Lasagne has got to be one of the all-time favourite Italian dishes. (Followed closely by its delicious sibling, pizza, of course.) Whether your favourite lasagne is home-made with care by mama, picked up from your preferred deli or ordered at your much-loved neighbourhood local, the layers of Bolognese, silky pasta sheets, creamy béchamel sauce and melted cheese topping will give you an instant yes feeling. Order traditional lasagne baked in a wood-fired oven or try tempting variations like Thai chicken, roasted butternut and ricotta or lamb bredie lasagne at these restaurants in the major cities in South Africa.

Johannesburg

Amarcord Osteria
Order: Original Bolognese lasagne with parmesan cheese at R96.
Or: Lasagne with asparagus, brie and parmesan cheese at R98.

Bice Restaurant
Order: Beef Bolognese lasagne for R90.

Cafe del Sol
Order: Beef lasagne for R105 or asparagus and brie lasagne for R105.

Ciao Baby Cucina
Order: Oven-baked lasagna al pollo with chicken, mixed peppers, gorgonzola, mozarella cheese and tomato for R85 or lasagna al forno with traditional ragu, white sauce, tomato, mozzarella and parmesan cheese for R85.

Da Graziella
Order: Meaty lasagne for R81, chicken and mushroom lasagne for R83, spinach and ricotta lasagne for R83 and the vegetarian version for R83.

Ghirardelli’s
Order: Vegetarian lasagne for R76.60 or beef lasagne for R79.90.

La Cucina
While lasagne is not on the menu, it can be made on request. Choose between beef, vegetarian, salmon and spinach, wild mushroom and seafood lasagne. Prices vary from R125 to R135.

Piza e Vino
Order: Lasagne served with toasted garlic foccacia and kazi leaves for R69.

Ristorante La Trinita
Order: Seven-layer lasagne.

Tortellino d’Oro
Order: Meat lasagne or pesto lasagne with hand-made pasta at R110 per portion. (Lasagne can also be ordered from the adjoining delicatessen to heat up at home.)

Pretoria

Blue Crane Restaurant
Order: Vegetarian or meat lasagne served with a Greek salad at R80.

Caraffa
Order: Beef lasagne. (Price on request.)

Jacqui’s Coffee Shop and Deli
Order: Beef lasagne with salad at R49

La Cantina 
Order: Lasagne with home-made layered pasta, Bolognese sauce, mozzarella cheese and béchamel sauce, baked in a wood burning pizza oven for R79.

LM in the East
Order: Beef lasagne for R75.

Ritrovo Ristorante
Order: Lasagne with pasta sheets, ragu, meatballs, Italian salami, crumbled egg, parmesan and mozzarella at R89.

Stephnie’s
Order: Lamb bredie lasagne at R75.

Villa San Giovanni
Order: Beef lasagne for R88.

Durban

Al Firenze
Order: Beef lasagne at R65.

Craft Trattoria
Order: Lasagne done one of three ways: spinach, beef and roasted tomatoes; wild mushrooms and sage; or roasted butternut and ricotta. Order one for R45, two for R85 or three for R125.

La Pizza Pazza
Order: Beef lasagne at R85.

Piggly Wiggly
Order: Beef lasagne, served with a side salad and brown bread at R69.

Remo’s Umhlanga or Mount Edgecombe
Order: Layered pasta, béchamel sauce, Bolognese and cheese at R85.

Roma Revolving Restaurant
Order: Beef lasagne. (Prices change daily.)

Spiga
Order: Chicken and mushroom lasagne at R55.

Cape Town

A Tavola
Order: Traditional meat lasagne and parmesan at R88.

Amici Di Massimo’s
Order: Beef and spinach lasagne at R84.

Bacini’s
Order: Beef lasagne at R75.

Borusso’s (Rondebosch)
Order: Beef lasagne at R76 or the vegetarian lasagne at R76.

Burrata
Order: Open mushroom ‘lasagne’ with white onion purée, smoked aubergine and parsley oil for R87.

Caffe Verdi
Order: Meat lasagne with home-made pasta, Bolognese, béchamel and parmesan cheese at R68.

Carlyle’s on Derry
Order: Thai chicken lasagne at R75.

La Perla
Order: Bolognese lasagne at R95.

Mitico
Order: Beef lasagne at R75.

Nonna Lina Italian Restaurant
Order: Classic Italian beef lasagne for R85. (It’s a family recipe.)

Posticino
Order: Beef lasagne at R70 or the chicken and mushroom lasagne at R70.

Tasca de Belém
Order: Beef lasagne.

Trattoria Luigi
Order: Lasagne al forno (home-made pasta sheets layered with Bolognese and béchamel sauce topped with parmesan and mozzarella, oven baked) at R87.

Winelands

Al Dente
Order: Beef lasagne at R110/kg at the deli. Vegetable lasagne can be made to order.

Pane e Vino
Order: Homemade traditional lasagne at R72.

Vredenhof Organic Estate
Order: Takeaway beef lasagne at R160 for a large, R90 for a medium and R50 for a small.

By Kelly Pluke and Kristia van Heerden

Got a soft spot for Italian? Check out our list of the best Italian restaurants in SA and our pizza index.

Photographs: Elin B, Jules Stone Soup, Ritrovo Ristorante, Kre8tive, Jules Stone Soup, Amrufm, Winn*, Amrufm, Denderello.