Food · Johannesburg · South Africa
What to eat in Johannesburg
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Johannesburg, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mark Hillary, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Braai, Boerewors roll and Pap and chakalaka. At a shisa nyama you choose raw meat at a butchery counter and have it grilled on the spot, then eat it with pap and chakalaka to loud music. Tip about 10–15% in restaurants; service is rarely included except for large groups.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Braai
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tip about 10–15% in restaurants, a small amount to petrol attendants and car guards, and…
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Braai
South Africa's barbecue, cooked over wood or charcoal: boerewors sausage, lamb chops, sosaties (kebabs) and steak, with pap, salads and garlic bread. A braai is a social event as much as a meal.
Where: Steakhouses and shisa nyama butcheries; Heritage Day (24 September) is informally called National Braai Day.
Street food
2.Boerewors roll
A coil of spiced beef-and-pork farmer's sausage grilled and served in a soft roll with tomato-and-onion relish. It is the classic snack at markets, rugby matches and school fêtes.
Where: Weekend markets such as the Rosebank Sunday Market, and stadium and roadside stalls.
Dish · Vegetarian
3.Pap and chakalaka (Pap)
Pap is maize-meal porridge, cooked stiff or crumbly, and chakalaka is a spicy relish of beans, carrots, peppers and chilli. Together they are the standard side to grilled meat.
Where: Shisa nyama spots in Soweto, township restaurants on Vilakazi Street and most braai menus.
Street food
4.Kota (Kota / spatlo)
A Johannesburg township favourite: a quarter loaf of white bread hollowed out and stuffed with chips, polony, Russian sausage, cheese, atchar and sometimes an egg. Cheap, heavy and filling.
Where: Takeaway counters in Soweto and across the city's townships; ask your guide for a favourite.
Street food
5.Bunny chow
A hollowed-out quarter or half loaf filled with curry, created by Durban's Indian community and eaten with your hands. Mutton, chicken and bean versions are common.
Where: Indian restaurants in Fordsburg and curry houses across the city.
Snack
6.Biltong and droëwors
Air-dried spiced meat, usually beef, sliced thin or sold in sticks; droëwors is the dried-sausage version. It is South Africa's ubiquitous road-trip snack.
Where: Butcheries and dedicated biltong shops in malls; supermarkets sell vacuum-packed versions.
Bakery · Vegetarian
7.Vetkoek (Amagwinya)
Deep-fried dough balls split open and filled with savoury curried mince or simply jam and cheese. Known as amagwinya in the townships, where they are a breakfast staple.
Where: Township street vendors in the morning and some market stalls and cafés.
Dish
8.Bobotie
A Cape Malay dish of curried minced meat with raisins and chutney, baked under an egg custard topping and served with yellow rice.
Where: South African restaurants in Rosebank, Parkhurst and Melville, and hotel buffets.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Malva pudding
A spongy baked pudding made with apricot jam and soaked in a hot cream-and-butter sauce, served with custard or ice cream.
Where: Dessert menus at South African restaurants and steakhouses.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Koeksisters
Plaited dough fried and plunged into ice-cold syrup so it stays crisp outside and sticky inside. The Cape Malay koesister is a softer, spiced version rolled in coconut.
Where: Bakeries, home-industry shops and weekend markets.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Rooibos tea
A caffeine-free red tea from a shrub that grows only in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape, drunk plain or with milk and honey.
Where: Every café and supermarket; cafés also serve rooibos lattes and espresso-style 'red cappuccinos'.
Food experiences
Shisa nyama in Soweto
At a shisa nyama you choose raw meat at a butchery counter and have it grilled on the spot, then eat it with pap and chakalaka to loud music. Weekend afternoons are the liveliest; go with a local guide or host.
Weekend food markets
Saturday markets in Braamfontein and the Rosebank Sunday Market on the Mall of Rosebank rooftop combine street food, craft beer and local designers.
4th Avenue, Parkhurst
One street of independent restaurants, from bistros to pizza and tapas, with pavement tables under the trees; ideal for a relaxed dinner.
Fordsburg curry and spice shops
The long-established Indian community around Fordsburg and the Oriental Plaza sells spices and serves curries, samoosas and bunny chow.
Quick bites and street food
- Boerewors roll — Weekend markets such as the Rosebank Sunday Market, and stadium and roadside stalls.
- Kota — Takeaway counters in Soweto and across the city's townships; ask your guide for a favourite.
- Bunny chow — Indian restaurants in Fordsburg and curry houses across the city.
- Biltong and droëwors — Butcheries and dedicated biltong shops in malls; supermarkets sell vacuum-packed versions.
- Vetkoek — Township street vendors in the morning and some market stalls and cafés.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Pap and chakalaka, Vetkoek, Malva pudding, Koeksisters and Rooibos tea. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Tip about 10–15% in restaurants; service is rarely included except for large groups.
- Steakhouses and South African restaurants serve generous portions; sharing starters is common.
- Book dinner on Friday and Saturday nights at popular spots in Parkhurst, Rosebank and Melrose Arch.
- Card payments, including tap-to-pay, are accepted almost everywhere, from restaurants to market stalls.
- Order local: South African wines and craft beers are good value compared with imported drinks.
Tipping
Tip about 10–15% in restaurants, a small amount to petrol attendants and car guards, and round up for ride-hailing drivers. Tour guides and game rangers are usually tipped at the end of a tour.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sawubona | Hello (isiZulu) |
| Dumela | Hello (Sesotho) |
| Ngiyabonga | Thank you (isiZulu) |
| Howzit | Hi, how are you? (South African English) |
| Lekker | Nice, good, tasty |
| Robot | Traffic light |
| Just now | Some time soon, not necessarily immediately |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Johannesburg famous for?
Braai, Boerewors roll, Pap and chakalaka and Kota. South Africa's barbecue, cooked over wood or charcoal: boerewors sausage, lamb chops, sosaties (kebabs) and steak, with pap, salads and garlic bread.
+Is Johannesburg good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Pap and chakalaka, Vetkoek and Malva pudding.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Johannesburg?
Tip about 10–15% in restaurants, a small amount to petrol attendants and car guards, and round up for ride-hailing drivers. Tour guides and game rangers are usually tipped at the end of a tour.