2 Best Restaurants in Johannesburg, South Africa

Background Illustration for Restaurants

Jo'burgers love eating out, and there are hundreds of restaurants throughout the city to satisfy them. Some notable destinations for food include Melrose Arch, Parkhurst, Sandton, and Greenside. Smart-casual dress is a good bet. Many establishments are closed on Sunday night and Monday.

There's no way to do justice to the sheer scope and variety of Johannesburg's restaurants in a few examples. What follows is a (necessarily subjective) list of some of the best. Try asking locals what they recommend; eating out is the most popular form of entertainment in Johannesburg, and everyone has a list of favorite spots, which changes often.

Black Horse Restaurant

$$ Fodor's choice

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.

Bistro Fodor's Choice Family $$ Breakfast Lunch Coffee Dessert Quick Bite
32 Zeekoeihoek Rd., Magaliesberg, South Africa
082-453--5295
www.blackhorse.co.za
Known For
  • Gorgeous outdoor setting surrounded by nature
  • Brewery and distillery tours, tasters and gift shop
  • Quaint and affordable accommodation options
Restaurant Details
Reservations essential on weekends

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Mike's Kitchen, Parktown

$$ | 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.