly passionate about providing a one-of-a-kind high-quality restaurant experience in Durban. He also assured me that all the ingredients, from the meat to the vegetables, are free-range, organic and sourced from local farms and vendors!
When you embark on a food adventure at Roma Revolving Restaurant, get ready for an amazing menu. For starters, I would recommend the irresistible Mushroom ValDostana which oozes with melted cheese goodness. For a slightly healthier choice, try the Fresh Asparagus Parmigiana meal. If you are visiting Roma Revolving during winter, their soul-soothing soups are a must-have! In fact, the classic Minestrone or creamy Seafood Chowder are just to die for! Vegans and vegetarians are also accommodated by the restaurant through its wide range of vibrant salads like the crisp Greek Salad or flavourful Insalata Italiana. Roma Revolving also offers pasta dishes, meat and fish delights, as well as delicate desserts!
Roma Revolving is truly super special because it’s the only revolving restaurant in the southern hemisphere and one of only three in the whole world. What’s even more awesome is that it has windows and floors that also rotate! The restaurant is located on the 32nd floor of the John Ross House, and from there, you can see the entire city of Durban and the beautiful surrounding areas, including the sea and the bay.
4. Amaravathi Palki
Next up is Amaravathi Palki, the number-one Indian restaurant in Durban! Impressively, Amaravathi Palki has been proudly serving the Durban community since 1997. They are known for their exceptional and authentic Indian cuisine, made with the same level of perfection you would find in India. Furthermore, the restaurant has expert chefs from different parts of India who use traditional spices and masalas to create delicious dishes. On top of that, the restaurant has exclusively catered for renowned cricket teams like the Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings, and the India National Cricket Team.
The menu at Amaravathi Palki offers a variety of options for everyone. They have vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters, special meals for kids, as well as seafood, chicken, mutton, and vegetarian dishes. Some of Amaravathi Palki’s best vegetarian starters include the Stuffed Mushroom/Capsicum, Veg Platter, and Veg Samosa with dip. If you love seafood, the restaurant has tasty choices like Fish Briyani, Prawn Briyani, Chettinad Crab, and Madras Fish Curry. And if you’re bringing your little ones along, they will surely enjoy the Tandoori Chicken and the Chicken Malai Kebab with butter naan and chips.
Like all the top fine dining restaurants in Durban, Amaravathi Palki is committed to using only the best and freshest organic free-range ingredients!
5. Circus Circus Beach Cafe
Circus Circus has been a popular eating spot in Durban since 1994. It’s not just a regular restaurant and cafe, but a place that offers an awesome dining experience with a wide variety of delicious food. You can choose from salads, steaks, seafood, pasta, and curries. And if you’re into coffee, the restaurant’s skilled baristas can make you the perfect cortado, flat white, or cappuccino. Circus Circus Beach Cafe is all about giving you great service and high-quality food at a reasonable price. And the best part? They are pet-friendly!
Whether you’re there for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Circus Circus has something for you. If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast, try their Tropical Oats, which are oats soaked overnight and served with yummy mango coulis, pineapple, banana, crème fraîche, nut praline, and coconut flakes. Another tasty and healthy choice is the Beyond Burger, made with a flame-grilled plant-based patty, peppadew mayo relish, and gherkins. And let’s not forget about the drinks! I highly recommend trying one of their non-dairy and vegan fruit smoothies. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, go for their freshly squeezed orange, carrot, seasonal cocktail, apple, or pineapple juices.
Circus Circus Beach Cafe is certainly one of the best fine-dining restaurants in Durban. Oh, and by the way, they’re open from 6 am to 5 pm every day, except on Sundays when they open at 7 am.
To sum it all up, Durban is filled with amazing restaurants that serve delicious and healthy food. You can find a mix of Indian, African, and European flavours there. Amaravathi Palki is known for its Indian cuisine, while Circus Circus Beach Cafe offers a wide variety of dishes. On the other hand, Kauai Durban North and Nu Health Food focus on healthy and sustainable meals. Then we have Roma Revolving Restaurant, a super cool fine-dining restaurant that actually rotates! Overall, Durban has fantastic restaurants that cater to different tastes and offer unique dining experiences. For more healthy places to eat, check out these 7 delightful restaurants in Swakopmund, Namibia. Have a wonderful time!