Ocean Basket Launches Summer Maxxing with a New Menu

More crunch, bigger flavours and five exciting new meals give South Africans another reason to get together and make the most of summer.

After a year of workmaxxing, stressmaxxing and trying-to-keep-it-all-together-maxxing, South Africans are ready for a different kind of maxxing. Think longer lunches, spontaneous plans, and more time around the table with your favourite people. Because after a year of doing the most, it’s time to make the most of summer.

Ocean Basket is here for all of it. Introducing Summer Maxxing, a celebration of everything that makes the season worth looking forward to. The new summer menu features more flavour, more crunch, and more of those moments that turn an ordinary day into a great one.

The Classics Get a Crunchy Glow-Up

The new summer menu started with a simple idea: take the Ocean Basket classics South Africans already know and love, and turn up the crunch. Enter OB Epic Crunch, a bigger, bolder panko crumb that gives familiar seafood favourites a seriously crispy glow-up.

“Guests told us they wanted more texture, crunch and bolder flavour, without losing the dishes they know and trust. So we went back to the test kitchen,” explains Andrew Flanagan, Head of Product at Ocean Basket. “It honestly started with us crushing cornflakes, corn chips and cheesy snacks to chase the perfect bite, and it ended with our new Ultimate Crunch. You hear it before you taste it.”

“But crunch is only half the story. The other half is sauce,” continues Flanagan. “We’ve added three new sauces that tap into what’s happening in food right now: Hot Honey for the sweet-heat craze, Sweet & Spicy for the sticky, Asian-style flavours that are trending, and Chipotle Mayo for the smoky creaminess South Africans love.”

These new additions sit alongside Ocean Basket’s much-loved sauces, giving guests even more ways to mix and match.

Five Time-Limited Summer Specials, One Epic Crunch

For those long, lazy lunches that turn into an afternoon affair, the Epic Crunch Platter (R299) is made for sharing. Bringing together Ultimate Crunch Prawns, Calamari Dippers, Hake Dippers and Popcorn Prawns, served with chips and three new sauces, it’s the perfect excuse to gather your favourite people around the table and tuck in.

And when the whole crew is coming? The Royal Feast (R469) makes sure nobody leaves hungry. With King Prawns, Prince Prawns and Ultimate Crunch Prawns alongside chips, rice and the new sauces, it’s a generous spread worthy of those group chats that finally become actual plans.

Of course, not every summer moment needs a big occasion. For those in-between adventures or quick dates, there’s the Hot Honey Castle (R125), bringing a sweet-and-spicy twist to a 16-piece Volcano Roll with Tempura Crunch and Hot Honey. Or turn up the crunch with the Epic Crunch Pan (R129), featuring Ultimate Crunch Calamari Dippers, Hake Dippers and Prawns, served with two sauces for dipping.

And for seafood lovers who want a little bit of everything, the Reel Love Crunch Edition (R149) brings Ultimate Crunch Fish and Prawns together with Grilled Prawns, calamari, chips and rice. A delicious reminder that sometimes the best summer plans are simply the ones that involve great food.

More of the Good Stuff

While the new flavours and extra crunch are certainly worth getting excited about, the Summer Maxxing menu is also about making room for the moments that tend to get lost in the rush of everyday life.

“At Ocean Basket, the table has always been about generosity and sharing, and this menu stays true to that promise,” says Flanagan. “We wanted to give our regulars something new to get excited about, while introducing a new generation of seafood lovers to the flavours and experiences that make Ocean Basket special. It’s still the seafood South Africans know and love, just turned up.”

Beyond the five limited-time specials, Ocean Basket is also bringing fresh additions to its menu, inspired by street-food favourites and a love for bold flavours. The new Epic Crunch Fish Tacos (R125) serve up two soft tacos filled with Ultimate Crunch-fried hake, avo crema, veggie ribbons and smoky Chipotle Mayo, served with a side. Meanwhile, the Loaded Fries (R105) take a familiar favourite up a notch, with golden fries piled high with Popcorn Prawns, Feta, Jalapeños, Original Lemon Garlic Sauce, Chipotle Mayo and Sweet & Spicy Sauce.

The summer forecast? More catch-ups, more shared platters and a whole lot more reasons to say yes to getting together. The summer menu is available now, and the OB Summer Maxxing specials are available for a limited time from 1 November 2026 to 31 January 2027 at Ocean Basket restaurants nationwide.

For more inspiration, delicious new launches, and all things summer, follow Ocean Basket on Instagram or Facebook.