Joburg is full of restaurants serving food so good that it brings tears to our eyes. Just when you feel like you’ve ordered the best takeout and delivery the city has to offer, a whole new crop of restaurants join in, with incredible flavour combinations that taste like the actual future and an even bigger and better checklist to eat through. Here are five fantastic restaurants to add to your lockdown bucket list. There’s never been a better time to leave the cooking to the pros!
FireRoom
Still one of Joburg’s most buzzed-about restaurants, FireRoom just leveled up with delivery. We’d describe the delivery menu as avant-garde and innovative with a focus on quality and seasonal produce.
The must-try sushi goes way beyond the usual suspects with its selection of sashimi, nigiri, dragon rolls and tiger rolls, including some meat-based items for distraction. Elegantly presented signature sushi is a highlight of the sushi menu: We recommend splashing out on the Fire Roll (crispy California rolls filled with salmon, jalapeño and cream cheese, dressed with kewpie mayo and yakitori) and the Springbok Roses (springbok carpaccio rolled with rice, topped with kewpie mayo, balsamic reduction, grapes, strawberries, camembert and sliced rocket). Although the fish is top-drawer, veggie combos are an unlikely standout here – don’t miss the crispy Halloumi Crunch filled with halloumi and cream cheese and drizzled with ‘fantasy’ sauce.
If you fancy something other than raw fish for dinner, you’re in luck: The menu also features a range of meat, chicken and fish dishes as well as salads, soups, dim sum and stir-fry. For a warm bowl of comfort, start with the seriously good potato and leek soup served with croutons. For mains, the famous fillet on the bone served with chips is a treat. Pepper crusted then flamed in the FireRoom kitchen, the meat is so tender you can slice it with a butter knife. If you’re looking to make it a date night, even with yourself, order the smash burger stacked high with two pure beef patties, melted cheddar, bacon, caramelised onion and paprika mayo on a homemade bun, or the seared Scottish salmon served with yakitori sauce that truly melts in your mouth as well. Add on a side of spinach and cream cheese dim sum and finish hard with an order of beautiful, refreshing strawberry salad tossed with avocado and toasted. pine nuts.
Place your order: FireRoom is cooking from a kitchen in Fourways, Bedfordview and Kempton Park. To order for delivery in Fourways and surrounds, phone 011 465 0587 or 010 020 5372, or WhatsApp 060 413 9702. To order for delivery in Bedfordview and surrounds, phone 011 450 1440 or WhatsApp 087 135 2390. To order for delivery in Kempton Park and surrounds, phone 087 135 2390 or WhatsApp 072 823 2162. You can also order via FireRoom’s website.
107 Leslie Avenue, Fourways
Village View Shopping Centre, corner of Van Buuren & Kloof Roads, Bedfordview
Villa Bianca, 13 Brabazon Road, Croydon, Kempton Park
Facebook: @fireroommonte @fireroombedford
Twitter: @fireroomsa
Instagram: @fireroomsa
Moda’ Ristorante
This honest-to-goodness Italian is just about the most perfect local restaurant you can imagine. Offering a concise, market-led menu and brilliant value despite its sky-high quality, there’s something to suit every occasion at Moda’ Ristorante – from some of the best pizza in Joburg to heaping portions of fork-twirling pasta. For starters, we recommend the paper-thin beef tenderloin carpaccio garnished with balsamic vinegar, rocket salad and shaved Parmesan, or the Falklands calamari and zucchini that’s deep fried until golden brown. Whatever you choose, make sure you leave room for the carbs to come. For mains, we’ve yet to go wrong with the simple, thin-crust pizzas and classic red-sauce fare. The crisp yet pliable Pizza Moda’, topped with rocket salad, sliced Grana Padano and Parma ham, has a delicate char and a small ring of crackerlike crust around the edges. Pasta fans will battle to choose between the vegetarian lasagna with asparagus and brie and the carbonara with spaghetti and pancetta – a plate of heavenly, silky pasta that boasts a delicate, egg yolk spiked sauce and a gooey patchwork of fresh pecorino. The enticing all-Italian desserts also make an impact: Try the fluffy homemade dark chocolate mousse with almondy, slightly chewy amaretti biscuits.
Place your order: Phone 063 701 5652 or 082 627 9804, or order via UberEats and Mr D Food
339 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall
Facebook: @modaristorante
Instagram: @modaristorante
Roll With It
When it’s time for food that’s refreshing, cool and full of flavour, there’s one thing comes to mind immediately for us, and that’s sushi. This sushi delivery service allows you to experience the different flavours of the Japanese raw fish delicacy without having to shell out for a plane ticket to the country. Delicious and reasonably priced, the generous portions have already turned Roll With It into a no-frills local favourite. From adventurous sushi offerings such as new style sashimi and the Train Wreck Roll, to expertly done classics including maki, California rolls, fashion sandwiches, you name it – you can enjoy it all. We highly recommend the Rock Shrimp Tempura Roll topped with rock shrimp tempura smothered in creamy mayo as well as the Fully Loaded Roses – rice and avocado rounded with salmon, topped with spicy mayo, avo blend, teriyaki sauce and crunchy tempura crumbs. And don’t miss the Brûléed Nigiri held together by succulent fatty tuna and finished with burnt mayo, which is made to be consumed within seconds of it appearing before you. It’s worth ordering some classic sushi as well; the crab maki, smoked salmon and cream cheese California rolls, prawn fashion sandwiches and rainbow rolls are particularly good.
Place your order: Phone or WhatsApp 072 857 1797 or 072 629 9206
Instagram: @rollwithit.jhb
Doppio Zero Greenside
What’s not to love about the holy trinity of Mediterranean cuisine AKA bread, olive oil and wine? At Doppio Zero Greenside, there’s more to this comforting coastal fare than falafels and hummus. Straightforwardly split into mains, pastas, wood-fired pizzas, burgers, salads and bowls, vegan eats, soups and kiddies’ meals, the special reduced menu will transport you to the home of sun and sea. The hearty minestrone soup is some of the freshest and best we’ve had in a long time, with a healthy dose of fresh vegetables satisfying our taste buds. The aglio e olio alla greca pasta is alla greca pasta, in that, halloumi pasta is always good. What we really appreciate is the expert charring that brings out the full buttery, salty flavour of the cheese without making it too rubbery. Tossed with olive oil, garlic, cherry tomatoes, basil and Parmesan, it has a toothsome texture and delivers a satisfying chew factor. The Doppio Burger, a jaw-testing creation topped with mature cheddar and streaky bacon, is also on point. For a fresh change from your regular sushi order, try the salmon poke bowl featuring quivering cubes of ginger and chilli cured Norwegian salmon, black rice, avocado, julienne cucumber and carrot, pickled ginger and edamame beans. A thumbs up all round from wallets and stomachs alike!
Place your order: WhatsApp 065 702 4292
Corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue & Gleneagles Road, Greenside
Facebook: @doppiozerosa
Twitter: @doppiozerosa
Instagram: @doppiozerosa
Farina Caffè e Cucina
From Instagrammable flat whites to fresh pasta and pizza plus classic Italian panini as fine as in Naples, we’re enjoying something of a love affair with Farina Caffè e Cucina. There are few things that make getting out of bed so appealing as one of the masterful joes like the potent espresso made with freshly ground beans from Italy. This café is also gaining a reputation for its superior panini sandwiches by transforming your sad lunchtime snack into the best bit of the day. Heed the advice of the waitstaff and get the winning combination of mortadella and provolone. Or, try other unique items such as the vegan burger with sundried tomato pesto and grilled pickled artichokes, or the homemade lasagna – oven baked layers of pasta with béchamel sauce, bolognese ragu and Parmesan. Don’t expect fine-dining, gourmet-style food, but do enjoy the generous portions. When it comes to the baked goods, don’t count the calories too much. Our top pick is the millionaire’s shortbread; adorable squares of marbled shortbread with a gooey caramel middle and chocolate topping. It’s the ultimate sweet treat. You can also pick up some deli items, including fresh bread, milk, Italian coffee, cold meats, cheeses, Rummo Pasta and more.
Place your order: Phone 010 021 0200
3 5th Street, Linden
Facebook: @farinacaffecucina
Instagram: @farinacaffe
Caffeine & Cashmere 