Overview
- Durban’s 2025 food wave: brand-new kitchens with delicious food: beachfront ease meets bold, modern dining.
- Must-tries: Surf Riders Boulevard for ocean-view comfort plates; Perere by Gushima for glam Afro-fine dining; The Host perfect Indian classics.
- Game-changer hub: Westown Square (opened March 2025) adds a walkable dining scene with Joops Place, Kalamata Kouzina. and Elephant & Co.
- Perfect day plan: brunch at Surf Riders → long, stylish lunch at Perere → sunset cocktails at Elephant & Co → steak or Greek feast at Westown.
- Why it matters: these openings capture Durban now, casual, confident, and cosmopolitan, with real staying power, not gimmicks.
If you’re plotting a weekend of serious eating, start with these must-try spots that opened this year (or launched brand-new branches in 2025). I’ll tell you what to expect, what to order, and why each one deserves your appetite.
1) Surf Riders Boulevard, Umhlanga (Cabana Beach)
Surf Riders has been reborn on the Umhlanga beachfront. The team took over the old Cabana Beach site and gave it a full glow-up: floor-to-ceiling windows, a sleek cocktail bar, a private deck, and a stunning view. The Independent on Saturday flagged the move early this year, with the new venue opening in April. By July it was already the “smart addition” to the promenade that locals were bragging about. Grab a pizza, the calamari, or their messy, joyfully stacked burgers. It’s the kind of place where you wander in sandy and stay longer than planned. Their site now points visitors to both South Beach and the Cabana/Umhlanga setup.
2) Perere by Gushima, Oceans Mall (Umhlanga)
Perere offers fine-dining African flavours with a high-fashion gloss: big platters, polished service, music that warms the room. It’s set inside Oceans Mall and kicked off 2025 with a bang; the restaurant’s official account was already teasing the new space and menu in mid-January, and local event listings had Perere hosting Durban July pre-parties by winter. If you like your dinner with a little drama, smoke, flame, sparkle. this is your show. Book a booth, order the oxtail, share the prawns, and save your camera roll. The presentation’s part of the fun.
3) The Host Restaurant, Umhlanga Village
Some “new” places feel like they’ve been waiting for you. The Host, tucked on Lighthouse Road, does that. It’s modern, but the flavours go straight to memory: dosa crisp at the edges, a rogan josh that’s deep and clean, tandoori that tastes of real fire. Locals started whispering about it mid-year; early August reviews called it a “new Indian restaurant” and raved that it had only been open a week. A short video review from July said the same: brand-new, authentic, and already packed at lunch. Go with friends, order too much and enjoy!
4) Joops Place (Westown Square, Shongweni)
If you know Durban steak, you know Joops. In 2025, the institution opened a fresh chapter at Westown Square. It’s part of a new high-street-style development in Durban’s Outer West that debuted on 27 March. The tenant board lists Joops Place on Level 4, right next to its sister concept, Joitas. The vibe? Classic Joops confidence with a brand-new build. It’s where you go when only a dry-aged cut will do. Start with beef tartare or keep it simple: sirloin, ribeye, or a prime rib if you’re celebrating.
5) Kalamata Kouzina (Westown Square)
Same development, different mood. Kalamata brings a sunshine-Greek table to Westown: lemon, oregano, flame-kissed meats, generous salads, and that “please-sit-longer” hospitality. Westown’s official directory shows Kalamata on Level 4, with a smaller Little Kalamata inside The Barn for quick bites; perfect if you’re grazing your way through the market. If you’ve missed seaside-holiday plates, this scratches the itch without leaving Durban. Do the classics. Spanakopita. Grilled lamb. A pile of coal-fired veg with lemon and smoked salt. Simple things, done right.
6) Elephant & Co (The Barn, Westown)
Elephant & Co is all about swagger and comfort in the same breath: craft cocktails, an Afro-Asian menu, colours that pop. The brand’s official site lists a 2025 Westown branch, and the centre’s directory confirms it inside The Barn: the artisan-food heartbeat of the precinct. Come for a long, chatty lunch or a lazy cocktail run. Stay for dessert. If you’ love sharing plates, this is your playground. Order small, order often, pass the forks.
A quick note on Westown (why it matters)
Westown Square is the kind of project that changes weekend habits. It’s new. It’s designed for strolling, snacking, people-watching. And, crucially for us eaters, it opened on 27 March 2025 with a cluster of fresh restaurants. Some homegrown and some expansions that give Durban a different axis beyond the beach. The developer and local media trailed the March launch for months; now the directories are live, the kitchens are trading, and the Outer West has a dining scene with momentum.
So, if you’re planning one of those “eat your way through the city” weekends, do one day on the water (Umhlanga promenade for Surf Riders and a sundowner), then one day inland at Westown. Start with Kalamata or Joops, and wind down at Elephant & Co. It’s a nice balance: sea air, then hill breeze.
How to stitch it into one delicious day
- Morning: Coffee somewhere light, then a coastal walk. If you’re already in Umhlanga, you’re practically at Surf Riders’ door. Slide in for a late breakfast pizza or go classic with eggs and bacon and that ocean view.
- Afternoon: Head to Oceans Mall for Perere. Book ahead. Let lunch run into late afternoon. It’s a mood.
- Evening: Uber to Westown Square. Start at Elephant & Co for a cocktail, then a proper sit-down at Joops Place or Kalamata. If you’re not done yet, loop back for something sweet at The Barn.
Why these belong on your must-try list
They’re new but not gimmicks. Surf Riders brought an established Durban favourite to a reimagined Umhlanga site. Perere dialled up African fine dining and made it look effortless. The Host took a beloved cuisine and served it with craft and care. And Westown changed the map, giving locals and visitors a walkable food hub with variety and style. It’s a proper 2025 snapshot of Durban: beach-casual, cosmopolitan, and confident.
