Where to eat when in Paternoster, South Africa’s West Coast paradise? I love Paternoster and come there already since 2011, a few times a year! It is thé beach place for me, together with Plettenberg Bay (Garden Route), to relax, read, eat, drink and repeat. I have two big favourites where we always plan a lunch or dinner when in Paternoster: Noisy Oyster (prefer it for dinner) and Gaaitjie (which I prefer for lunch). Today I will show you more about my two favourite restaurants in ‘my’ Paternoster.

Noisy Oyster. Such a fun place, atmosphere, vibe; as you enter Paternoster on your left.
Oysters at noisy oyster. With lemon, Tabasco and Mignonette.
Pan roasted fresh Jakopewer (aka black belly rosefish) fillet with potato bacon, leek and carrot smoor. Baby calamari wok tossed tubes and tentacles with bruised olive and chorizo and tzatziki. Photo is terribly dark I’m sorry – but this dish was great.
Forgot what it was, but it was beautiful and very tasty! I think it probably was the vegetarian tomato, basil and cheese dish.
Paternoster’s nature.
Hake and kingklip croquettes with Thai yellow curry sauce. YUMMY!
Sorry for the dark photos, but this dish…. Black pudding & roasted apple with cider and honey vinaigrette… We ordered it two times because it was so so good (and because were arguing about the laste bite…)
The flame grilled Charmer sirloin with potato wedges and Madagascan pepper sauce wasn’t our favourite… The meat was still cold inside (but too dark on the outside) and not as tender as it should. The pepper sauce was such a disappointment,…. Very ‘heavy’ and not like a real pepper sauce must taste… The wedges were not crisp…. No, the meat main was a but of a no-go. We didn’t like it. But the rest, especially all the seafood (AND THE BLACK PUDDING DISH), was amazing and therefore we are forgivable. We have been to Noisy Oyster many times and overall it always is good and fun.
The dessert was awesome: Malva Pudding (typical South African) with ice cream. Simple but one of my favourite afterglow food.
How cosy and warm is noisy oyster in the evening? I love it!

The next day we woke up like this, almost right at the beach, as we stayed here. What a cute little cottage 2 minutes from the beach.
We walked and walked and walked….
….to arrive at Gaaitjie Salt Water restaurant just in time for lunch. One cannot leave Paternoster before lunch at Gaaitjie.
I like the way they set up their lunch tables.
With this view….
Beach, sea, food, wine, good company = a very happy Auk
Give me some Thai-style mussels and you even make me happier than I was already.
I think this was a terrine/paté, but I forgot a bit what it exactly was…
The pot braai bread is a typical South African bread, very tasty and in a round ‘pot’ shape. This was served with delicious homemade olive tapenade and farm style butter.
When it’s crayfish (West Coast lobster) season, November to April, in Paternoster, one hast to eat crayfish… I like it with just plain grilled from the braai, with a good mayonnaise and salad….
Baby chicken to share after we both had the crayfish…
Bye Gaaitjie, until next time!

The Facts

Noisy Oyster is open Wednesday until Saturday for both lunch and dinner. Sunday they are open for lunch.
Monday – Tuesday they are closed. You’ll find Noisy Oyster when you enter Paternoster, on the first intersection turn left, and then on the left (the little square) is Noisy Oyster. Parking just in front of the restaurant, or opposite.
More information about this fun place can be found here. Booking recommended.

Gaaitjie salt water restaurant is open Thursday – Monday for lunch and dinner. They are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Click here for road directions.
More information can be found here. Booking recommended.

Not to forget

Another must-visit for fantastic food (and stay) is Ah! Guest House. Owners Arnold and Annalise cook like (or maybe they just áre) as good as top chefs, and I love their living room dinners. A few times a week they host a chef’s table in the cosy kitchen of their Guest House, where guests who stay in their beautiful, stylish guest house (and IF there is space guests from outside too) can enjoy the flavours and local ingredients of the West Coast. A dinner at Arnold and Annalise’s Ah! Guest House is an experience on its own which I highly recommend. They are the sweetest people you can imagine and their food is outstanding. If yo have the chance, stay for the night as the breakfast in the morning is a little feast too.

*Note: I have not been asked, invited or paid to write about my ‘foodie heaven’ experience in the cute fisherman’s village of Paternoster. It was my own idea. All images (although some of them are too dark!) are mine and made with either a Canon EOS M camera, or an iPhone 6s. 

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