National website Travelstart lists top 10 eateries in Friendly City

[caption id="attachment_38356" align="alignright" width="405"] SERVICE WITH A SMILE: A photo taken in 2012 of Tim Walker holding a mezze platter at The Friendly Stranger, one of the most popular restaurants in Port Elizabeth. PHOTOGRAPH: FREDLIN ADRIAAN[/caption]

A NATIONAL travel website is gradually introducing more and more Port Elizabeth-based content and residents are lapping it up.

Travelstart.comsocial media manager Nick Paul, who also manages the "I like Port Elizabeth" Facebook page, said the city was often overlooked as a travel destination despite it having, "so much to offer".

And good food is apparently part of the city's allure.

An informal survey, posted on Facebook, saw more than 200 people nominating their favourite restaurants.

When the nominations were tallied, the results were posted on the website. The top 10 nominated Port Elizabeth restaurants – in no particular order – are:

Friendly Stranger: Said to arguably have the best burger in town, this restaurant is hot on the agenda of roaming artists.Fushin: One of the Friendly City's favourite restaurants, this sushi bar is as trendy as it is imaginative. Bridge Street Brewery: Hand-selected brews, good food and a stage fit for South African musical talent are just to name a few of this restaurant's great perks. Charlie's Pizza & Pasta: A craving for some of the finest Italian cuisine can be satisfied at this family favourite restaurant.

The Coachman: The first restaurant in Port Elizabeth to offer calamari on their menu. This restaurant is family owned and run.

Ginger: This restaurant's location on the beachfront and seating on the deck, complements its impressive menu, wine list and service.

Blue Waters Cafe: Overlooking the iconic Shark Rock Pier, this restaurant is both steakhouse as well as seafood restaurant. A perfect place for a business or family lunch.

Old Austria: As the name suggests, this restaurant blends perfectly a modern, yet vintage feel with classic Austrian dishes such as schnitzel and pot roast. The menu has remain unchanged for the past 30 years, which plainly says that this is a recipe for success.

For The Love of Wine: As the name suggests, this is an oasis to blow off steam after a hard day's work with a glass of wine. There is probably a wine to suit any taste, with a massive variety to choose from.

Bocadillos Bakery & Cafe: Located in Walmer, this bakery not only features scrumptious pastries but will embrace locals as well as travellers in comfort and style.Speaking about Port Elizabeth being totally underrated as a holiday destination Paul said: "Port Elizabeth content is really only getting started.

"Over at the 'I like Port Elizabeth' Facebook page we get a constant flow of amazing pics.

The page is also a profile for beautiful photographs taken by Port Elizabeth residents.

"To most, Port Elizabeth is a forgotten city which doesn't measure up to the likes of South African giants like Cape Town and Durban and we think this is unfair.

While commonly referred to as the Windy or Friendly City, there's a lot more to it than a breezy climate and warm smiles," Paul said. - Deon van der Walt