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$$ | |
Set in manicured, terraced gardens that stretch out onto paddocks where grazing Friesian horses idle away afternoons, the family-owned Black Horse Estate Restaurant predominantly serves bistro staples like burgers and wood-fired pizzas, though Stables Café, open during the week, can easily accommodate walk-ins. While you’re here, you can also do a tasting and tour of the craft brewery, run by one of the country’s youngest female brewers, and gin distillery (1 hour, R287.50 for both). It’s such a popular weekend venue for families, bikers, cyclists, and out-of-towners that it’s essential to book if you want to secure a place for lunch.
32 Zeekoeihoek Rd., Magaliesberg, North-West, South Africa
Known For
- Gorgeous outdoor setting surrounded by nature
- Brewery and distillery tours, tasters and gift shop
- Quaint and affordable accommodation options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential on weekends
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$$ | Oaklands |
This small and unpretentious restaurant and deli has legendary food, especially the pasta. Try the Parma ham and melon as an antipasto, and then get a pasta for your main course, such as the tortellini, which is filled with a mixture of ham, mortadella sausage, chicken, and Parmesan cheese, then served with mushroom cream, or butter and sage sauce. The service is as outstanding, as is the food, and there’s an excellent wine list. Be sure to book ahead. Run by an Italian family, Tortellino’s is popular for both lunch and dinner.
Pretoria St. at Victoria St., Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2192, South Africa
Known For
- <PRO>outstanding service</PRO>
- <PRO>excellent wine list</PRO>
- <PRO>authentic pasta</PRO>
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
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$$ | Dube |
Smartly dressed waiters in ties serve truly African food—meat stews, sweet potatoes, beans, a stiff corn porridge, traditionally cooked pumpkin, chicken, and tripe laid out in a buffet of pots and containers—to a steady stream of hungry patrons. The food is hot, the drinks are cold, and the conversation flows, especially if you happen to meet Wandie, who frequently still runs operations. While you may end up here on a private tour or with a tour bus, it's big enough to cope. It's not that difficult to find, and parking is safe, but it's probably better to organize a visit on a guided trip. The decor is eclectic township (a bit makeshift), and the walls are adorned with signatures and business cards of tourists and dignitaries who have dined here.
618 Makhalamele St., Johannesburg, Gauteng, 1801, South Africa
Known For
- Best-known township restaurant in Soweto
- Eclectic decor
- Tour groups
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$$ | |
This small, casual restaurant offers memorable food and quick, professional service, whether you choose to sit down or grab a quick bite. The atmosphere can be quite noisy and energy-packed, as friends catch up over lunch and businesspeople chat animatedly about work over a plate of legendary potato rostis: try one with smoked salmon or a pepper fillet. Many people return to this local favorite which was founded in 1992 and hasn't changed its menu since.
18 Chaplin Rd., 2196, South Africa
Known For
- House-baked cakes, particularly the carrot cake
- Good selection of South African wines
- Bellinis
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | Rosebank |
Doppio Zero serves wholesome, tasty Mediterranean-inspired meals with ingredients like grilled halloumi, fresh tomato, arugula, avocado, and salmon. More substantial meals such as pastas and pizzas are also on the menu. The outdoor seating is delightful on warm days. This chain of restaurants is found across Johannesburg, but the Rosebank branch is well located if you are peckish after a morning shopping at the nearby Rosebank Art and Craft Market or Rosebank shopping centers.
Cradock St. at Bierman St., Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2196, South Africa
Known For
- Outdoor seating
- Nearby shopping district
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Rosebank |
This cozy, atmospheric restaurant is always busy because of the quality of its food and the gorgeous bucolic murals on its walls that complement the retro design elements, making it oh-so Instagram-worthy. The all-day menu serves breakfast, light lunches, high tea coupled with its in-house baked goods and treats, and dinner. Glenda’s prioritizes seasonal produce and supports local farmers and sustainability efforts, which gives it an even greater appeal.
Corner Jan Smuts Ave. and North Rd., Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Known For
- Takeaway patisserie counter
- Trendy cocktails, craft brews and local wines
- Being an any-time-of-day kind of place
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$$ | |
The neon "Be naked when I get home" sign draws lots of attention, but so do the antlers on the wall, black subway tile bar, and the checked floor of this 1920s New York-esque speakeasy. Try their signature Hellfire, a cinnamon-infused whiskey, to go along with your braai (barbecue) meat, pizza, or burger.
4 7th St., Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Known For
- Great bar vibe
- Always being busy
- Live music on weekend afternoons
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$$ | Parktown North |
At Mike's Kitchen in Parktown, you'll find an extensive menu with hearty fare and a convivial atmosphere. The steak house is housed in an old mansion called Eikenlaan, which was built in 1903 for James Goch, a professional photographer and the first to use flash photography in South Africa. In 1985 the home was turned into a franchise of the Mike's Kitchen steak-house chain. There's a garden for kids to play in.
15 St. Andrew's Rd., Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2193, South Africa
Known For
- Steak-house chain
- Historic location
- Outdoor garden
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$$ | |
The Old East Precinct is a suburban development in Hazelwood with a village feel to it, as a wide selection of coffee shops, restaurants, bars and bespoke stores line the leafy streets of Hazelwood Road and 16th Street. If you’re hungry, you’ll have plenty to choose from here, from Lexi’s Healthy Eatery (our number one choice which serves a selection of vegan, but not only, dishes) to Alfie’s Pizzeria and Deli, and you can never go wrong with Cowfish, which as the name suggests serves a combination of fish, seafood and meat-lovers dishes, alongside cocktails. The gelato at Aroma Coffee Roastery is a must (you’ll recognize it from the giant mural of a tucan at its entrance) and pop by Spout Coffee Company housed in repurposed shipping containers for a cuppa and baked goods. Once you’re satiated, you can browse the handmade leather goods at Freedom of Movement and go off in search of some of the murals and artworks that give this precinct even more character. Certain establishments may be closed on Mondays.
Hazelwood Rd. and 16th St., Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Known For
- Lively atmosphere with plenty of options to choose from
- Establishments spill out onto the sidewalk creating an open-air dining experience
- Being the trendiest place to eat in Pretoria
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | Illovo |
At this Greek taverna, music floats above the buzz of conversation, a souvlaki spit turns slowly near the door, and a refrigerated case displays an array of meze (small appetizers)—which you can also select as a takeaway, if you're on the go. Start with a meze platter of souvlaki, feta, olives imported from Greece, tzatziki, and dolmades, followed by the line fish, grilled on an open flame with olive oil and lemon, or kleftiko (lamb slow-cooked in a clay oven) and a carafe of wine. On weekend evenings, belly dancers perform between the tables against a backdrop of murals of Santorini, and Greek dancers do the Zorba, while patrons partake in "controlled" plate breaking—all while sipping on a glass of ouzo. The dress is casual and the atmosphere very relaxed. Choose from the set or à la carte menus. In summer, most people sit outside beneath the faux grape vines at the street-side tables.
3D Corlett Dr., Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2196, South Africa
Known For
- Unbeatable selection at meze cafe
- Produce sourced from Greece
- Chef Jabu, who has been there since it opened in 1993
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | | South African
The Cradle is a great choice for a lunch or dinner if you're spending the day or more in the Cradle of Humankind area, which is about a 90-minute drive from Johannesburg or Pretoria, but it's only open on weekends. Tables here overlook a 7,413-acre game reserve. The overall impression is one of space and silence. The frequently changing menu is impressive, including among other dishes sage pork chops, springbok shank, veal saltimbocca, and venison-and-pancetta stew. The extensive wine list has many local specialties.
Kromdraai Rd., Mogale City, Gauteng, 1739, South Africa
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Thurs
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$$ | Illovo |
Trabella's strength is its pizza, whether it's with the Brie and cranberry topping; or smoked salmon, sour cream, and caviar, sprinkled with spring onion. If you can't decide which one to choose go with Tracy's Special, which includes every topping, with a vegetarian or meat-lovers option; the pasta and gnocchi are also good choices. This restaurant faces the street on a busy street corner, with two other chain pizzerias within walking distance, in an accessible but not attractive position.
Oxford Rd. 3, at Corlett Dr., Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2196, South Africa
Known For
- Peanut butter chocolate cheesecake
- Wheat-free and gluten-free pizza bases (at additional charge)
- Fresh porcini mushrooms
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Sun.
