The foodie’s guide to Zululand

Zululand is home to various cultural influences, and the Indian culture is arguably the most prevalent. Picture: Supplied

Zululand is home to various cultural influences, and the Indian culture is arguably the most prevalent. Picture: Supplied

Published Mar 10, 2020

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Zululand might be known as an “adventure place”, but it could be the “foodie place” too. 

Zululand offers a great deal of food-related experiences for travellers. Whether you are looking to indulge in gourmet cuisine or simply try out the province street eats, there’s plenty of options to suit foodies with all budgets. 

General Manager of BON Hotels, André de Klerk shares her best foodie experiences you can find along this magnificent stretch of land. 

Tripe. Picture: Supplied

Traditional delicacies 

Dive right into the heart of Zulu culture with a serving of tripe. Considered a favourite by many cultures worldwide, tripe is adapted depending on the country it’s served in. At BON Hotel Empangeni, you will find tripe prepared using meat from the ox, the traditional Zulu way, by their Chef Khulani. 

Wash down your meal with another one of the Zulu kingdom’s most-loved practices - traditional beer, known as uMqombothi. The best place to enjoy this is straight from the source. 

The Zulu village of Shakaland welcomes visitors and offers them a taste of the maize-based drink. Should you decide to pop by, you will also be allowed to meet locals and learn more about the Zulu culture. 

Curry. Picture: Supplied

Eastern influences

Zululand is home to various cultural influences, and the Indian culture is arguably the most prevalent. The locals of the area swear by the freshly prepared Indian curry served in Richards Bay by KNK Curries. 

This firm favourite has been around for over 20 years, run by the Naidoo family. Established and initially managed by Sandra Naidoo, the management has now been passed down to her three sons who have been entrusted with Sandra’s beloved recipes. 

It’s best enjoyed while seated along the harbour while chatting with locals. It gets rather busy over weekends, as people from all around Zululand visit to taste the different dishes, so be sure to arrive at 11:30 for the latest. Some of the dishes served at KNK Curries include vegetable biryani with dhal and sugar bean curry. 

Cheese platter. Picture: Supplied

A taste of Europe 

Zululand also holds a little taste of Europe, with cheese and beer not too far away. Take the drive to Mtubatuba to the quaint Chane Cheese Farm, which conveniently doubles up as a lodge if you’re interested in staying over. If you are travelling with family, parents are free to spend some time on the mini-golf course while children enjoy the play area. 

We recommend going on the cheese tour to find out exactly how their variants are made, and sitting back at their restaurant afterward to enjoy a glass of wine with a cheese platter of your choice while taking in the panoramic views of the Zululand rolling greens. 

The beer culture does not end with uMqombothi, as this area opened the doors to its first brewery in 1997, called Zululand Brewery. Their flagship beer, the Zulu Blonde, has gained such popularity that it’s now available for purchase not only nationwide but throughout the UK and Europe. 

The brewery only uses natural ingredients mostly sourced from South Africa, and the brewery can be visited at the George Hotel in Eshowe. 

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