Delis & Patisserie
Casa De Natas
We are beyond thankful to Casa De Natas for bringing pasteis de nata, iconic Portuguese pastry, to the neighbourhood. After opening in Sandton City, a second branch quickly followed at Rosebank Mall in September 2022. We can’t get enough of these caramelized cups of rich egg custard encased in layers of flaky golden pastry. They’re handmade and baked fresh daily.Cremalat
In March 2022, Italian delicatessen Cremalat opened a new branch at Hyde Park Shopping Centre (next to BP petrol station, and not to be confused with Hyde Park Corner). Their vast selection of local and imported Italian goods ranges from cheese and cold meats to biscuits and rare spices. We highly recommend a sandwich with crusty ciabatta bread and marinated deli vegetables.
Just Teddy
The year welcomed Teddy Zaki’s second Just Teddy branch, in Nelson Mandela Square. The store is inspired by (and delivers) Dubai decadence with a champagne bar, chandeliers, emerald accents and gold trimmings. Just Teddy is well-known for Parisian and Middle Eastern pastries, but we love their wonderfully buttery homemade brioche buns.The Pantry
Late night hotspot The Pantry blew us away with a 24-hour deli, florist, pizzeria, patisserie and coffee shop. We pop in weekly for freshly baked baguettes and the best wood-fired focaccia in Joburg. And every Wednesday fans queue for the week’s designer donut – past favourites include Ferrero Rocher and Lemon Meringue-filled donuts.
Shazmin's Patisserie
In 2022’s year of patisserie, Shazmin’s luxe patisserie stole the show with a fully pink storefront adorned with cherry blossoms, a rosy archway, and pops of hot pink neon signage. Here, even the drinks are pink with cotton candy mocktails and pink hot chocolates. The patisserie (which named itself Jozi’s most instagrammable café) offers a large variety of teas, brunch classics, cakes, macarons, and pastries, which are also available to order through their online shop.Cafés, Bistros & Fine Dining
Mamasamba
Mamasamba was arguably the hottest restaurant of 2022 – you simply couldn’t get a table through December, which is when many new Joburg restaurants try for a "soft" opening. This indoor jungle features plush emerald booths, wall to floor foliage, and a spiral staircase leading to an opulent cocktail bar. The open-plan kitchen shows off Mamasamba’s live-fire cooking, and your must-try dish is slow-cooked lamb birra barbacoa tacos.
Modern Tailors
Another consistently booked-out restaurant in 2022 was the chic Indian restaurant Modern Tailors. Decked out with burnt orange and navy walls, tiger print wallpaper, vibrant pops of colour and texture, and an Indian street food-inspired menu, it’s easy to see how Joburg fell in love. At the Fordsburg Night Market, we love to snack on pani puri (stuffed crispy balls served with a sour tangy ‘pani’ or water) so we were delighted to see a Modern Tailors’ version on the menu.Test Kitchen Carbon
In March 2022, trailblazer Luke Dale Roberts’ brought The Test Kitchen Carbon to Joburg – a reincarnation of his Cape Town original. This is a restaurant that speaks to the same inspirations of exciting, innovative, precise and skilful fine dining of its Cape Town parent, but with new flavours and inventions, in Rosebank's Oxford Parks precinct. Later in the year, they introduced Carbon Sundays with a laidback a la carte ‘tapas’ menu or ‘the best of’ 8-course menu and guest DJs on the decks. Joburg-style dining.
Bars & Wine
Acid Food & Wine
Last year welcomed two new wine bars (Acid and Father’s winebar) featuring ‘natty’ (natural) wines, juicy cinsaults, and cloudy chenins. Acid Wine Bar opened in Parktown North towards the end of 2022. Their carefully curated wine list tries to showcase wines of unusual variety and marginalised producers. Menu highlights include fresh oysters with green nam jim dressing and the creamiest goats cheese and green pea risotto. You'll find a fun crowd hanging out here, and loud tunes.
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