3 Best Restaurants in Johannesburg, South Africa

It's hard to find a table inside without a dinner booking (even during the week) at this father-and-son-owned restaurant, simply because the food always delivers on taste, portion size, and how it's plated. The jovial crowd and pastel colors reminiscent of a Modena sunset add to the flavor of their modern Italian fare. With handmade pasta by the chef's son Vassilios Holiasmeno and Neapolitan-style pizzas (the kind where the dough is left to rise for at least two days before being wood-fired) on the menu, you can't go wrong for a quick breakfast bite, hearty lunch, or a romantic dinner date at this corner eatery, where locals return again and again.

Thanks to the Bermar preserving system, you can sip on bubbles by the glass at this high-end establishment while you feast on Neapolitan-style pizza prepared in an imported pizza oven, topped with handmade local buffalo mozzarella and served on terra-cotta pizza plates. But don't assume this is just an Italian restaurant or a fancy pizzeria, as renowned chef and business partner David Higgs (the very same of Marble Restaurant) adds signature dishes like wood-fired pawns, smokey bistecca alla Fiorentina, and frutti di mare onto the ever-changing menu, to be enjoyed with the restaurant’s extensive wine collection. The window seating gazes upon the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in the heart of the financial district, where after dusk the street is lined with flashy sportscars—indicative of its patrons. You’ll need to book a table to partake in its energetic vibe, particularly from Thursday through Sunday when the bar with its live DJ set becomes the place to be seen before or after dinner.

Trabella's strength is its pizza, whether it's with the Brie and cranberry topping or smoked salmon, sour cream, and caviar, sprinkled with spring onion. If you can't decide which one to choose go with Tracy's Special, which includes every topping, with a vegetarian or meat-lovers option; the pasta and gnocchi are also good choices. This restaurant faces the street on a busy corner, with two other chain pizzerias within walking distance, in an accessible but not attractive position.