Tony's Travel Tips

This little jewel hidden away within the very busy Durban Harbour is my absolute favourite stop when down in Durbs.

Wilson’s Wharf is situated on a boating marina with working slipways, tucked in next to the yacht club. A decent selection of restaurants, a craft market, shops and even a theatre are what can be found here.

What I really like about this place is that even though they attract their fair share of tourists, it is not a ‘tourist trap’ by any means. A lot of the local Durbanites go there for lunch, dinner or a few drinks on a regular basis. The best part of the day for me to sit and enjoy a few glasses of wine and something fishy is late afternoon and over sunset.

I have not been to all the restaurants there yet, so I will only mention the ones that I normally frequent:

The Pirates Arms serve the best fish and chips, UK style, in SA as far as Tony’s palate is concerned. Very generous, fresh portions are always on offer. This is by no means all they serve, the menu is varied but I seem to always choose either the hake and chips or the eisbein… Although the service is good, they take extra care when preparing your meal so the wait is often a bit longer than one may be used to. This allows one to first soak up the atmosphere and imbibe a few drinks before eating, the way it should be done... I also give them top awards for the best themed restaurant on the Wharf, filled with odds and ends from the seafarer’s trade.

The Oyster Bar is my absolute favourite – it boasts the best view for one thing. There is a counter all round the outside of this little restaurant where one can sit and enjoy the view, as well as a deck area. The menu offers a decent range of fresh oysters, mussel dishes and sushi. The wine list will also not be found wanting, a lot of thought has gone into offering the perfect selection of wines and champagnes to accompany the setting and menu. Waitresses like Tsidi deliver perfect service coupled with a smile.

I enjoy the view most over sunset, when the working harbour’s skyline slowly transforms into a fairy tale playground because of the lights on all the cranes. A very romantic setting! Take your partner, order a bottle of wine and bulk up on some oysters – the rest will be history…

Charlie Crofts A little more up market, this is also one of the bigger venues on the wharf. Many a pleasurable afternoon has been spent there over a few bottles of wine. They often have live entertainment so this one is a must if you like to listen to a bit of live jazz while enjoying a good meal.

When in Durban, if left with only one choice of where to go for a few hours I will always pick Wilson’s Wharf – a definite ‘must go.’

For more info, visit the website: http://www.wilsonswharf.co.za/