Havana Grill

Havana Grill opened in 2003 at the Suncoast complex on Durban's Golden Mile and has become one of the city's best-known places for a steak with a sea view. It describes itself as a seafood and grill room, and its position overlooking Suncoast Beach, at the northern end of the central beachfront, gives diners a view across the sand to the Indian Ocean that few Durban restaurants can match.

Beef is the speciality. The restaurant uses South African grain-fed beef, aged for at least 21 days before it reaches the grill, and the menu offers a range of cuts for those who want to compare. Seafood gets equal billing on a menu designed around the grill, so it works well for groups with different tastes. The wine list concentrates on South African producers, and true to the name, cigars imported from Cuba are on offer for those who want to end the evening in style. Set menus are available for groups and functions.

The restaurant suits couples, business diners and groups celebrating an occasion, and it is a good choice for visitors staying in the beachfront hotels who want a smart dinner without travelling far. Prices are in the upper-middle range for Durban. The evening atmosphere is relaxed but polished, and the restaurant sees itself as one of the classic dining options of the Greater Durban area, a reputation built over more than two decades on the same site.

Book ahead for dinner, especially on Fridays and Saturdays and during the summer holidays, and ask for a table with a sea view. Reservations can be made through the restaurant's website. Lunch is a good alternative if you want to see the beach in daylight. Allow around two hours for a relaxed meal.

Suncoast is a casino and entertainment complex with several other restaurants and a private beach area with green lawns, so it is easy to combine dinner with a stroll. The Golden Mile promenade runs right past it, linking Suncoast with Moses Mabhida Stadium and the central beaches, and the beachfront hotels are within walking distance or a short ride-hailing trip. As elsewhere on the beachfront, use a ride-hailing car rather than walking long distances after dark.