While dining out in Joburg can be expensive, ordering in can get rather pricey too, especially when you take on a delivery fee. So, we’ve rounded up the best deals – available for both takeaway and delivery – that you can get in the City of Gold for under R100. Gather your pennies, hit the streets and bring home a small, affordable piece of indulgence to enjoy. Filling up on the city’s best restaurants needn’t empty your wallet!
Coffee and bagels from Hello Love
After careful deliberation and plenty of schmear, we’ve settled on Hello Love in Waverley as having the best bagels in Joburg. They take these freshly baked beauties and schmear them with cream cheese concoctions, layer them with smoked salmon galore and occasionally throw a poached egg on top. There’s never a day that we don’t want to load up on dozens, especially considering they only cost between R39 and R69 each with a side of homemade potato chips. Hello Love also pumps out caffeine-laden cups like a caffe latte (R30) and flat white (between R25 and R36). There are plenty of specialty drinks too, including a charcoal latte, nut butter cappucinno and ‘Super Latte’ with beetroot, chuga cocoa, matcha, rooibos, sweet potato and turmeric. Or, on the decaf side, there are juices, smoothies, freezos and shakes. If your kids love babyccinos, good news: These frothy, non-caffeine milk drinks are on the house!
Zappion Court, 62 Knox Street, Waverley
065 652 1418
Facebook: @hellolovejoburg
Instagram: @hellolovejoburg
Artisanal pizza from Buonissimo!
When you want to save some dough but going in on pizza delivery to save a buck or two just won’t do, head to Buonissimo! In Modderfontein. The artisanal intent at this traditional Italian eatery is visible in the flour-dashed counter where the pizza dough is punched and stretched, and in the brick oven from which it later emerges crisp and blistered. Affordable highlights include the Siciliana (R71 for medium or R89 for large) topped with slivers of anchovies, capers and black olives; the V-Passion (R75 for medium or R95 for large) with avocado, artichokes, green tabasco and garlic; as well as the Vulcano (R79 for medium or R99 for large) with chewy rounds of spicy salami piccante and chilli. Our top pick, however, is the Mamma (R71 for medium or R89 for large) adorned with milky, elastic fior di latte mozzarella, tomato slices and fresh basil.
Shop 36, Flamingo Shopping Centre, corner of Queens Street & Valley Road, Modderfontein
011 608 3077
Facebook: @pizza.co.za
Instagram: @buonissimopizzadeli
Antojitos and tacos from El Jalapeño
We searched high and low for the best budget-friendly tacos Joburg has to offer and found them at El Jalapeño in Linden. If, like us, you have a soft spot for tacos, you can’t miss the stellar soft corn options here that are served in threes. Nomatter your taste in tacos, there’s an option for you – from the classic Carne with marinated pulled beef (R92) to funky, veggie-filled creations like the Vegeteriano with Quorn chicken-style pieces (R85). And don’t forget the salsa and cream! Tacos remain El Jalapeño’s strong suit, but try the antojitos AKA appetisers too, which are priced between R47 and R92 each. There are tip-top totopos rancheros (nachos) layered with beans, cream guacamole, pico de gallo, melted cheddar and tortilla corn chips; exemplary empanadas stuffed with a special mix of spices, marinated chicken, feta and lettuce; as well as a badass bonatas mixtas tasting platter to share made up of flautas, jalapeño poppers, empanadas, arepitas and chicken wings.
32 7th Street, Linden
011 888 0330
Facebook: @eljalapenojhb
Instagram: @eljalapenojhb
Burgers and woodfired chicken from Harlem Kitchen
The patty malt burgers are the signature offerings at Harlem Kitchen in Craighall Park and Fourways, but the vegan burger (R85) is where we put our money. In the face of tech-backed meat alternatives, made-from-scratch veggie burgers dying, but at this fast-casual eatery a new plant-based burger has entered the scene. The dense patty is topped with your choice of iceberg lettuce, tomato relish, fresh onion, cooked onion and pickles, all sandwiched between soft-textured, flavourful buns. You definitely won’t leave asking, “Where’s the beef?” Harlem Kitchen’s charming, no-frills 180g sirloin burger (R90) is also legendary: It’s caramelised and then cooked in the oven in a delicious sauce and served with a few slices of cheese. This is sloppy eating! For the full experience, stretch your budget slightly and get a side of six woodfired chicken wings (R35) with hints of smokiness permeating through the juicy meat, topped off with the requisite BBQ or spicy sauce.
Corner of Jan Smuts Avenue & Westminster Road, Craighall Park
011 327 6704, 011 327 6175 or 072 895 1206 (WhatsApp)
Fourways Gardens Shopping Centre, Uranium Street, Fourways
011 465 1262 or 081 090 0690 (WhatsApp)
Facebook: @harlemkitchen
Instagram: @harlem_kitchen
Pizza and sushi from Urban Crust
Everyone knows the best food for lazy, stay-in days and also for sharing with friends is pizza and sushi. Urban Crust in Parkwood and Sundowner only use top ingredients – imported Italian olive oil, homemade mozzarella and savourytomato sauce – before slinging pizzas into the woodfired oven. There are many gooey, cheesy medium size pizzas for R100 and under, such as the Streethog (R100) topped with salami, ham, feta and peppadews; the Meltoncrust (R100) with provolone, gorgonzola, mozzarella and brie; and the Haiwaan (R90) with sweet pineapple and country ham. Did you know that Urban Crust is a hidden treasure trove of glorious fresh sushi too? Undeniably popular, one of the best value-for-money items on the sushi menu has got to be the salmon roses, which costs R75 for four pieces. Relax and enjoy every bite of their affordable and delicious sushi whilst not worrying too much about your wallet!
Shop 9, The Parks, corner of Jan Smuts & Wells Avenues, Parkwood
011 447 8002
Shell Garage Sundowner, corner of Taurus Road & Aries Avenue, Sundowner
010 109 8787
Facebook: @urbancrustza
Instagram: @urbancrustza
Caffeine & Cashmere 