West meets East at Sera Maior Restaurant in Nelson Mandela Bay

It all started 2000 years ago…

“Sera Maior”, a name rich in cultural heritage, derived from an ancient Roman dialect, referring to the “Land of Silk” to the East. This phrase was used by the ancient explorers and adventurers for centuries through their voyages to discover the hidden beauty on the other side of the world. Meanwhile, the East had their own dreams of discovery, and they addressed Rome as “Da Qin”. It was a pity these two great civilisations never cross-pollinated until hundreds of years after.

Today they bring the same spirit of wonder and exploration through the uniqueness of everything they do at Sera Maior. This is a true melting pot of West and East through a single dining experience. The amalgamation of creativity and constant innovation, the showcasing of local young talents, and the abundance and celebration of our beautiful country’s produce provides their patrons with an unforgettable experience.

Living in Port Elizabeth for the past 12 years, Arielle and Andi have a great passion for the development of our friendly city. They have successfully managed great investment projects into the Eastern Cape. After years of extensive work on facilitating international trade, tourism and investment projects, they have come across amazing hidden treasures and talents of the culinary industry in Nelson Mandela Bay. With a great passion for food and hospitality, they decided to create an eatery that is more than just a restaurant. Sera Maior is where different cultures meet and mingle, which is a good reflection of the spirit of our rainbow country.

Sera Maior is a restaurant determined to showcase the talents of young people in the Eastern Cape, especially from the historically disadvantaged community.

Joshua Levack, the executive chef, grew up in Gelvandale, in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth. He graduated as the top student from the world renowned Silverwood Kitchen in Cape Town and went on to do stints at La Colombe and Test Kitchen before returning to his home town, Port Elizabeth. Here he assisted in setting up and running a first class restaurant in the Sundays River Valley and has since become the executive chef of Sera Maior at the age of 23 years old.  

The back of house team of Sera Maior is also very young and energetic. Three leading cooks have all graduated from the kiUmzewethu and their enthusiasm and passion shines daily with their best skills, knowledge and personalities.

Sera Maior would like to be a platform to showcase the unique and abundant local resources. As a Tea House, they are proud to make the wild harvested Honey Bush tea, which is exclusive to the Eastern Cape as their signature beverage. They are doing this aligned to the eco-friendly and responsible cultivation of this unique tea specie. They are also the only restaurant in South Africa that promotes the traditional African mead from Manaka Meadery. This light alcoholic beverage brewed from natural honey has its origin rooted throughout the two thousand year history of Eastern Cape's indigenous people. They are also supportive to the local small farming entities. For example, you can find a risotto made of the unique pink Oyster Mushrooms, grown in the Greenbushes area right outside of Port Elizabeth. Sera Maior will continuously explore and discover the unique local resources and introduce them to our community, our country and even the world via their delicious culinary presentations.     

Sera Maior is the first restaurant in South Africa that is determined to blend the genuine Western and Oriental cultural elements together in order to create a fusion experience. This fusion not only incorporates food and beverages but also lifestyle elements which positively influence body, mind and soul aligned to the latest international culinary trends.