Zemara Restaurant Guest House

I've been eating at Zemara Restaurant for eight years and plan to keep coming back. The African food is consistently good, with quality cooking and service. It's family-owned, and everyone is made to feel welcome.

I first went to Zemara for wine and conversation, and both were just what I hoped for. Jackie, the owner, was a gracious host. It was such a relaxing visit that I came back the next day for more banter and laughs.

Our French class comes here once each semester to celebrate the end, and they set up a long table and put up with all our noise and games. The owner and waiters are accommodating, and the fireplace makes winter feel less harsh. The cosy place is a welcome surprise in the city. There are some interesting dishes on the menu, and I really enjoyed the peanut sauce chicken. Some food is a little pricey, like R50 for a small plate of plantain bananas, though most portions make the price feel fair. I recommend ordering together and sharing the unfamiliar dishes around the table.

This place felt welcoming only if you already knew someone who went there regularly. Otherwise, I felt like an outsider. In the middle of winter, they flatly refused to light the fireplace, even though the firewood stack was just outside the restaurant door. The waitress told me there was no firewood, which wasn't true. The waitresses spoke French, and I felt you were only welcome if you did too. They barely gave us time to order. I'd been there twice with my family from the DRC, and I'm glad they were with me, because it could have been worse. One waitress brought water around the table for everyone to wash their hands and deliberately skipped me. Someone at our table had to call her back. So disappointing.