Johannesburg is a massive city where different cultures come together, and you can taste that mix on every single plate. We have everything from casual spots with great music to beautiful places for a special night out.
If you are trying to find a great place to eat with the outies or want to take your family somewhere nice, the choice can be a bit overwhelming. You do not want to spend your hard-earned money on bad food. Whether you live in Jozi or you are just visiting the City of Gold, here is a simple list of top-class restaurants that serve delicious food and offer a great local vibe.

Great African Food & Local Flavors

You cannot say you know Johannesburg until you try our modern African food. These spots take local ingredients we all love and turn them into something truly special.

Epicure Restaurant

If you want a beautiful meal that brings together flavors from all over Africa, this is the place to go. The restaurant looks amazing with comfortable seats and a lovely outside deck that is perfect for a warm Jozi evening. The chef blends tastes from West Africa, East Africa, and South Africa to make unique, high-quality dishes.
It is a very smooth and fancy place to eat, making it perfect for a big family celebration or a special lunch. Security is excellent because the restaurant has its own safe underground parking lot with guards on duty.

The Unique Factor: They serve a massive variety of traditional dishes from different parts of Africa all under one roof, completely changing how people think about African heritage food.
Booking Advice: You definitely need to book a table a few days before you go, especially for weekend dinner spots.

Top Menu Picks: You have to try the slow-cooked Moroccan lamb shank which falls right off the bone, or their famous West African peanut-based chicken stew served with sweet plantains.

Location: Central Rosebank & Cradock AveMorningside, Sandton, 2196.
Operating Hours: Open every day from Monday to Sunday between 11:00 AM and 11:00 PM.

Delicious Mediterranean & Portuguese Food

People in Jozi love long, slow lunches that last until sunset. These places serve fresh, bright food that makes you feel like you are on holiday.

Troyeville Hotel Restaurant

This is a legendary spot that has been feeding hungry locals for many years. It sits on the edge of the inner city and has a rooftop area where you can see the famous Ponte Tower and the city buildings. The decorations are very simple because the restaurant focuses completely on serving huge portions of great food.
They are famous for cooking the best Portuguese food in town. It is very safe with a gated parking lot and security guards, making it a top choice for a Saturday lunch with friends.

The Unique Factor: It offers an unchanged, old-school Portuguese hotel vibe mixed with a legendary, up-close view of the downtown Jozi skyline.
Booking Advice: You can usually walk in during the week, but you must call to reserve a table on Saturdays when the big sports matches are playing.
Top Menu Picks: The absolute crowd-pleaser here is the giant plate of spicy peri-peri prawns served with white rice, or the garlicky beef trinchado with plenty of bread to dip in the sauce.

Location: 140 Albertina Sisulu Road, Troyeville, Johannesburg, 2094.
Operating Hours: Open every day from Monday to Sunday between 11:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

Saint Restaurant

If you want to dress up and see the lively side of Sandton, this is the place to be. The restaurant is massive and looks incredible with huge pillars and big open kitchens where you can watch the chefs work. The atmosphere is loud, fun, and very stylish.
They serve excellent Italian food, including authentic pizzas and handmade pasta with rich sauces. It is the best place for a romantic date night or a fun cocktail evening. They have safe valet parking where a driver parks your car inside a heavily secured building.

The Unique Factor: The walls feature massive, high-tech moving art projections that change throughout the night, making the whole room feel like a live theater show.
Booking Advice: This is one of the most popular spots in Sandton. You absolutely must book at least a week in advance for weekend dinners.

Top Menu Picks: Order the authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pizza topped with spicy salami and hot honey, or their rich, creamy truffle mushroom tagliatelle pasta.

Location: The Marc, 129 Rivonia Road, Sandown, Sandton, 2196.
Operating Hours: Open every day from Monday to Sunday between 12:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

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Excellent Steaks & Grills

​Johannesburg loves meat, and a great steak is part of our local culture. The spots know exactly how to grill beef to perfection.

​Marble Restaurant

​Perched high up in Rosebank, Marble is all about the traditional South African braai but in a luxury setting. The center of the restaurant has a massive wood-fired grill, and the giant glass windows give you a perfect view of the Jozi sunset.

​The Unique Factor: Every single thing on the food menu is cooked using open wood fires and charcoal coals, right down to the desserts and cocktail ingredients.

​Booking Advice: Getting a weekend table here can take weeks. You must book well in advance online before you plan to visit.

​Top Menu Picks: You cannot go wrong with the premium ribeye steak cooked on the open fire, or the flame-grilled linefish served with a light lemon and herb butter sauce.

​Website: marble.restaurant

​Location: 3rd Floor, Trumpet on Keyes, 19 Keyes Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196.

​Operating Hours: Open every day from Monday to Sunday between 12:00 PM and 10:00 PM.

4 More Popular Spots You Cannot Miss

To give you even more choices, here are four incredibly popular Johannesburg restaurants that local foodies talk about all the time.

Chief’s Boma Restaurant

If you want a giant, fun feast that celebrates traditional African dining, this massive restaurant in Fourways is perfect. It is set in a beautiful African-themed lodge surrounded by trees. They serve a giant buffet with over 100 different dishes, and you eat your meal while listening to live local music around a roaring open fire pit.

The Unique Factor: They have a dedicated “Game Meat” station where you can try rare local venison and wild game meats braaied right in front of you.
Booking Advice: It gets incredibly packed with big tourist groups and birthday parties, so you must book your table beforehand.
Top Menu Picks: Fill your plate with the traditional wild kudu potjiekos stew, sample the grilled impala steaks, and finish with sweet, hot malva pudding and custard.

Location: Indaba Hotel, Corner of William Nicol Drive and Pieter Wenning Road, Fourways, Johannesburg, 2055.
Operating Hours: Open daily from Monday to Sunday between 12:00 PM and 10:00 PM.

The Grillhouse Rosebank

This is one of the most famous and trusted steakhouses in the entire country. It has been running since the 1990s and features a classic, cozy look with dark brick walls, deep leather booths, and private wine cellar rooms. The service here is exceptionally fast and professional, making it a favorite for business people and families alike.
The Unique Factor: It has a highly famous attached jazz bar called Katzy’s where you can walk right in after your steak to watch live local bands play.
Booking Advice: It is highly popular for dinner every night of the week, so making a booking a few days early is essential.
Top Menu Picks: Their absolute signature dish is the slow-roasted prime rib of beef, which is cooked for hours and served with their secret-recipe mustard sauce.

Website: thegrillhouse.co.za
Location: 1, The Firs, Hyatt Centre, Oxford Road, Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196.
Operating Hours: Open every day from Monday to Sunday between 12:00 PM and 10:00 PM.

Rockets Parkhurst

If you want to experience the energetic, trendy lifestyle of Jozi’s northern suburbs, head over to 4th Avenue in Parkhurst. Rockets is a massive three-story venue that blends a beautiful restaurant with a stylish rooftop cocktail bar and a late-night music lounge. The vibe is always loud, upbeat, and very fashionable.
The Unique Factor: The building shifts from a sunny afternoon lunch cafe into a high-energy dance venue with top local DJs as soon as the sun goes down.
Booking Advice: Friday nights and Sunday afternoons are always packed to the door. You definitely need to book a spot online beforehand.
Top Menu Picks: Try their famous crispy chicken and bacon wood-fired pizza with avocado, or the deep-fried panko-crusted chicken breasts stuffed with feta cheese.
Website: rocketslife.tv
Location: 84 4th Avenue, Parkhurst, Johannesburg, 2193.
Operating Hours: Open daily from Monday to Sunday between 11:00 AM and 02:00 AM.

Café del Sol Classico

For a quiet, exceptionally high-quality family meal, this award-winning Italian spot in Olivedale is a true neighborhood treasure. Run by a passionate local family, the atmosphere inside is incredibly warm, cozy, and filled with soft, comforting colors. They focus heavily on using traditional Italian family recipes passed down through generations.
The Unique Factor: They make all of their pasta entirely by hand from scratch every single morning, giving the food a completely authentic texture.
Booking Advice: Because the dining room is small and intimate, you absolutely must book your table a few days before you plan to go.
Top Menu Picks: You have to order their legendary creamy squid head risotto, or the slow-braised beef ragu pasta that cooks for over eight hours in a rich tomato sauce.

Website: cafedelsol.co.za
Location: Olivedale Corner Shopping Centre, Corner of President Fouche Drive and Olive Road, Olivedale, Randburg, 2158.
Operating Hours: Open from Tuesday to Saturday between 12:00 PM and 10:00 PM, and Sundays between 12:00 PM and 04:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.

Simple Tips for Eating Out in Jozi

To make sure your food journey goes smoothly, keep a few easy things in mind. These spots are very popular, so it is always best to call ahead and book a table a few days before you go, especially for weekend dinners. When you get your bill, remember to add a tip of 10% to 15% for your waiter to say thank you for their hard work. Do not hesitate to ask your waiter about the daily specials, as the chefs love using fresh ingredients that are in season. Pick a spot from this list, bring your appetite, and enjoy the amazing food Jozi has to offer!

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