From sunset cocktails on the beachfront to long lunches in the village, Umhlanga punches well above its weight in the dining department.
For a town of its size, Umhlanga has an extraordinary concentration of good restaurants. The village strip - McCausland Crescent and Chartwell Drive - is lined with options that would hold their own in any major city, and the beachfront adds a layer of atmosphere that no amount of interior design can replicate.
The Village Strip
Umhlanga Village is compact enough to walk end to end in ten minutes - which makes it easy to stroll and see what takes your fancy. The anchor restaurants here have been fixtures for decades: Ile Maurice does Mauritian seafood with an elegance that has made it one of the most consistently booked restaurants in KwaZulu-Natal. Chez Nous brings a European bistro sensibility to the South African coast. La Bella is the choice for long, convivial Italian dinners that stretch into the night.
Beachfront and Sunset Drinks
The Umhlanga beachfront is not as built up as some resort towns - which is a good thing. The Breakers Resort has a bar with an open deck facing the ocean, and the sunsets here in winter are extraordinary. For more casual drinks, the kiosks along the promenade do cold drinks and beer in an atmosphere that needs no embellishment.
Breakfast
Breakfast in Umhlanga is a ritual taken seriously. Remo's on Chartwell Drive is the long-standing favourite - arrive early on weekends or expect a wait. The more recently arrived Café de la Plage pitches slightly more formally but does excellent eggs. If you are self-catering, the Woolworths Food at the Chartwell Centre does a remarkable selection of prepared breakfast foods and fresh pastries.
Make dinner reservations, particularly for Friday and Saturday evenings in peak season. Even mid-sized restaurants fill up quickly, and Umhlanga has limited walk-in capacity at the popular spots.
Seafood
You are on the Indian Ocean - eat seafood. The crayfish (spiny lobster) is caught locally when in season. Grilled linefish - kingklip, yellowtail, dorado - is ubiquitous and excellent. For the full seafood experience, Ile Maurice does a magnificent plateau de fruits de mer that is worth planning an evening around.
Self-Catering
One of the great advantages of staying in a self-catering apartment is being able to braai. Almost all our properties have braai facilities, and the combination of fresh seafood from the local fish shops with a coastal evening breeze and a good South African red is hard to beat. The Chartwell Centre Pick n Pay and the Village's deli options make provisioning easy.