About Galjoen

Galjoen is a South African sustainably-sourced seafood restaurant.
We serve a tasting menu where we showcase the beautiful seafood our country has on offer.

What makes us sustainable? Sustainability can mean different things to different people. Our approach is to serve only what is responsibly caught locally. If it’s not from South Africa, it’s not going on the menu.

We take cognisance of the SASSI list and work with local suppliers to support sustainable small-scale fishing communities.

We are also very conscious of waste. Because we serve a set tasting menu – and work on reservations only – we all but eliminate wastage. We know exactly how many portions of fish we will need on any given night.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of South African fish? The iconic KZN sardine run? Perhaps the much-sought-after Cape salmon (or geelbek)? Maybe our fast-swimming snoek and their sharp teeth? As it turns out, South Africa’s national fish is the humble galjoen.

We couldn’t help being drawn to the galjoen. They are adaptable, being able to change their colour to blend into their environment. They are tough, able to swim in rough seas and handle numerous collisions with the rocky shores. We cannot but admire these characteristics.

Our philosophy is to keep it local, but we also feel that small scale is the way to go. We feel that by serving only a handful of guests we can really focus on every element on the plate and make it as tasty as possible. Having a set menu also means we can plan perfectly and serve our food as fresh as possible.

Galjoen is a semi-industrial space that might make you feel that you are sitting in a harbour. With just a hint of that 80s seafood restaurant décor that we grew up with.