This very cutely named store is the place you need to go for a snack. It’s just that – a bakery that will also give you a cheese burger and chips for a shade over R20 or a Finding Nemo themed birthday cake so clear it looks screen-printed. The queues around lunch time are testament to the cheap, hit-the-spot quick bites that the busy Joe needs to keep moving for the rest of the day. For those with the luxury of time on their hands there’s a coffee shop attached that serves light lunches, with tables on Main Street. The vibe on the street is busy business – so dip your almond biscotti into your cappuccino while watching people meander past the large replica gold Zimbabwe Rhino in front of the Jenga-esque 45 Fox Street building. Try figure out how the building hasn’t fallen over yet.
Speedy tip – get on a first name basis with the lady running the show, get the phone number and pre-order a beef and avo wrap (with chips & salad on the side) for 28 bucks and have it at your table the minute you sit down. Impress your friends, get the promotion, be a hero.
Its quite difficult to not view The Carlton Centre within the context of what it once was. This mall was undoubtedly the mall of Joburg. And if you step back and look at how well the city was actually layed out, you begin to see how all this possible. Its at the base of the tallest building in Africa, of which for a small fee can take you up to the viewing deck – every big city must have a skyscraper viewing deck!
Today, its a little bit of juicy secret. Its normal and clean, filled with all the normal shops, sans a couple of real gems like Levi Factory Stores, and countless shoe stores selling amazingly cheap awesomeness.
You then have the Smal Street Mall which is effectively an alley way of shops, that disects the city centre like a zigzagged crack on your windsheild. It passes through The Carlton Centre. And then surrounding it are all other mighty hey day buildings like the Carlton Hotel which has my parents speak of The Top of The Carlton as once being the fanciest spots this side of the mine dumps. Then there was The Carlton Skyrink which brought the kind of joy one can only get from ice skating in circles.
The Hotel and the Skyrink lie dormant. But in true Jobusy fashion, its just a matter of time before someone goes “hang on, this sky rink will be the sickest venue for a party!” Enter Red Bull’s Soundclash where Tumi and The Volume were on one side of the rink, and The Dirty Skirts on the other side, and there was a microphone hanging in the centre, measuring the decibels.
My big rhetorical question is such: Who’s to say modern township style-cuisine can’t be served in a bright, clean take away restaurant? The result is a successful one, and this places is one of newly-invigorated Braamfontein’s biggest success story. On weekends, they’re open 24 hours. The fare is well priced, and sitting on the deck in the sunshine in the city bustle is pleasant to say the least.
Corner of Jan Smuts and Jorissen Street. 23 Jorissen.
Ghandi Square has so much to offer the city of Johannesburg. It really has been one of the better success stories of Joburg’s rejuvenation. Smack in the middle of the square lies this little gem. In the square, there are many food options, but something about the name Lucky Moo made it something we couldn’t resist. The design is great, the place is new, clean, and the food turned out to be pretty amazing. We’ve put it in the ‘plastic chair’ category of food for only reason that the dishes were around R3o each. But the place is by no means a traditional plastic chair restaurant.
After further investigation it turns out the this inner city gem is owned and run by none other than the preeminent Joburg restaurateur, Jaco Welgemoed of The Singing Fig, Cite, and The Circle fame. Now we know why we love it so much too…
Hit the Beef Kung Pao, and thank me when you’re done.
Shop A01 Ghandi Square, 8 New Street South. check the website. 011 492 0628
The Grant Ave strip in Norwood has more than one Asian restaurant. In fact is has many. Not including Rainbow, we’re talking something like three, which in a 200m-odd strip is a lot. For a while Rainbow was the fourth Asian restaurant, offering both Chinese food and sushi.
They have been so popular (probably because they’re so awesome), that they’ve opened another restaurant 100m down the road. That means they hold both first and second place in Jobusy’s Norwood Asian restaurant competition.
The place is listed as both take away and middle range restaurant because one side serves amazing bakery/confectionery where the half is more like a tea room styled restaurant. Together they make up the amazing De La Creme Cafe.
Neslted in the corner of the newly discovered Shepards Market, lies this very unassuming, but very well designed little chinese spot. Shepards Market itself is a very unique little collection of shops, and this spot is its little gem. All around the world, little chinese haunts exist, and as a result we soon all have our favorite dishes we order time and time again. So the idea of a chinese restaurant trying to stick out as being in any way different, is a pretty tough task to accomplish.
So what stuck out for me with good old Yung Chen, was that I particularly loved the quaintness and almost shoe box design of the place, after this, Im proud to report the food wont let you down. The dish (my usual chinese dish) arrived slightly different looking, and had a different taste to match it, so i left feeling satisfied I gave the little place a chance.
Shepards Market is on Jan Smuts Ave, Craighall. (its at the top of the strip between Chao Thai and The Colony).
If you’ve just been here once, you’ll know instantly why it’s being included. This midnight oasis has not only an en suite Wimpy for all the grease you’ll ever want on a hamburger, its also got a 24 Hour Woolworths Food section. What this means, is quality food to make the remainder of the drive home not only more sober, but also filled with all kinds of Woolworths goodness!
The second important reason for inclusion, is its prime location. Sitting at the north edge of Braamfontain and the City Centre, its makes for the perfect meet up before convoying it into the City.
Doll House is one of the last remaining road house in the city. They boast some of the most amazing double thick, double malt milkshakes, maybe even the best in the whole city. Added to that, the dagwood sandwich is totally awesome! With today’s drive thru convenience, you can see why a road house is a dying trade. When it comes to Doll House, I hope its novelty and quality grease food is enough to keep this landmark alive.
The second Jobusy Adventure had the team visit the Doll House to test out the milkshakes. Check it out.
Its on Louis Botha, we’ll confirm its exact address.
The idea is simple. In order to truly love something, you first have to understand it. Johannesburg is no different in this regard.
Connect with the real city through those who live and play here. The result? A catalogue of Johannesburg like no other.
