6 Best Restaurants in Swakopmund, Namibia

One of the in-house restaurants at the Strand Hotel, this genuine steak house has an inviting and lively atmosphere that will set you at ease at once. The steaks are A+ and the four craft beers from the in-house microbrewery pair well with a succulent piece of grilled game loin or a grilled Namibian Kapana experience, where the meat is grilled on an open fire, sliced, and sprinkled with traditional kapana spice. There are only a few vegetarian options. The outside fire pits are a great place to gather with friends for the beer tasting palette and a side of barbecue wings before dinner; you'll never tire of the view over the misty beaches of Swakopmund.

The palm-shaded terrace at this classic little café is a good place to take a break after perusing the curio market around the lighthouse. Watch the world go by while you savor scrumptious home-baked cakes and pastries, or enjoy a late afternoon tea with hazelnut triangles, custard-filled danishes, or croissants. Breakfast (buffet or à la carte style) is served until 11 am, and a small selection of light lunch options, like toasted sandwiches and soups, are served from 12 pm until 2 pm.

Full of old-world charm, the restaurant in this perfectly restored 1905 German colonial building looks out onto the manicured garden. This is the perfect place for that special-occasion dinner because the service is impeccable, the wine list excellent, and the menu is a broad selection of good, rich food such as venison steak and Namibian seafood delicacies. Whatever you do, make sure you start with the Kalahari cappuccino (a creamy soup made from Kalahari truffles) and end with the theatrical colonial coffee in the adjoining bar. It is on the pricey side, but certainly worth it.

This restaurant, situated right at the end of Swakopmund's famous Jetty 1905, is a cocoon of warmth where patrons can sip wine and eat oysters while watching the Atlantic Ocean heave around them. Seafood is the recommended food choice—try the crumbed Camembert starter or the finger-licking-good grilled prawns—but there are meat options as well. The glass walls and gentle swaying makes for exciting sensations.

Be on the safe side and make a reservation for dinner.

A Swakopmund institution, the Brauhaus is a typical German restaurant where the beer flows and the big wooden tables invite long sit-downs over hearty lunches and dinners. The German fare—schnitzel, bratwurst, and rosti (similar to a potato pancake)—is excellent, but if goulash and sauerkraut don't do it for you, there is a large selection of steaks and game meat, as well as seafood and even a few pasta and vegetarian options. A lively gathering place on Saturday afternoons, this is the place to mingle with the (mostly Germanic) locals. The service can sometimes be unpredictable.

It's all about location at the Tug, which, as its name suggests, is actually an old tugboat that has been raised up and moored next to the jetty. The restaurant is known for its fresh, locally sourced seafood—especially the local Walvis Bay oysters—which are some of the best in the world, but there are creative seafood alternatives like venison (oryx, springbok, kudu and zebra), though not many vegetarian meals. The outside deck is a coveted location for a summer sundowner and it's always bustling with visitors and locals; alternatively enjoy an after-dinner drink in the bar which feels like you're in the boat's bridge. Be aware of the menu pricing, as they charge extra for sides and sauces that should be included with the meal.

Try to reserve (at least a week in advance) a sea-view table so you can watch the ocean crashing just beneath you.