One of the best steakhouses, Char’d Grill & Bar

Dry aged and butchered in-house

Last updated: Wednesday, 7 January 2025 

You’ve never been to a steakhouse like this before. Char’d prepares and ages every single steak themselves, and while the dry age cuts may be the main event, it's the entire experience, with craft spirit tastings and steampunk waiters, that keep visitors coming back from across the province. 

You’ll find Char’d at the Hermanus Waterfront. Image: Char’d Grill & Wine Bar

CUTTING, PREPPING, AGEING IN-HOUSE    

Part steakhouse, part butchery, Char’d controls the preparation of every single cut with almost fanatic attention, and no part of the animal goes to waste. “We render the fat, use bones in sauces, and brush the steak with fat afterwards so it gives you a full beefy taste,” says owner Petri Hendriksz. 

At the onsite butchery, the beef is cut, coated in a smoked salt seasoning, then placed in a fridge where the cuts are dry-aged with Himalayan rock salt. The salt draws out moisture and enhances flavour, resulting in a tender steak with a fantastic crust when seared. 

Steaks are butchered and aged in-house, then seared over open flames. Image: Char’d Grill & Wine Bar

CUTS LIKE FLAT IRON, DENVER, CAVEMAN

Petri and his team tasted all breeds of beef to select their personal favourite: Angus Wagyu cross breed. Some of Petri’s recommended cuts are the flat iron (a steak from the shoulder bone with a metallic flavour), Denver (strong beefy flavour with nice marbling) and caveman rib (incredibly tender with rich layers of fat).

And for those who don’t like the strong taste of dry-aged steak (South Africans are used to wet-aged steaks, which don’t have as strong a flavour), Petri suggests the wet aged ribeye or sirloin as they’re both very tender with subtle flavours. 

No other steakhouse has this much variety in cuts. Image: Char’d Grill & Wine Bar

VISITORS COME FROM ACROSS THE PROVINCE

Steak may be the drawcard, but visitors make the journey again and again for the entire experience at Char’d. The restaurant has tequila, gin, and brandy tastings, and a steampunk theme, which just ups the theatrics. Expect exposed pipes, Edison bulbs, vintage pressure gauges, and waiters in leather aprons and mechanical goggles.

 “I will drive from Melkbos to Hermanus on a Saturday morning just to have that experience again,” says Gerrie Niemand, in a Google Review. It’s “so worth the drive from Caledon,” says Ricardo Burch (Google Reviews). 

Char’d also has an outdoor seating area and beer garden. Image: Char’d Grill & Wine Bar

OUR RECOMMENDATION IS… 

The meat appreciation platter, which is the best way to appreciate the different cuts with three steaks (usually two wet-aged and one dry), bone marrow, snails, garlic bread, mac and cheese balls, and onion rings.

There’s plenty on the menu that’s not steak, too, like blue cheese cauliflower and burgers. Char’d makes their own mince and the ratio of fat to beef is just right for a smoky, juicy burger.

The meat platter comes with bone marrow and three steaks. Image: Char’d Grill & Wine Bar

VISIT CHAR’D GRILL & BAR   

The next time you’re in the Overberg, consider a visit to Char’d. Or maybe make a day trip out of it, like Angela Kewney, who said in a Google Review that she “comes from Cape Town to visit as often as possible”. 

Char’d Grill is open: Monday to Saturday, 11:30 am - 10pm (kitchen closes 9:30pm)

Sunday, 11:30 am - 10pm (kitchen closes 9pm)

Find it: Hermanus Waterfront, Market Square Street, Hermanus

Contact on: 028 312 1986, @chardhermanus, Char’d website 

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EXPLORE IN CAPE TOWN & SURROUNDS 

See what else you can get up to in Hermanus. 

Eat sushi and ramen on the water’s edge at Milk on the Beach in Onrus. 

There’s so many things to do this weekend in Cape Town.

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