Vegetarians beware: the Northern Cape is carnivore country and Tauren is one of the top spots in the province for a steak. The long-running basement restaurant exudes small-town charm – South African country music tends to play on the speakers, and the dimly-lit walls are dotted with pictures of the local landscape. There’s an element of the 1980s about this steakhouse – and not just in the vinyl booth-style décor – portions are huge, with the standard South African side dishes of creamed spinach and roasted butternut being edged off the plate by Flintstones-esque steaks weighing up to a kilo.
Whether you opt for a colossal steak, a burger or a pizza, all come with the option of a quintessential South African topping – think local figs, biltong, boerewors (a well-seasoned sausage) and Peppadews – a small, sweet pepper with just a hint of a kick to it. If you’re looking for something light, you’re probably in the wrong place, though there are a couple of salads on the menu, one or two fish dishes, and something for vegetarians.
Book ahead if you’re hoping to nab a table on a weekend evening – Tauren is one of the most popular places in town and fills up with locals on Fridays and Saturdays, alongside the usual trail of overnighters stopping over in Springbok as they travel between Cape Town and Namibia.
