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RAFTERS RESTAURANT AT ARMAGH COUNTRY LODGE

A special ambience

Rafters Restaurant started back in 1996 as many of our guests at the Lodge, happily ensconced and comfortable, didn’t want to go any further in a quest to find good food. So we started Rafters to serve these guests and soon the word spread beyond our lodge and, as they say, the rest is history!

Quite understandably, many of our overseas guests, having experienced a sea of steak and chips, hoards of hamburgers and hot dogs in a hundred forms, deep fried everything and a plethora of plastic menus with pretty pictures, (not nice ones like ours!) began to assume that that this American, fast food style of restaurant offering this kind of fare represents South African cuisine.

Thus our decision to do what we know best and that was to create true, unpretentious South African dishes prepared by our chefs, all locals, who learnt their trade not in some fancy Culinary College but in their mother’s kitchens, learning the secrets of South African cooking from those who in turn, learnt it from their mums. Added to these skills, we have been fortunate in having fresh local supplies delivered daily to our door ensuring that only the best produce makes its way onto your plate. Top of the list of suppliers is Johan's mum who, at 90 years of age, still makes all our preserves and jams!

The result is that Rafters has evolved into a destination restaurant attracting diners from surrounding lodges, hotels, B&Bs and towns and Villages further afield. Our reputation has spread beyond the country’s borders and has received accolades from far and wide - we have been very fortunate.

We stock our wine cellar with wines personally chosen from the Robertson Wine Valley. Our waiters will help you with your choice of wine for the food you have chosen.

We want you to enjoy our very special ambience (lovely log fires in winter) good music, great service and, above all, true South African food prepared with love and the best ingredients we can find. Reserve your table now for a true South African experience.