Husband and wife team Andre and Cheryl Nel have been developing a distinctive dining experience for their guests since opening The Hat & Creek restaurant in Hoedspruit.

It offers elegant dining and superb meals complemented by the wine menu. The menu boasts culinary grill and seafood delights prepared with local ingredients and the freshest seasonal flavours.

Just across the road from The Hat & Creek, Italian couple Luca Properzi and Erika Taverna established Cala la Pasta. The menu includes delicious pizzas and lots of authentic pasta dishes. Every meal at this Italian restaurant is freshly prepared, from the handmade tagliatelle and pizza bases to the subtle sauces.

Hoedspruit wouldn’t be Hoedspruit without Sleepers restaurant, located along the railway tracks at the town’s old station. Sleepers is known for its peri-peri sauce, gourmet burgers, pizzas and grills.

This beautifully renovated restaurant housed in the old station building portrays an old world charm lingering with antique pots, copper ornaments and laid-back atmosphere. A charming venue that invites relaxation, a good selection of South African cuisine and complimenting wine list. Sleepers Restaurant is the perfect place to chill out and enjoy the authentic station setting.

The Fig & Bean Cafe is about home cooked food made fresh everyday, with the ingredients sourced from in and around the Lowveld. Free World Coffee & freshly pressed juices.

On the R40 towards White River, approximately 4km out of town is an incredible culinary experience and open air restaurant called “Cooked The Kitchen on R40”, now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, cooked offers all things new on their ever changing menu, expect food items such as homemade charcoal tagliatelle, a selection of cheeses and preserves and almond praline semi fredo.

A mere 4.8km out of town on your way to Phalaborwa on the R40, surrounded by the thick bush is the new and up and coming Thirsty Giraffe Pub and Grill, walk up the stairs and have a nice cold one and meal while the kids enjoy the farm animals surrounding the restaurant.