International YouTubers and foodies are flocking to South Africa to explore its melting pot of cuisines. Here’s why SA’s food culture is having a global moment.
South Africa (12 February 2026) – There’s something happening on South African plates right now, and the world has noticed.
International food creators are landing in our cities with cameras in hand and appetites wide open. Mark Wiens has been here. Sorted Food recently toured the country. Instagram foodies across the globe are experimenting with biltong, crafting rooibos-infused desserts and attempting their own takes on South African classics.
And honestly? It’s about time.
“South Africa and the food celebrated there has been on our bucket list for a while! So when the South African Tourism challenged us to see how much we could explore in 3 different cities in a single day each… we snapped at the chance. Our first stop is Durban… with Zulu traditions, Indian inspired bunny chow and countless other curries plus Portuguese influenced piri-piri prawns.” – Sorted Food
That one quote captures it perfectly. South Africa isn’t a single cuisine. It’s a story of movement, migration and memory served on one table.
In Durban, Zulu heritage meets Indian spice in a way that feels both historic and fiercely alive. Bunny chow is not just a dish; it’s a symbol of adaptation and resilience.
Head to the Western Cape and you’ll find Cape Malay cuisine shaped by centuries-old trade routes, with fragrant curries, pickled fish and koeksisters.
In Joburg, you’ll find everything from shisa nyama spots humming on a Saturday afternoon to fine dining restaurants redefining African ingredients on global stages.
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And then there are the quiet icons. Biltong, once just a practical way to preserve meat, is now being taste-tested by international influencers as if it were a delicacy. Rooibos, brewed in kitchens for generations, is now folded into cheesecakes and macarons abroad. Pap and chakalaka, amagwinya, Gatsby sandwiches, milk tart, and boerewors rolls, all staples of meals done well.
What makes South Africa’s food culture so special is not just flavour. It’s context.
Our cuisine reflects indigenous knowledge, colonial history, forced migration, trade routes, apartheid-era survival and post-democracy creativity. Few countries can say their food tells such a layered story. Ours does, loudly and proudly.
And the storytellers are getting busy! Our very own foodie on the go, Nick Hamman, has been sharing his insights into the South African food scene and even taking international guests along with him, sharing the stories behind the food. The insights into why things are cooked the way they are, and unpacking the history behind the ingredients. It’s love, but through food.
There’s also something else. South Africans cook with heart. Whether it’s a street vendor serving kota from a corner stand or a chef plating up modern African tasting menus, there is generosity in the way we feed people.
Food here is community.
The global foodie spotlight feels less like a trend and more like recognition. For years, our chefs and home cooks have been building something extraordinary. Now the world is finally booking flights to taste it.
If this is our international foodie moment, we’re not just ready for it. We’ve been simmering for decades.
And judging by the way visitors are flocking here, they’re coming hungry.
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