Johannesburg is a city which has excellent international connections. Many who visit South Africa will fly into or out of Johannesburg but not have the time, or inclination, to discover the city. However those who love finding new restaurants and trying out different dining experiences might want to reconsider this. By taking a couple of days to discover Johannesburg or booking ahead for the evening spent in the city before flying onwards, there is the opportunity to sample some of the best of South African cuisine.

Here are some of my favourites:

Storytelling Dinners:

A wonderfully unique experience, Storytelling Dinners are the brainchild of Charlie Moyo. Charlie combines delicious food with tantalising storytelling to make for a special evening. Held in one of the most esteemed addresses in Johannesburg, in a location full of history the dinners take part in a 115 year old underground bank vault in the Thunder Walker Building. 

The underground restaurant found within the vault still has many of the original safety-deposit boxes in it, the majority of which are unopened and full of mystery. The Storytelling Dinners are available on Friday and Saturday evenings. The dinners are expertly prepared by the in-house chef who draws inspiration from migrant cuisine. The communal storytelling takes place in a range of spaces within the building fitting in around the dining.

There are two different Storytelling Dinner experiences with seating for up to 40 diners. The two experiences are the Migrant Cuisine Storytelling Dinner and the Secret Underground Storytelling Dinner. The Migrant Cuisine Dinner tells the story of the migrants who found their way to Johannesburg and brought with them their wonderful cultures and cuisines which fused with that of South Africa, this is the more relaxed of the two dinner options. The Secret Underground Dinner is a more formal and less rustic style of dining. It serves three course dinners which fuse South African cuisine with its international influences and delivers fine dining for the more exacting foodie.

Basalt:

The Basalt Restaurant is part of the wonderful Peech Hotel, one of our guests’ favourite hotels in Johannesburg. This stunning boutique property has considerably improved and upgraded what they offer in their restaurant from just a few years ago. This restaurant can seat 38 guests and is a real treat. 

Chef Frederico Dias draws inspiration from across the globe with Mexican, Portuguese and Asian flavours combined with his classical French training. The food is full of flavour and unique. It focuses on letting the ingredients do the talking with simple enhancements of the natural flavours of the season’s produce rather than fanciful techniques. Basalt showcases dishes such as tuna tataki with habanero salsa and mexican inspired pork belly with charred white asparagus and a toasted almond mole. The menu is relatively simple but delicious with just a handful of choices for each course, however each dish has been fine-tuned and really deserves its place on the menu. Meanwhile the service is warm and friendly and there are some amazing cocktails and wines to enjoy with lunch or dinner.

Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff

This luxurious hotel is in one of the most incredible settings in Johannesburg. It has amazing panoramic views from its hillside location. There are two adjoining restaurants; the View and the Pre-View which I would highly recommend at the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff. The Pre-View is a walk-in friendly relaxed restaurant which serves stripped back tapas small plates and with a great circular cocktail bar.

The View Restaurant as the name alludes, shows off the beauty of Johannesburg in spectacular fashion. The dining is of a fantastic quality to match this idyllic setting. This chic restaurant serves up creative modern dishes alongside reinventing and improving on some classic dishes. There is a six or eight course tasting menu both of which take diners on a wonderful culinary journey. There are some excellent wine pairings for those wanting to enjoy the full experience. The terrace is one of the best spots in the city for an evening meal when the weather is fine. 

The Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff also houses the Flames restaurant. This reinvents local classics and has a great list of grilled dishes, the signature dish being the popular 600g tomahawk ribeye steak.

If you are thinking about a visit to South Africa and spending a day or two in Johannesburg then why not get in touch with our specialists to start planning your holiday. Alternatively for more foodie inspiration from South Africa see our foodie’s guide to Cape Town here as well as our blog on gourmet experiences in South Africa’s Winelands here.