Butcher Boys Grill Morningside

Butcher Boys Grill opened on Florida Road in Morningside in 1999 and bills itself as Durban's original steakhouse. It has since grown into a small group with branches in Umhlanga and Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal coast and in Meyersdal and Kyalami Hills in Gauteng, but the Florida Road restaurant is where it began. It was recently taken over by new owners and management, who describe it as a comfortable, familiar place for everyday meals as well as celebrations.

Steak is the reason to come. The group describes its steaks as award-winning, and the menu covers a range of cuts from the grill, with other dishes for those who prefer chicken, seafood or something lighter. Wines from the restaurant's cellar are offered to pair with your meal. Weekly themed evenings change the mood through the week: across the group these include Great Rack 'n Wings on Wednesdays, the Great Steak Club on Thursdays and the Nyama Indaba and Great Date evenings on Tuesdays, so check the restaurant's specials page to see what is on at the Morningside branch when you plan to visit.

The restaurant suits couples, groups of friends, business diners and families with older children who enjoy a big meal. Prices sit in the mid-to-upper range for Durban, and a weekday lunch menu, served from 11:30 to 15:30 on Monday to Friday, is a more economical way to try it. Private events, such as dinner parties, corporate functions and wine-pairing evenings, can be arranged by contacting the restaurant.

Butcher Boys is open every day from 11:30, closing at 21:00 on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays and at 22:00 from Wednesday to Saturday, and public holidays follow the shorter hours. Bookings are taken online through the Dineplan reservation system and by phone. Reserve a table for Friday and Saturday evenings, when Florida Road is at its busiest.

Florida Road is Morningside's main eating and drinking street, so it is easy to start with a drink at a nearby bar or finish with dessert or a nightcap elsewhere on the strip. Use a ride-hailing app to get there and back, especially at night. Mitchell Park and Moses Mabhida Stadium are a short drive away, and the beachfront hotels are a short taxi ride away.