Quaysyde –  Sea Glades Drive Bridge, St Francis Bay

Kirsten Doyle

Out of all the restaurants in St Francis, Quaysyde has one of the nicest situations. It is very spacious, and right on the canals, so being there immediately makes me feel like I am on holiday. It’s fantastic to chill on the beanbags on the lower level, or enjoy a meal above at a table. There is plenty of running around space for kids too.

They also run amazing specials. Think all you can eat ribs (and they are delicious) for R125, or all you can eat prawns and ribs for R145. Two for one burgers on a Monday, and the same for pizzas on a Tuesday. Happy hour from Wednesday offers a two for one between 5pm and 6pm. There are also plenty of really good specials on the weekends – which are usually really fun and festive.

The food isn’t fancy, but good. I love the pizzas with their thin, crispy bases, and Quaysyde makes probably the best vegetarian pizza I’ve ever had. The others are fantastic too. There are a range of nibbles – the haloumi and bacon rolls are amazing, and the chicken livers pretty good too. The burgers are nice and juicy and the fish is delicious.

For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll find the old favourites – ice cream and chocolate sauce, malva pudding, apple pie and Don Pedros.

The service is excellent. The staff are welcoming and friendly, and the place appears to run like a well-oiled machine.

RATING: 4.3 / 5

ATMOSPHERE: Lovely and relaxing, great fun when there’s a band on the weekend. There’s also many sporting events that happen from Quaysyde, which gives the place a nice bustle.
SOUND LEVEL: Conversation level, no loud music, except when there’s a band.
RECOMMENDED DISHES: The pizzas and ribs are my go-to choices.
DRINKS: They offer the expected range of soft drinks, including milkshake and floats, as well as a full range alcoholic beverages. The only thing missing – and I can’t think of a better setting to offer these – is cocktails.
PRICE RANGE: Very reasonable, R50 to R75 for breakfasts, R70 to R110 for main meals, and the portions are more than generous.

HOURS: Open daily from 8am to 10pm.
RESERVATIONS: Unnecessary for small groups, but be sure to book in advance for weekend specials, and definitely in season.
CREDIT CARDS: All major

WHAT THE STARS MEAN: Ratings range from zero to five stars and reflect the reviewer’s opinion on the food, ambience and service, with pricing taken into consideration.

NOTE: This review was witten a month ago so specials may have changed.