Restaurants in Pretoria
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Café 41
A beautifully designed bistro-style restaurant serving Mediterranean fare from an extensive menu (the great big meze platters are good value). There’s a large outdoor deck, and a hidden section that makes you forget you’re in a shopping village. Service is a little on the slow side though.
reviewed
-
B
Lotus Thai
The lotus-themed interior of this Thai restaurant is striking – black enamel walls are etched with white lotus motifs, there are large green-and-white lotus prints on the walls, and the black chairs have lotus-print cushions. In the centre of the restaurant is a large raised circular sushi bar with glass lily pads suspended above it. Outside you can dine in private pagodas. It’s not all about the flash design though; the food is fresh, authentic and delicious.
reviewed
-
C
Blue Crane
The Blue Crane is part of the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary – the Roberts of the famous bird books. The restaurant overlooks a lake that is the breeding site for the endangered blue crane, South Africa’s national bird. It does Afrikaner potjiekos and the pub is great at sundown. The entrance to the restaurant is off Melk St, which is a right turn off Middle St as you head west.
reviewed
-
D
Harrie’s Pannekoek Huis
Part of a chain of very popular pancake houses offering mostly savoury pancakes with interesting fillings such as spicy chicken livers. They’re a little stodgy, but you can work off your selection at the adjacent curio shop, one of Pretoria’s best.
reviewed
-
E
Taste Restaurant
The menu here is divided into sections including ‘leafy greens’, ‘seawards’ and ‘gastronomical grills’ and the food is simple, fresh and delicious (the massive seafood platters are excellent), making good use of top quality locally sourced meat and veg. The restaurant is open on three sides, with a fire grate in one corner and a low-key jazz soundtrack. Be warned – order a glass of wine and you’ll get a hefty serving.
reviewed
-
Pappas
Sitting on a corner with quirky antiques stores and bookshops, this place has a homely, arty feel about it. There’s outdoor space at the front and back, and the excellent cooked breakfasts and counter selling cakes and pastries make it the perfect place for a lazy weekend brunch. Also on the menu are bistro classics and South African favourites such as oxtail and potjiekos (meat and vegetables cooked in a cast-iron pot over an open fire).
reviewed
-
F
Café Riche
This historic Pretoria bistro was built back in 1905 and occupies pride of place in the city’s Church Sq. It’s popular with tourists and visiting dignitaries as well as local office workers, and is a great place for a spot of beer and people-watching. The menu has sandwiches, salads and bistro meals as well as a good-value lunch special ( Bokwurst, chips and a beer for R50).
reviewed
-
G
Geet
The best place in Pretoria for a spice fix, Geet dishes up delicate and aromatic north Indian curries full of fresh herbs and spices. The dining room has lots of little nooks to get lost in and there’s a 2nd-floor balcony from where to look down on the street action. There’s an excellent range of dishes for vegetarians and a long list of ‘mocktails’.
reviewed
-
H
News Café
This perennially popular branch of the News Café chain has a large terrace, a big-screen TV showing 24-hour news and free wi-fi. There’s an extensive breakfast menu as well as decent burgers and sandwiches, and an always-friendly vibe. It’s a good place to sit back with a book and a coffee, or surf the ’net for a couple of hours.
reviewed
-
I
Cynthia’s Indigo Moon
The dining room of this Pretoria favourite exudes warmth. Gently lit, plastered with framed posters of all descriptions and surrounded by a colossal wine cellar, it has the buzz of a New York neighbourhood bistro. The place is best-known for its excellent steaks, which dominate the menu, but the fresh fish dishes aren’t bad either.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
La Bonne Vie Boulangerie Café
If you’re hankering after freshly baked chocolate croissants or chewy French artisan bread, you’ve found the best place in town here. You can sit down and enjoy the baked goodies along with a pot of freshly brewed coffee in the small dining room or on the terrace.
reviewed
-
K
Kream
This is a sexy modern restaurant, all glass, leather, steel and laid-back beats. The menu is equally trendy, with foie gras, snails, bone marrow and crocodile joining the more conservative grilled fish and meats on the menu, but the quality isn’t quite up to scratch.
reviewed
-
L
Meat Company
The name doesn't lie: heat of every temperature is applied to flesh of every description in this cavernous paean to the carnivorous. The house burger (around R42) is becoming a local legend, but vegetarians don't despair: there's an impressive platter of greens R50, too.
reviewed
-
Africa Beat Caterers
This area is packed with cutesy, historic villas and this vibey little place - popular with amakwêre-kwêre (foreign Africans) - is in one of them. There's a sun terrace out front and it serves up a regular mix of cheap, tasty food and live music.
reviewed
-
M
Jose's
Platters of delicious Mediterranean foods mean you'll understand why this quality eatery is a local favourite. When it's plate-breaking night (Fridays and Saturdays), you'll understand why there's so much outdoor seating. Great fun.
reviewed
-
N
Kariba Restaurant
Based in the beautiful former Capitol Theatre next door to the Tshwane Cultural Centre, and decorated with quirky curios, this place attracts the local office trade, and serves big plates of mainly West and South African food.
reviewed
-
O
Seafood Platter
You guessed it: heaps of garlic-laden seafood is served up in convivial surroundings designed to make you forget you're in a landlocked province. Live musicians do their thing on Friday and Saturday nights.
reviewed
-
P
Zemara
This excellent restaurant specialises in Central African cuisines and draws stylish African expats to dine on fried plantain, ground nut chicken, goat stew and tilapia in bare surroundings.
reviewed
-
Q
Africa Traditional Pub & Grill
An outdoor deck, good vibes and traditional African beats make this one of the more upbeat, laid-back options in distinctly bourgeois Hatfield. The food's good, too.
reviewed
-
R
Moerdijks
This upmarket place has pride of place in a graceful Dutch villa, with old-school styling, pleasant gardens and the type of food empires were built on.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
S
Divas and Dons
Good solid fare is served in this plush eatery, with dark wood panelling and built-in leather sofas giving it an upmarket hotel-lounge feel.
reviewed
-
Crawdaddy's
With faux-Louisiana-swamp styling, this surf-and-turf place has a jumping, bar-style atmosphere and no-nonsense steak and seafood tucker.
reviewed
