Locals and tourists alike know about our proudly South African biltong, bunny chows, boerewors, and braais, but there are some lesser-known peculiarities that you may not be aware are pretty much exclusive to us.
1. Avocado on pizza
While obviously not traditionally Italian, the combination of creamy and cold, fresh avo with hot, cheesy, tomatoey goodness is a winner – especially in union with bacon and feta. It’s a classic, right?
Well, try adding sliced avocado to your order at a pizzeria abroad, and you may find you get some funny looks. – Caitlin Kennedy
On the topic, South Africans also seem to have a strong resistance to the Neapolitan-style pizza shift that is happening all over the globe. While we have some converts, and a scattering of excellent Neapolitan pizzerias around the country, many South African stalwarts stubbornly prefer the extra thin, extra crispy base which was our only option until recent years.
The combination of creamy, cold avo with hot, cheesy, tomatoey goodness is a winner
2. Salmon roses
Most sushi spots around the country offer some form of salmon rose: thinly sliced fresh salmon wrapped around a ball of sushi rice, topped with a generous squeeze of Kewpie mayo. Some restaurants might enhance the basic formula with thinly sliced avocado and tobiko (flying fish roe). But this ubiquitous, and delicious, menu item is rarely found outside South Africa. It is basically nigiri in a different shape – sometimes called Sakura or Spring Nigiri in Japan – and would be served only for the short period when the cherry blossoms are blooming. However, it’s still not really traditional, and would be a rarity to find on Japanese menus or elsewhere in the world.
The ubiquitous, and delicious, salmon rose is rarely found outside South Africa. – Caitlin Kennedy
3. Gem squash
I grew up eating gem squash at least once a week at home, almost always steamed and filled to the brim with peas with a big dollop of salty butter melting on top. Whether you prefer baby gems with soft skins or the hard-shelled varieties with creamy, golden flesh, gem squash are a staple in many South African homes, and can be found almost year-round in supermarkets. Sad to say for the rest of the world, but they are almost impossible to find in other countries.
I know of more than one ex-pat who was surprised to find that they were craving this humble vegetable. – Caitlin Kennedy
Gem squash is a staple at family dinner tables around South Africa
4. Extremely early restaurant bookings
All the other local quirks I am rather fond of, but this last one, less so. For South Africans, any booking after 7 pm is considered a bit late – especially in winter.
Our poor restaurants experience a mad rush between 7 – 8 pm, and nothing before or after. – Caitlin Kennedy
Mediterranean countries are loved for their aperitivi and late-night dining scenes alike. America has a thriving happy hour culture, where well-priced drinks and snacks are consumed en masse before diners move on to the main event. South Africa, however, hasn’t really caught on to the idea of extended dining hours.
I would love it if we learned from the rest of the world on this one, and normalised indulgently long and lazy food appreciation!
This was so interesting to read — thank you, Caitlin!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this read, Danielle! We know we’d miss all these things if we found ourselves living abroad.