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From the brightly lit buzz of the city’s nightlife to laid-back, golden afternoons, Johannesburg has got it all. Chosen by our team of 50 panellists for the 2014 Eat Out magazine, we bring you the best restaurants in the city of gold in each category. From spicy curries to classic steaks and Asian broths, these restaurants will give you a treat to remember.
African
A taste of Cape-Malay food unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere in Johannesburg.
The Americas
Great burgers and fun topless waiters with a side of glitz and glam.
Traditional and Americanised Mexican dishes in a quirky, vibey setting.
The burgers are mammoth so come hungry.
Order a steak or the ostrich burger on a pre-theatre outing.
A hip neighbourhood diner with toasted mac ‘n cheese and craft beer.
Asian
Chinese Northern Foods Restaurant
A favourite for mid-week dinner.
The menu showcases the subtle complexity of foods from Thailand and China.
Contemporary Asian cuisine in a vibey setting.
Good for a rollicking and noisy Friday or Saturday night.
Lai Lai Garden
New Asian offerings sit alongside classic Cantonese dishes on the menu.
Excellent Chinese food at great prices without the frills.
Cool, contemporary Asian food at one of the city’s most fashionable addresses.
Tasty, simple food in the heart of new-generation Braamfontein.
A neighbourhood favourite for mid-week dinner.
Superb Asian flavours.
One of the best spots for traditional dim sum, served with green tea.
Outstanding sushi.
Bistro
Order from the black board menu with dishes like plump oysters and pan-seared salmon.
A menu that celebrates produce and passion for great food.
A great little spot with attentive young owners and great staff.
A reliable restaurant that serves quality ingredients, with good service and a great atmosphere.
An amazing brunch venue, especially on the weekend.
Play with the menu so your dinner part tastes different dishes.
Their loyal clientele is evidence of consistency.
Clever and consistently good food.
As the name suggests, their baked goods are heavenly.
The interesting menu keeps evolving.
The small menu is complemented by daily specials.
A fabulous atmosphere and classics with a twist.
Cafés
The food is prepared with flair and beautifully presented.
They serve simple but beautifully presented Mediterranean dishes and great pizza.
Pizza and a great variety of craft beer.
The menu is very exclusive and they boast an impressive wine list.
Sidewalk snacks like crazy good pregos served with crispy fries to mop up the goodness and beef trinchado.
Enjoy a variety craft beer with charcuterie, sourdough pizza or pork belly on cannellini mash.
Love Food Kitchen Café and Deli
The daily ‘graze-table’ caters to a mix of university students and office workers.
Small-town country ambience in the heart of Sandton.
Lovely baked items are complemented by a creative menu.
This tiny coffee bar has great breakfasts and sandwiches.
Drink bubbly and nibble on a frittata or gourmet French Toast.
Good food for a young, vibey crowd that likes to be seen.
Good-looking patrons, hustling service and delicious food.
Excellent coffees and unique juice specials.
A simple sandwich/art/coffee bar that feeds the district’s students, creative industries and legal fraternity.
A favourite of every journalist in Joburg.
A trendy coffee shop with impeccable foods and service.
Fine Dining
Their set menus include spectacular soups and innovative starters.
The tasting gives you comprehensive understanding of chef-patron, Marthinus Ferreira’s love for good food.
The best fine dining in Joburg.
Indian
A friendly dining hall perfect for a quick meal with a friend.
A superb dining experience, with a menu populated by more than 20 tandoori options.
Ghazal North Indian Restaurant
The flavours are light years of ubiquitous Durban curry.
Some of the best vegetarian curries in Joburg.
Spiceburg serves fare from India’s southerly provinces as well as the more common north Indian dishes.
A favourite with Indian groups – proof of its quality and authenticity.
Italian
Pizzas have wood-fired bases, Napolitana sauce and not too much cheese.
The spacious and very Mediterranean venue with blow-your-socks-off food.
It’s a charming, idiosyncratic place usually crammed with arty types.
A classic Italian eatery that operates by its own rules and serves delicious seasonal dishes and old favourites.
The menu never changes; and neither does the top quality and service.
An elegant hotel eatery run by the international brand that combines the unlikely cuisine of Japan and Italy.
Sensational food served in an unpretentious, modern setting.
This restaurant maintains a lovely country feeling with great traditional Italian food.
Great for a night out with friends.
The menu you know and love.
A quirky, intimate spot.
Da Graziella Pizzeria and Trattoria
Try the pasta carrettiera and any of the meat dishes.
Franco’s Pizzeria and Trattoria
Order the potato and parmesan pizza; spaghetti puttanesca; or Franco’s salads with his killer secret dressing.
Relax under the trees with the kids at this country-style retreat in the city.
Il Tartufo Ristorante Italiano
Slightly old-school, classic décor adds to the authenticity of the menu.
The place is always packed and the food impeccable.
Sit on the veranda with a group to sip wine and while the afternoon away.
The balcony ‘sky’ makes it good for a date.
A huge, Tuscan-inspired menu features calzone, pizza and plenty of veal dishes.
A local favourite that offer a respite from mall dining.
Authentic Italian cuisine served with flair.
Pizza in three sizes and attempting antipasti selection makes ordering a treat.
A neat menu of eat in or take out pizza done in a traditional wood-fired oven.
Always busy and buzzing with a menu inspired by regular ‘mood trips’ to Italy.
A great Portuguese restaurant with a lovely view of the shimmering Westdene Dam.
A buzzing, perfect night out with friends or day with the family.
Tuesdays still feature the amazing banquet of Italian foods to fill takeaway boxes.
A small menu, comfy décor and the thinnest pizza crusts with varied and unusual pizza toppings.
A comfortable space featuring a giant pizza oven.
A great setting on a weekend morning.
Mediterranean
Consistently good food in a vibrant atmosphere overlooking Melrose Arch’s central piazza.
Greek specialities like meze platters, fish dishes, garlicky roasts and filled pitas will satisfy your cravings.
The main course menu is a delightful medley of Greek favourites like moussaka, souvlaki, kleftico, calamari and prawns.
Middle Eastern
The menu covers a wide range of dishes packed with flavour, but go for tabbouleh, anything with hummus and the raw or fried kibbeh.
An owner-run café with an interesting selection of Middle Eastern breakfast dishes and American classics.
Modern
Food here is relatively simple, well-prepared and tasty.
Urban and chic with Afro-Cuban music.
Central One Bar and Restaurant
Go for steak and cocktails.
The textures are incredible; the flavours are an education.
A great spot to indulge in a quiet coffee, lunch from the blackboard menu and a fresh pastry.
A fantastic eatery with a young, trendy vibe.
The place to go for after-work drinks and a bite of tapas with flair.
A great South African version of the English gastro-pub, with hearty food.
Sip a glass of wine and behold the stunning view of the city skyline.
An elegant eating experience, but not too stuffy and formal.
Brilliant service and good food on the seasonal menus.
Expect good quality food and wine in a friendly environment with state-of-the-art décor.
A compact menu offers enough options for everybody’s tastes, including soups, fishcakes, grills and sandwiches.
A good spot for business meetings.
You can’t fault the fresh, French-style food or the service.
Great for breakfast, brunch and lunch.
Portuguese
An authentic Madeiran experience.
Expect consistently tasty and fresh food at affordable prices.
An historic bar known for its hearty, saucy, Portuguese pub food.
The usual Mozambican and Portuguese fare, with excellent flavours.
Seafood
Small and buzzy with a revolving sushi belt with an unusual selection of sushi flavour combos to choose from.
Steakhouses
Great food, service and atmosphere and an impressive wine collection.
An institution in Sandton Square with some of the best aged meat around.
Beautiful cuts are aged, meticulously care and grilled to perfection.
The focus is on fine South African ingredients like West Coast mussels and grass-fed beef from KwaZulu-Natal prepared with distinctive African flair.
They specialise in steaks and have sides like edarmame beans and courgette chips.
Thunder Gun Steakhouse and Pub
The old-school menu honours steakhouse classics.
The quality meat speaks for itself.
A good classic never dates.
Meat lovers have a choice between 11 cuts of meat, chargrilled to perfection.
Heading to Cape Town? Check out our best of Cape Town guide.
Pictured (from top): Clico Boutique Hotel, Walnut Grove, Café Del Sol, Le Canard, tashas le parc, Turn n Tender, Bellagio, Possum’s Bistro, District Six Eatery, DW Eleven-13, The Red Chamber, Bice Ristorante and Mastrantonio.
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