If you’re looking for everything new and trendy in Jozi, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best new restaurants that have opened in Joburg since August.

Baba G Rotisserie and Deli (Illovo)

These are the folk that have been serving you street food from their bright yellow Tutto food vans. They now have an almost equally teeny but stationary spot in Illovo selling yummy organic rotisserie chickens (half is R80) as well as interesting middle-eastern salads and even better flatbread (R20) to eat with the delicious meat.

The chickens being cooked in the rotisserie at Baba G. Photo by Candice Bondi

Bella Anima (Sunninghill)

The 100% vegetarian (and impressively vegan) contemporary-Italian restaurant run by chef Giulio Pizzol does breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Popular dishes are his Melanzane Limone (R78) and vegan ravioli Napolitana (R80). The vegan raw chocolate tart (R44) also wows.

The antipasto at Bella Anima. Photo supplied.

Hangout Jozi  (Central Johannesburg)

The food here is meant for sharing and ideal for visitors to South Africa to get the tastes of the country. Popular is a mighty Grand Hangout Meat Platter (R250) for four people, full of meats braaied outside the windows, like chicken wings, boerewors, chakalaka wors, small flat-ribs, coleslaw, a green salad, bread and pap, plus a South African blue-cheese sauce and a dhania sauce. The bunny chows are a hit, as is one of the desserts, his Ex-wife’s Honeycomb Cake (R45).

The Hangout Jozi space during an event. Photo supplied.

Hashtag Kitchen & Bar (Craighall Park)

This has become a great party spot and, with three bars, that’s not too surprising. It’s also become a good spot for the rugby-watchers. The food is appropriate and exceptionally fine: there’s the popular ‘pizzzza’ Frutti di Mare (R120), their sweet and sticky pork ribs (R160) and their luxurious gourmet dessert shakes with a naughty hit of liquor (R75). The emphasis is on cocktails, hanging out at the bar and whatever tunes the DJ is spinning out.

A dish at Hashtag. Photo supplied.

Il Contadino (Parktown North)

Here you’ll find 100% sustainable food in the form of farm-inspired cuisine. This is chef James Diack’s fourth restaurant. Though very different from the rest, in its own league it’s simply the best there is in Jozi. The food is outstanding, featuring starters like grilled spring onions in bacon with beef cheek and trotter R65) and mains like roast pork belly with aniseed pear puree, sherried carrots, duck-fat chips and fennel (R195). Read our full review here.

Woodfired heirloom pumpkin with pan-fried oyster mushrooms sumac red onion bulgar wheat with nutmeg parsley cream. Photo supplied.

Kramerville Bakery (Kramerville)

A somewhat hidden-away spot, this commercial bakery is run by Alex and Eloise Windebank. The couple hosts pop-up dinners weekly, each with a new theme and energy. The couple has announced plans to open an official fine dining restaurant in early 2018, but before the current location shutters, there are still some unmissable pop-ups to try. (Tickets for the remaining pop-ups are available on their website.) Read our full review here.

Dishes from the Great Italian Roast evening. Photo by Robyn Davie Photography.

NCW (Melville)

This is seriously delicious but not-so-serious fine dining. Served Thursdays to Saturdays, you’ll get six courses for R526, along with charming extras. The landmark building has been beautifully and wittily restored, featuring rambling spaces and an impressive art collection. Sunday lunches are rather different – expect real family roast days and all the trimmings you wish you’d thought of. Read our full review here.

One of chef Ence Willemse’s dishes at NCW Restaurant. Photo supplied.

ONO (Illovo)

Ono means ‘delicious’ in Hawaiian. Be tempted by the very yummy breakfast bowls, but poké is the name of the game here (R75 for a medium vegetarian or R115 for a large fish, meat, house or custom poké bowl). The emphasis is on freshness and health. You can build your own bowls, but the house choices are wonderful. Yes, there are also pudding bowls!

The interior at ONO. Photo supplied.

Perron (Melville)

The menu is similar to that of the other two existing Perrons, but this one already has different favourites, different arty patrons and aesthetics that wow. At this one the popular dishes include seven-layer nachos (R79), the famous chilli bowl of steamy, beefy spiciness, with about five extras (R105), and that deep-fried coconut rice pudding with roasted apple and creamed with cinnamon (R59). This one has a cool street vibe with two different pavement areas as well.

Rather Tart (Morningside)

This new waffle-and-pancake parlour is cute, with an added attraction of perfect pastries of the day. The sweet crêpes range from R35 to R55 and the sticky waffles between R40 and R60.

The Royale (Craighall Park)

Looking evocatively old-style Havana with palm trees and a descending  staircase, this spot is about mojitos, cigars and salsa music. Try the Mojo-rubbed pork belly as one of the more traditionally Cuban dishes on the menu (R95). Also try their burgers (R90) and rum-laden desserts (R55). It’s all good fun.

Septimo Italian Restaurant (Sandton)

Paul Lycos is part of the seventh generation of a long line of Italian foodies. Being from Philadelphia, though, he brings the desirable Philly cheesesteak (R90) to Joburg, with its shavings of beef short-rib, molten mozzarella, sautéed onions and peppers, and Napoli sauce all plunged into a warm French bread roll. But you could also get real meatballs in Napoli sauce with spaghetti (R150) and herby, garlicky wood-fired baby chickens (R170).

Sphere Monk (Maboneng)

Doing the degustation thing that Cube started, with much of the same staff and Liam Bloy, Sphere Monk presents a taste adventure of three, five or seven unpretentious but artful courses. The five-course dinner is R420 and R600 when paired with wines. Expect jazz as part of the meal – it’s not named after Thelonius Monk for nothing.

The food may be beautiful, but it’s unpretentious. Photo supplied.

Thief Restaurant (Parkmore)

Thief has replaced Eatery in Parkmore with its elegant wine and food. The menu is neat and focused. You could start with The Crescente Fritte (R80), an Italian flatbread stuffed with meat and cheese then deep-fried; savour the speciality main of porchetta (R135) and delight in the two-ingredient chocolate mousse (R55) consisting solely of eggs and the darkest chocolate. Plus this new place comes nicely licensed so you can enjoy fine glasses of good wines and beers.

The shakshuka at Thief Restaurant. Photo supplied.

Brought to you by Retail Capital, sponsors of the Eat Out Retail Capital New Restaurant of the Year Award.

Want to find more new restaurants in your city? Check out our new restaurants section.