Where do you go when you are looking for your favorite combination of pub food, laidback hospitality and a drink to wash it all down with? We have compiled a list of some of our capital city’s most welcoming pub lunch venues. With such a wide range of offerings in this category, we’ve narrowed it down to some worthy contenders.

Eastwoods Tavern (Arcadia)

If you want to watch the game with enthusiastic, kindred spirits while munching on a burger and fries, this is the place for you. There are sports screens in every direction and almost as many opinions about the fitness, preparedness and couching experience of every team. This place teems with armchair enthusiasts for all major sporting codes, and it’s conveniently close to the home ground of one of Pretoria’s top teams, Loftus. A cosy fire blazes in the back lounge, while odours of grilled steak perfume the air as frosty beers and exotic cocktails are poured.

House 22 (Sunnyside)

What could be better than getting your car expertly cleaned, both inside and out, while you indulge in the ultimate chisa nyama pub lunch special? House 22 has become an institution among locals. The ambiance is pumping with top Mzanzi artists belting out the latest genres and hits. There is ample outdoor seating and many tasty offerings from the kitchen and grill to make this venue a firm favourite on the pub lunch roster in Pretoria. 

Hillside Tavern and Lucky Rodrigo (Lynnwood)

These two iconic venues lie in close proximity, with one being old and established and the other a cheeky upstart that has proved itself over time. Hillside Tavern is renowned for the solid, traditional pub lunches that it has served for generations in Pretoria, while Lucky Rodrigo attracts a younger crowd and serves a more contemporary Mexican-inspired menu. Think pub lunch with a Mexican flair. Olé!

 

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Capital Craft (Menlo Park)

There are enough craft beers from different places here to make your head spin with choices. Order a tasting to help you decide. The chefs do not slack either. They innovate and tinker to find amazing combinations and flavours to please the discerning palates of the wanderlust generation. Marrow-bone burgers, exotic onion rings, fritters and even vegan fair are on offer.

Culture Club and 23 on Hazelwood (Hazelwood)

Order individual small plates or tapas for the table to share. Culture Club transports your tastebuds with Iberian-inspired tastes and textures. Sit outside in the sun or inside on the shaded terrace to enjoy the many Mediterranean specialities. 23 on Hazelwood is another venue at The Village that prides itself on lively service, great cocktails, and the vibrant pub and café scene that has enlivened this part of Pretoria. This venue is in the business of offering a more upmarket version of the traditional pub lunch for the discerning customer who wants to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of a pub lunch and does not mind paying for this privilege.

Thirst @28degrees East (Menlo Park)

Several bar spaces, outdoor seating, music, entertainment and fun: this venue promises all that and more! If you are looking for a pub lunch in the East, consider Thirst at 28° East. When live music returns, keep an eye out for live entertainment and bands. 

Skyline Rooftop Restaurant and Bar (Arcadia)

Views, pub meals, networking and sunshine are all on offer at the Skyline Rooftop Restaurant, situated on the pool deck of the Loftus Park, Protea Hotel. Wifi, cold drinks and talented chefs make this a brilliant venue for a pub lunch. Try the trio of sliders or the wings, platters or burgers.

The Blue Room (Hatfield)

This venue may be guarded by beefy security guards, but they are able to break into welcoming smiles, despite their towering presence. The kitchen has a diverse range of delicacies on offer and you can even get their pub fair delivered directly to your doorstep. Vibrant music, cold beers and a laidback summer feel are always on tap at the Blue Room.

 

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Buffelsfontein Beesboerdery (Greenlyn Village)

This eatery is modern, light and airy. You can enjoy a traditional pub lunch in the restaurant or on one of the terraces with a modern twist. A Buffelsfontein pub lunch straddles the traditional and the modern to meet guests somewhere in the middle. The popularity of the venue speaks for itself.

Rock @ 88 (Moreleta)

What can be more South African than a braai-themed bar and restaurant? The patrons of Rock @ 88 love the wide-open decks where they meet and “kuier” over food and drinks. There is a constant flow of patrons. The location and ample parking makes it an easygoing venue, and the menu is deliciously familiar. Try them next time you would like to have an easy pub lunch.

Fokof Bar (Menlo Park)

Right near the Men’s Residences of the University of Pretoria sits Fokof Bar. This space has a flippant name, but the spaces have been currated into a series of themed and interlinked spaces. From the Fokof Bar to the Fokoffie Bar, there is a tongue-in-cheek moment around every corner. The humour extends to the menu naming conventions. Where else can you ask for a “fokn burger” in all seriousness and get a deliciously prepared pub fair special? During term, when students still went to campus, this place was a hive of activity. Now you can spot a diverse range of remote workers, friends, nostalgic students and business people ordering from the quirky menu. Join them on the sunny, north-facing balcony over Lynnwood Road.

 

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Centurion

There is also a lively and well-supported pub lunch culture in Centurion. Everyone is able to find their local with the right combination of service, friendliness and excellent pub fare. Centurion is not a mere “dormitory town”; it has grown into a melting pot of ambitious young people and stable, suburban households with disposable income and an appetite for new dining experiences. Here is a bonus list of “Pub Lunch Champions” in the vibrant and growing Centurion area.

Ridgeback Village Restaurant

Friendly welcome. Ample outdoor seating. Great pub grub.

Bosvelder Pub & Restaurant

The music and ambiance will make you feel like a local at the Bosvelder.

Hogshead Centurion

This pub offers the best of traditional pub lunches in a very unassuming setting. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

 

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Crawdaddy’s

This well-reputed group has made in-roads into the heart of Centurion. Sunday lunches are popular, but the weekday pub lunches are equally delicious.

Pepper Chair Restaurant

Those who know this gem, swear by it. Pepper Chair has created a loyal following.

Little Britain Pub

Union Jacks and Brit-themed brick-a-brac adorn this red brick eatery. The owners have attempted to recreate a proper British pub, with the pub lunch menu reflecting this too.