Cold and hungry? When we’re looking for a meal that reminds us of our childhood or to feel at ease while still having great but inexpensive fare, we order takeout or delivery from one of our stomping grounds for comfort food in Joburg. From bowls of hot noodle broth to stodgy, cheesy plates of goodness, these are our top five picks to ease the misery of winter in the City of Gold.
Settebello
Italian restaurants are in no short supply in Joburg. From rustic to contemporary flavours, if you’re craving wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas, we’ve covered good ground on that. But there’s also more to the Italian dining scene than you might give Jozi credit for, including Settebello at the Italian Club. Kick off your meal with their signature Neapolitan-style margherita pizza: Topped with a simple tomato sauce, fior di latte and fresh basil, it has a thin, soft crust that’s bubbled up and charred in spots. The Calabrese (spicy calabrese salami, red onion and olives), Prosciutto & Funghi (cooked ham and mushrooms) and Pancetta & Carciofi (pancetta and artichokes) pizzas are not to be missed too. For mains, we highly recommend the moist, juicy, beautifully browned Pollo Bello baby chicken grilled in a spicy sauce that adds wonderful flavours. The aroma wafting through the air will have your mouth salivating and make you just want to dive in! Another winner that’s guaranteed to leave you feeling stuffed is the Spaghetti Gamberi, tossed in a white wine-based sauce before it’s twirled together with prawns, rosa tomatoes and a touch of cream and garlic. For dessert, try the moreish fried cannoli pastry crammed with a creamy, sweet ricotta filling. Simply irresistible!
Place your order: Phone 010 035 5207 or WhatsApp 065 856 3319 for collection or delivery
Italian Club Bedfordview, 7 Marais Road, Bedfordview
Facebook: @settebelloitalianoclub
Instagram: @_settebello_
Hello Tomato
Hundreds of Joburg restaurants serve pizza – so where to start if you want the best? We’ve tried dozens of pizzas at restaurants across the city and Hello Tomato is one of our top picks. Here, they turn their focus to wood-fired pizzas that are soft, bready and yet beautifully spotted and crisp. The hearty cuisine – filled with dishes of pizza, pasta, salads, chicken strips and frozen custard – might not agree with your diet plans, but it’ll certainly keep your tummy happy and cravings satisfied. While you can opt for the ‘Old-Time Favourites’ pizzas, the ‘All Out Hello Tomato’ creations are topped with premium ingredients, such as the Hot Sriracha topped with spicy Asian sriracha chicken, onion, peppadews, pineapple and fresh coriander, or the Holy Shiitake – exotic mushrooms, sundried tomato, artichoke, olive paste, rocket and balsamic glaze. Besides pizza, we also recommend the juicy Bangcock Strips – chicken strips coated in Asian panko crumb and sesame seeds – that reheat well in the oven, alongside plates of handmade pasta tossed with creamy pesto and gnocchi baked with lamb and rosemary chipolata sausages. When you’re in the mood for some indulgence, order the Peppermint Crisp Pud with vanilla custard, tennis biscuits, caramel, Peppermint Crisp and dessert cream for an after-dinner treat.
Place your order: Phone 011 463 0984/1563 for Bryanston, 011 517 2400/2401 for Mall of Africa, 010 020 6850/6851 for Kyalami Corner or 010 020 8581/2 for Melrose Arch for collection or delivery
Riverside Shopping Centre, corner of Bryanston Drive & The River Road, Bryanston
Mall of Africa, Magwa Crescent, Midrand
Kyalami Corner, corner of Main Road & Pitts Avenue, Kyalami
Melrose Arch, Crescent Drive, Melrose North
Facebook: @hellotomatosa
Twitter: @hellotomato_sa
Instagram: @hellotomato_sa
Hashi
Fusion sushi and seafood restaurant, Hashi’s clever take on Japanese comfort food has us craving dishes beyond standard sushi. You don’t have to look far (or fork out much) for a coveted, comforting dish on its takeout and delivery menu: Whether you’re seeking out slurpable bowls of noodles or modern, fusion versions, the options are aplenty. We recommend starting with the steamed Shumai Dumplings. These little, tasty parcels are handmade, and the filling features plenty of fragrant pork, shrimp and vegetables. Or, the Sushi Pizza – a crunchy rice base topped with thin slices of salmon and avocado, drizzled with spicy and Hashi sauce. It’s fusion food at its finest! For mains, the Japanese udon noodles stir-fried with prawns and vegetables is the noodle bowl to which you’ll forever compare all others, much to your chagrin. The Yakisoba Ramen is another bowl worth slurping: Thick udon noodles sit in a rich noodle soup with shrimp, tofu and vegetables. Add an order of crispy Japanese-inspired banana tempura that’s delicious served piping hot, or deep-fried ice cream with ice cream melting inside a crisp biscuit shell for a sensational finale to your meal.
Place your order: Phone 011 888 0330 for collection or delivery (note that delivery is only available for Linden residents)
32 7th Street, Linden
Facebook: @hashifusionsushi
Instagram: @hashijhb
Ocean Basket
There’s a reason we’re shining a spotlight on Ocean Basket: It’s unfussy, accessible, great value for money and, most importantly, consistently tasty. This restaurant chain looks to the sea for its culinary inspiration, so expect a takeout and delivery menu teeming with seafood classics. For starters, our top tip is to order a few dishes to share – the melt-in-your-mouth salmon and avocado rainbow rolls, the tender Firecracker Squid in a crisp crust with a touch of chilli as well as the fresh prawn tails coated in panko breadcrumbs for that extra crunchy texture. Besides the typical platters, on the sumptuous seahouse-style menu you’ll find hake, kingklip, sole, salmon, prawns, calamari and calamari steak for mains. We highly recommend the Prawns & Calamari Combo consisting of six succulent, zesty prince prawns and calamari (your choice of grilled or fried) cooked just right in a silky lemon butter sauce. Otherwise, try the Platter for 1 with three mussels, six prince prawns, fish, calamari and calamari heads. Alongside this are dessert options such as baked baklava cheesecake topped with a honey nut syrup and rich Belgian chocolate lava cake with a soft centre to complete the seaside adventure.
Place your order: Phone your nearest restaurant or use the new Ocean Basket app for collection, or order via UberEats and Mr D Food for delivery
The following restaurants are currently open in Gauteng: Bronkhorstspruit, Mall@Reds, Rosebank, Morning View, Emmarentia, Brentwood Park, Hatfield, Kyalami Corner, Melrose Arch, Sunward Park, The Grove, Wonderboom, Platinum Square, Blue Hills, Oakfields, Highveld Mall, Rivonia Village, Sandton, Kempton Park, Mall of the North, Woodlands, Nina Park, Northriding, Ferndale, Grey Owl, Springs Gate, Killarney, Bedford Village, Boksburg K90, Eldoraigne, Lemon Tree, Stoneridge, Waverley, Brooklyn, Irene and Atterbury.
Facebook: @daoceanbasket
Twitter: @theoceanbasket
Instagram: @ocean_basket
Mangia Mangia
You’d be excused for not having ever heard of Mangia Mangia. Since lockdown, they’ve been offering a DIY pizza kit delivery service and have managed to garner themselves a pretty decent reputation throughout Joburg. For R160, you can feed yourself and your partner and teach your better half (or yourself) how to make a simple Neapolitan style pizza with this kit that includes two portions of dough, tomato base, fior di latte mozzarella, basil and rocket. Extra meat toppings like prosciutto and salami cost R55 each, and so does extra cheese such as provolone and gorgonzola. We recommend ordering the standard pizza kit – just make sure you order by 10h00 for next-day delivery. The kit includes easy instructions, which take you through how to push and stretch out the dough as well as how to cook the pizza. You’ll be slightly obsessed with the pizza that comes out the oven with a charred, chewy, bubbly crust! For an extra 70 bucks, you can add on a DIY dessert pizza kit, including two portions of dough and chocolate spread plus two toppings (Smarties, marshmallows and Rice Krispies). This kit makes a completely epic dessert pizza – it’s a chocolate lover’s dream come true!
Place your order: WhatsApp 072 410 1361 or email mangia.mangiajozi@gmail.com for delivery
Instagram: @mangia.mangia_jozi
Caffeine & Cashmere 