The best-kept seaside secret, just off Hermanus

Milk on the Beach is a refined beach bar for long days and lazy dinners

Last updated: Thursday, 22 January 2026

Milk on the Beach’s surroundings don't just serve as a pretty backdrop; they’re part of the Milk experience. Built into the riverbed and overlooking the blue flag Onrus Beach and nature conservation area, the eatery, with a laidback Waffle Shack downstairs, draws families for long beach days and lazy lunches. Day unfolds into evening at Milk as people wander from beach to eatery.

You simply can’t visit Onrus without making a stop at Milk on the Beach. Image: Milk on the Beach

BEACH, LAGOON & MOUNTAIN VIEWS 

Since Milk sits on the lagoon, the view is spectacularly charming. A deck stretches wide toward the water, offering both open-air seating and sheltered sections that cut the wind without blocking the horizon. 

Wood floors and slatted ceilings add warmth while wicker lamps soften the space as the day draws. No matter where you sit, you can see the surrounding mountains, Onrus Beach and the lagoon. 

Inside, the interiors are simple, paired with playful Frenchie and pug portraits. Dogs are very much part of the scene too, with a bowl of treats waiting for them at the entrance.


The wooden deck for outdoor dining is perched on the riverbank, which makes for a great sundowner spot. Image: Milk on the Beach
 

CALM LAGOON & SECRET BEACH

On any given day you’ll see bodyboarders, surfers, and families with children (including toddlers) waddling in the warm, calm waters. It’s usually quieter at Onrus Beach than the neighbouring Hermanus’s blue flag beaches. 

Visitors keen on birding might recognise the yellow-billed ducks, Egyptian geese, and sandpipers that flit and float across the water, especially in the early evening. 

Guests can sit and watch the wildlife in action with an ocean view in the background. Image: Milk on the Beach

FRESH SEAFOOD & SUSHI FOR DINNER

The menu is packed with light dishes that work just as well for a casual lunch as they do for a long, unhurried dinner. Think fresh fish and sushi (even vegan sushi with maki, carrot roses and bamboo rolls), poké bowls, potstickers and eight-week-old matured sirloin steak.  

Cornflake chicken strips with ginger sauce join grilled prawns and loaded sweet potato fries as small plates. Breakfast and lunch are served earlier in the day, with options like waffle croissants, french toast and Zen bowls. 

Seafood is the restaurant’s speciality. Image: Milk on the Beach

SUNDOWNERS & DAILY HAPPY HOUR   

As the afternoon cools, the deck fills for the daily happy hour from 5pm to 6pm (with local wine at R45 a glass). 

Cocktails, like Aperol spritzes, mango margaritas and boozy strawberry slushies flow, while the air off the lagoon and ocean creates a crisp, cool breeze. The wine list is a small, thoughtful selection from local producers like Beaumont and Lomond. 

If beer’s your bevvy of choice, Milk has two must-try local beers on tap – the award-winning, easy-drinking Old Harbour Lager made by Hermanus Brewing Co and Honingklip Brewery’s Onrus Ale, Belgian-inspired and brewed with local and imported hops.

Nothing beats a cold cocktail after a day at the beach. Image: Milk on the Beach

PLUS, A GRAB-AND-GO DOWNSTAIRS

The Waffle Shack, directly beneath Milk, has a BYO waffle counter. You’re spoiled for choice of toppings: Mini marshmallows, Kit Kat, Oreo, Milky Bar sauce, Bar One sauce…There are even vegan waffles.

On the savoury side, there’s sushi, poké bowls, and loaded hotdogs like the German’s Shepherd – a frankfurter with sauerkraut, German mustard, and crispy onion.

It’s set up for quick orders and takeaways that travel easily back to the sand, making it a more casual counterpart to the restaurant above. Read more about the Waffle Shack in Onrus.

From fresh cocktails for adults to the waffle shack for kids, there really is something for everyone. Image: Milk on the Beach

VISIT MILK ON THE BEACH 

Set on the beautiful shores of Onrus, Milk on the Beach is perfect for a day of swimming, sunning or surfing, with long beach days stretching into dinner. A visit to Onrus simply isn’t complete without a Milk stop. 

Milk on the Beach is open: Daily, 8am - 8pm
Find it: 1 Atlantic Drive (by the main beach) | Onrus River | Onrus
Contact on: 028 316 1516, @milk_onthebeach, Milk on the Beach website

By Khadeeja Adams

---

DISCOVER MORE IN THE OVERBERG 

Try a tofu tostada or vegan panna cotta at Pear Tree.

Meat lovers will adore this steakhouse with rare cuts.

Drink a Ball to the Walls cocktail for sundowners at Ficks.

These are some of the most unique day trips from Cape Town. 

Cape Town (and surrounds): See what’s on this weekend.

---

Loved discovering this? Make sure you get our popular weekly newsletter. Follow and like us on Twitter ❤ Facebook ❤ LinkedIn ❤ Instagram ❤ Pinterest for updates.