Café La Mare — Restaurant in Eastern Cape

Spent my birthday at Lamare, and it was nothing short of magical. The space is a masterpiece in itself—modern, sleek, and effortlessly artistic. There’s an undeniable elegance in the design, but it’s not the kind that whispers; it carries an edge, a sense of bold creativity that makes the entire atmosphere feel alive and inspired. It’s the kind of place where every detail feels intentional, where sophistication meets soul.

The infinity pool adds a dreamy, tranquil energy to the space—serene and stunning, though reserved for residents and AirBnB guests only, it lends a visual centerpiece that elevates the whole setting.

Gregory, the manager, along with his front-of-house team, brings a personal, warm touch to the experience. You’re not just another table; you’re a guest—seen, valued, and welcomed with genuine care.

Now, the food. Absolute showstoppers. The salmon was cooked with precision—crisped to perfection, delicate, and full of flavor. Every bite felt like a well-composed piece of art. The braised short rib? Melts like butter, rich and decadent without being heavy. And the cheesecake—honestly, it ruined all other cheesecakes for me. It’s that good. Creamy, balanced, unforgettable.

Lamare is the perfect blend of chic and chill. If you’re looking for a place that feels high-end but never pretentious, beautiful but never boring, calm yet creatively electric—Lamare is your go-to. A sensory experience from...

Went to Café Le Mare yesterday and the only proper thing about this restaurant or café rather is the aesthetics.

-making a reservation is pointless (I booked a table for 16:30pm for 3 ladies and when I got there I was told its full and had to wait for people to eventually leave their table.) -The service is super slow (The waiter said they're understaffed) -they serve cocktails in shot glasses instead of cocktail glasses (we had to turn back the glasses because how do they expect us to have Margarita's in shot glasses?) -lets speak about the food, it took them roughly 30minutes to an hour to prepare the food, secondly the Pizza was extremely bitter and was unbearable to finish, it just so happens that the chef added blue cheese where he wasn't supposed to. I've never seen a restaurant get pizza wrong but they did. -The chef's attitude was the worst thing, instead of actually owning up to the mistake he becomes defensive and condescending that we're not used to blue cheese and we should order what we know next time. -the owners are extremely pleasant and dealt with the situation very well although the chef never came back to apologise. The owner owned up to the mistake and made reservation that we don't pay for the pizza.

Out of 10? I would rate it a 1 because of the pleasant owners outside of that, its not a café or restaurant I...

Let me start with a disclaimer that I’m not in anyway associated or an employee of Cafe La Mare. I have not been financially rewarded or induced to write this review. I write the review as a genuinely highly satisfied customer who understands and appreciates good food and services

This restaurant ranks highly and comparable with some of the best restaurants in many countries I have visited. It’s conveniently located within the Bella Mare Estate, Summerstrand, Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), South Africa where I stayed with my family for six (6) weeks.

During this time we dined in at the Cafe La Mare at least once a day but mostly twice a day and never did we have a bad meal. The food was excellent and of Michelin Star rated quality. The service and staff were excellent and they went above and beyond to ensure a fine and memorable dining experience. The well trained Chefs are some of the best in South Africa if not the best .

We had intended on dining in at the many restaurants in PE but ended up only dining in at the Cafe La Mare because of the excellent food and service.

A special mention and thanks to the owner of this wonderful restaurant Ricky Friedman and all his staff especially the restaurant...