Balinese pork belly, plated

Dining

Fresh local ingredients,
oriental inspiration

Our menu changes daily, with each evening offering a five-course journey inspired by a different country. Flavours range from Thailand, Indonesia and Bali to Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Myanmar and, closer to home, South Africa.

Dinner and breakfast are included with every stay.

Fusion dining

A different country every evening

Each dinner is devoted to a single country rather than blending cuisines together, so a week-long stay takes you somewhere different every evening.

Every menu is built around fresh local produce, complemented by carefully sourced imported spices that keep the flavours true to their origins.

We are happy to accommodate allergies and dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal preferences.

Simply let us know when you book, and our kitchen will tailor the menu accordingly.

Balinese vegetable spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce
Balinese vegetable spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce
Thai fish cakes with ginger sweet chilli sauce
Thai fish cakes with ginger sweet chilli sauce
Balinese chicken satay with peanut sauce
Balinese chicken satay with peanut sauce
Tandoori chicken skewers and samosas
Tandoori chicken skewers and samosas
Selection of venison carpaccio
Selection of venison carpaccio
Thai green papaya salad
Thai green papaya salad
Halloumi and avocado salad
Halloumi and avocado salad
Tom Yum soup
Tom Yum soup
Butternut soup
Butternut soup
Balinese pork belly with seasonal vegetables
Balinese pork belly with seasonal vegetables
Prawns in Thai red curry with jasmine and wild rice
Prawns in Thai red curry with jasmine and wild rice
Line fish thermidor with seasonal vegetables
Line fish thermidor with seasonal vegetables
Springbok shank with polenta and vegetables
Springbok shank with polenta and vegetables
Thai tea crème brûlée with coconut ice cream
Thai tea crème brûlée with coconut ice cream
Lemongrass panna cotta with lime mousse
Lemongrass panna cotta with lime mousse

Intimate restaurant

Above the valley, under the stars

The restaurant sits high on the property, with the Sabie Valley opening out below. Dine inside among Balinese carvings and soft lantern light, or outside on the balcony beneath the stars.

With only five villas, the restaurant seats very few guests. Most evenings, it is just you, a handful of others, and the sounds of the valley below.

The dining room, with carved screens, lantern light and a stone relief wall Tables set on the terrace at night under strung lights A table laid for two on the terrace, with candlelit statues either side The carved entrance doors to the restaurant, flanked by stone guardian figures

The bar

Sundowners and nightcaps

The bar at The Zarafa is there for whatever the evening calls for. A cold local or imported beer after a day out, a proper cocktail before dinner, a good whisky afterwards, or a bottle of wine that somehow lasts longer than planned.

Our wines come from Diemersdal, with a broad selection of white, red and sparkling wines chosen to work beautifully with our food and with the warm Lowveld climate.

Have a cocktail beside your private pool, open something sparkling at sunset, or settle in with a nightcap after dinner. There is no dress code, no last orders and no need to be anywhere else.

In-villa dining

Dinner without leaving the gate

Any meal can also be served in the privacy of your villa, whether in the gazebo beside your pool or indoors by the fire.

Breakfast and dinner in your own space become part of the experience itself, and often some of the moments guests remember most.

Romantic private dining

Impeccably designed moments of romance

Nothing speaks romance quite like an intimate dinner for two, especially when “two” truly means just the two of you.

Our romantic private dining experience is designed for celebrations, anniversaries, proposals, or simply surprising someone with an evening that feels entirely their own.

Dinner is served in a secluded part of the garden, beneath fairy lights and flickering lanterns, with candles, flowers and music creating the setting. Every detail can be tailored to suit the occasion and your own style.

The evening centres around a beautifully presented five-course menu, served slowly and privately, with our team taking care of everything around you.

Whether you are celebrating something important or simply making an ordinary evening memorable, the experience is personal, intimate and unmistakably Zarafa.

BookingPre-booking essential
SettingPrivate area of our garden

Good to know

Before you sit down

  • Dinner and breakfast are included, in the restaurant or in your villa
  • Five courses, and they are not small
  • The menu changes daily, a different country each evening
  • Allergies and dietary requirements gladly accommodated, with notice
  • Romantic private dining and Thai BBQ must be pre-booked
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