Flamingo - Restaurant Reviews - Food in Namibia’s lodges
What are we going to eat? Aside from “Where are we going to stay?” this is one of the oft-asked questions by travellers. Namibia’s city restaurants are known for their fresh seafood, game dishes, seasonal specialities such as asparagus and truffles, and traditional German dishes. There are often extensive menus and there is even some pasta here and there.
But, what about the lodges and camps? What will you eat in remote Namibia, far away from a restaurant? Most lodges in Namibia offer guests either a fixed menu with one or two choices or a buffet, but the range and style are different, depending on the location.
Luxury accommodation, for instance at Wolwedans, offers a white tablecloth service and long wine lists, even in the bush. At Fish River Canyon, the cook at Cañon Roadhouse produces tagliatelli and at the Cañon Lodge nearby there is a genius who makes a passable mozzarella. At Okonjima, the villas come with a private chef, some having trained at culinary institutes abroad. At Onguma Plains Camp, dinner is served on an elegant terrace, while at Okahirongo, Italian favourites are served in a dining room with a spectacular view (instead of a wall).
Often, lunch is in the bush. Creative hosts think of ways to make the midday meal a memorable part of a day spent elephant or rhino tracking, travelling long distances on game drives, or exploring unusual landscapes. At Susuwe in Caprivi the lunch can be served on a platform high up in the trees one day and somewhere completely different the next. During a recent pre-lunch cruise to see hippos, the boat turned a bend in a secluded back channel of the river to unveil a surprise – a minuscule sand island was set up as a fabulously remote dining room, with umbrella-ed table, flowers and a full staff to serve a four-course picnic menu. At Wolwedans guests arrive at a gigantic rock in the middle of nowhere, where lunch is waiting in the coolness of a hidden cave.
At Damaraland Camp, as in many other spots, the guests gather in the reception area for drinks before dinner. The staff assembles and begins to sing, leading the visitors through the darkness to an outdoor dining room, where dinner is served under the stars. At some lodges dinner is announced with drumbeats resounding through the bush.
Sossusvlei Lodge offers what may be Namibia’s biggest buffet, although Twyfelfontein Lodge isn’t far behind. The Windhoek Country Club Resort offers both a multi-station buffet and a menu. The lodges managed by Namibian Wildlife Resorts in Etosha have extensive buffets, while food is ordered from a menu at Waterberg and Sossus Dune Camp.
But, what exactly is on offer in Namibian lodges? Well, you won’t starve. At lunch and dinner, there is always meat, usually beef or chicken and/or game, such as grilled or stewed kudu, gemsbok or springbok (vegetarians are happily accommodated). Usually there are several fresh vegetables, salad, potatoes and perhaps some mealiepap, a kind of polenta served as a side dish to meat. Some lodges offer seafood, depending on their distance from the coast and refrigerated transport possibilities, which can include ferrying by small plane. There will be cold or hot soups, antipasti, fruits, and always a choice of traditional Southern African desserts, such as malva pudding. The bread is often home-made, German style. For those with dietary restrictions, it’s important to notify the lodges in advance so they may prepare – sometimes very remote locations receive shipments of food only once per week.
Breakfast in Namibian lodges reflects the country’s multi-cultural heritage. There will be cold sliced meats and cheeses, cereals, sweet breads, yoghurt, toast with butter and jam, and the possibility of eggs and bacon, along with coffee, tea, milk and juices.
Lodges always offer a mid-morning snack, usually in the bush, and an afternoon refreshment before a game drive or other activity, consisting of coffee or tea and something sweet. There will be drinks offered before dinner, usually including wine, beer and other alcohol, as well as soft drinks. At some lodges, alcoholic beverages are billed to the guest à la carte, while at others all beverages are included in the room rate. Cocktails may be served on a boat in the Kunene River, on a giant boulder at Mowani, or overlooking the waterhole near Etosha. As we said, you won’t starve.
