The owner of Braeside Butchery in Johannesburg, Caroline McCann is dedicated to sourcing the best, ethically reared, grass-fed meat for her customers. So much so that Braeside was rewarded with an Eat In Produce Award for the best outlet in the north in 2012. A firm advocate of nose-to-tail eating, Caroline also loves a good coffee, Chinese street food and the sights and sounds of Jozi. We asked her to share her favourite restaurants, markets and coffee shops with us.

My favourite restaurants for…

Pizza 
It must be Espresso in Parkhurst. There’s a good reason why this well-known eatery is frequented by the who’s who of Joburg for their pizza fix: the bases are dangerously thin and crispy. They are very particular about the cheese they use and all toppings are carefully worked out to ensure that the star of the pizza is the pizza itself.

Asian food
Yamato. Christina has been in the industry for many years and is well-loved among foodies in Joburg. Her shop in Illovo Square is always full with as many Asian tourists as locals, proving that her authentic food is yummy for everyone. The other option, which my kids and I love to do on Saturday afternoons, is to pop down to Little China Town in Cyrildene for Chinese street food. You get to mix with the locals and try food most Chinese restaurants don’t serve.

Burgers
Unashamedly, I say Braeside burgers. We do a pop-up offering at food shows and private events, offering Wagyu burgers (also known as Kobe-style). These are little pockets of cream wedged between fresh rolls. Once people have tried it, they just keep coming back for more.

Sushi
I’ve already mentioned Yamato above. Seriously, this is the only place to visit for Asian food or sushi!

Great view
There are so many to choose from! My kids and I love The Cradle Restaurant for their wonderful views of game coupled with brilliant Sunday set menu with the most delicious lamb shanks and panna cotta around. For the best Jozi view, it must be the rooftop at Neighbourgoods Market, where you get to eat plenty of different dishes. Our favourite is the paella made by Daniel from Tartufo. It’s a great mix of seafood, chicken and rice with enough paprika to make you want to dance the flamenco!

Take-aways
The best take-away is the melkkos from the Pretoria Boeremark on Saturday mornings. The kids and I get up early and ensure that we’re in the queue by 7am for this delicious, uniquely South African tummy filler. Think warm milk tart with cinnamon and long, lingering smiles of delight.

Take-away coffee
Definitely 4th Avenue Coffee Roasters. Having tried just about every coffee on offer, I still think this one is the most aromatic and well-drawn. It isn’t the acidic, burned, wanna-be coffee most places dish up early in the day, which is designed to jolt the body into the morning routine. The staff here are incredibly warm, friendly and always remember a face – and coffee order.

Weekday breakfast
The only place I ever seem to fill up in the morning is Bottega in Parkhurst. Savero serves incredibly different combinations designed to give energy and smiles for the day. My favourite is his Iron Breakfast made from free-range eggs and chicken livers with a hint of chilli. Delicious! I also adore Canteen in Maboneng Precint. This place is little Jozi on a plate and the setting is brilliant.

Lazy weekend brunch
On Sundays, I love walking down town Maboneng and having a leisurely breakfast served with flair at Canteen, and then meandering around, taking in the grafitti and artistic renditions on the sides of Jozi’s buildings. Another favourite is salvationcafe at 44 Stanley Avenue in Milpark. Claudio is a passionate foodie with high ethics. Her food is made using free-range, organic and sustainably farmed produce packed with flavour.

Blow-the-budget dinner
Cube, Cube, Cube! Dario’s little spot is as small in space as it is big in delivering some of the finest food on the African continent. Yes, we’ve all seem Heston on TV create magical and fantastic dishes, but Dario’s offering is less about using tricks and more about creating perfect degustation on all 11 (or 13) plates he presents. You also get to take your own wine, which I love. By the end of the evening you have feasted on the finest food, presented in a space designed to not detract from the star of the show: Dario and his wonderful food creations.

Market-style shopping
I love all the many wonderfully diverse markets in Jozi. No shop could ever come close to the true experience of wandering around a part of Jozi transformed with colours and smells of food producers and vendors. My favourite markets are Pretoria Boeremark, Market on Main and Blubird Wholefood Market in Corlett Drive. There are so many markets popping up all over and it’s an exciting time to be a foodie in Jozi!

Also see where award-winning blogger Alida Ryder likes to eat out in Gauteng.
Pictured (from top): Caroline McCann, Pretoria Boeremark, 4th Avenue Coffee Roasters, The Cradle Restaurant, Neighbourgoods Market, salvationcafe, Canteen, 4th Avenue Coffee Roasters, sushi and Market on Main.