Most football fans, if they are not already, will have to become rabid carnivores during their visit to South Africa for the World Cup.

South Africans like their meat and they like to cook and eat it out in the open, under the clear blue skies.

If you are invited to a “braai” or a “chisa nyama” you are basically going to a barbeque. There are variations on what you will be offered, depending on who is hosting you and where you are.

In general, you will find yourself eating spicy sausages called “boerewors,” lamb chops and some “pap,” which looks like mashed potato but is maize meal. Pap is often served with delicious tomato gravy.

Of course, the food is washed down with copious amounts of South African beer.

Another meat staple in South Africa is “biltong” — which is a bit like beef jerky, but tastes much better. Biltong is an excellent snack to nibble on as you journey through the country. Try the kudu or ostrich biltong, or just stick to good old beef. Either way, you can get addicted to the stuff. It is very more-ish.

The key to eating well in South Africa, or anywhere in the world, is simple: stick to local, fresh dishes.

So I would not suggest that English football fans order grilled sole in Rustenburg, which is nowhere near the sea. However, the French and Danish football fans have it lucky — their teams are based in Knynsa, on the Garden Route. So local oysters and fresh fish, such as the succulent Kabeljou, should be on their menus.

That said, except for Cape Town and the surrounding areas in the winelands which have sophisticated restaurant scene, most South African food is simple and not fancy. So, stick to the basics at restaurants and a huge T-bone or a juicy fillet steak will not disappoint you. The prices might knock your socks off — choice pieces of meat are much cheaper than in most capital cities.