Location: Soweto
Top Restaurants in Soweto
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Top 10 restaurants in Soweto, South Africa
An acronym for South Western Townships, Soweto was dubbed as such in 1963. The area began in the late 19th century as a temporary neighborhood for gold mine workers, then later became a black Johannesburg ghetto with forced apartheid settlement. In 1976, Soweto garnered international headlines with its deadly uprising against Afrikaans-only language education. The Mandela Family Museum and the recently restored Credo Mutwa Village (with its Zulu and Sotho homesteads) are two can't-miss sights.
Things to do in Soweto
1. Nando's Jabulani Mall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Experience a truly South African dining experience at Nando's in Soweto. Our flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken restaurants are world famous for their succulent, grilled to perfection, butterfly-cut chickens. Add spice to your life with a meal from our Portuguese style menu. We've set the eating experience on fire and we can't wait for you to join our table because if there's one thing we love as much as PERi-PERi, it's lots of people to enjoy it with!
Reviewed By gam70 - Ottawa
I prefer slow food to fast food. But Nando's tastes great, is quality chicken and I get a craving every time I think about it.
2. Wandies Place
Overall Ratings
4 based on 63 reviews
Reviewed By mingfatsai - Grand Island, Nebraska
This place has A LOT of history. The walls are signed with many signatures, some of which you’ll recognize, and it’s safe to say this is quite the local institution. The food consists of a variety of filling and wholesome stews, cooked meats, and vegetables. They also offer salads and desserts. We were served buffet style and the choices were many, something tasty to suit everyone’s taste. I found the beef heart tough and not to my liking, but everything else was flavorful and delicious. The performers that serenaded us were a total delight. The woman’s voice reminds me very much of Ms. Makeba. It’s funny that coming here had that homey feel one gets when visiting the Deep South in the US.
3. Lucky Bean
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 333 reviews
Reviewed By 2onholiday - Manchester
An excellent restaurant. I had hake which was delicious and the amount was fantastic. If I had Known how much fish I would have I may have missed the superb calamari I had for starter. The meal for two including aperatifs and a bottle of Sauvignon cost about £35. Great value. Setting and ambiance also excellent.
4. Sakhumzi Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 299 reviews
Sakhumzi Restaurant is located in Soweto - the largest black township in South Africa. Vilakazi Street, the tourist Mecca of Soweto, is where Sakhumzi opens its doors to anyone and everyone - from locals, to tourists and even corporate groups. Sakhumzi is a restaurant with true 'kasi' flavour. Kasi, meaning township - a vibrant community welcoming everyone in for lively local tunes and authentic home cooked Soweto food!
Reviewed By nauj63 - South East England, United Kingdom
Having enjoyed a 3 hour escorted tour of Soweto culminating in a visit to Nelson Mandela's home pre & post incarceration, we rounded things off with lunch at a 'typical (?) Sowetan eatery. Certainly there was a vibe about the place and the food was...MoreThank you so much for such a great message.
5. Chaf Pozi
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 62 reviews
Soweto's best Shisa Nyama ( traditional BBQ ) restaurant situated at the base of the iconic Orlando Towers. Great place to hang out or even visit for a cold one during or after a tour !!
Reviewed By jndj12 - South Africa
You will enjoy the entertainment on offer bungee jumping, paintball the free falling and more. Very affordable and staff very friendly and helpfully. But now the restaurant part. You will get different options on the menu. We were 35 people all taking the The Tower Meal for R275 per person. Costing us almost R10 000 to try your traditional meal. We got 3 small plates of chicken livers to share between 35 people with 2 plates of bread. Then you brought the main meal wow your short ribs was terrible the chicken arrived 45 later after all other meat was send to the table. 2 small plates of Pap. I don’t think that plate of food was worth R275. You can get better value at Spur or even Wimpy and they are not even traditional restaurants. You can go next to the road even in Sandton shopping center and get better quality and value for money. then you close of with dessert ( mini magnum ice creams).You got more flies in the in door restaurant than clients. Maybe they love the Hard music.
6. Chez Alina
Overall Ratings
4 based on 63 reviews
Reviewed By CJW913 - De Pere, Wisconsin
After visiting Soweto, our Gate 1 tour group of 36 stopped here for lunch. While Chez Alina seems to cater mainly to tour groups, it was nevertheless a fun experience.
Welcomed with a traditional warm washcloth to clean our hands, we then experienced the hospitality of several generations of the family who own this restaurant, including the 100+ year-old matriarch, who sat near the front door.
The interior is colorful, the atmosphere and environment homey.
The 3-course buffet selections are bountiful, featuring something for everyone. Examples of salads include coleslaw, pickled beets, green salad, beans and peas. Mains are also plentiful: curried lamb, chicken, fish, beef stew, and grits in a tomato sauce to name a few. And then there were the veggies: mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, pumpkin (squash), rice, maize, and boiled mixed vegetables, accompanied by steamed bread. It is similar to a "Soul Food" meal in the United States. Deserts offered vanilla ice cream, chocolate and white cake (yes, I will take a bit of each!).
We were entertained during the meal with a talented duo who sang, while playing instruments, that featured many songs with which Americans are familiar.
What a joyous celebration of eating delicious African cuisine, and gathering together! So glad this was a part of our itinerary.
7. Founders Grill Florida
Overall Ratings
4 based on 104 reviews
Reviewed By TakenForARide - Johannesburg, South Africa
If you're looking for a no-frills, cozy pub lunch with hearty and tasty fare, look no further. Head for Gordon Road off the N1 towards Ontdekkers and just before the junction you'll find this unpretentious gem.
There used to be a Founders in Cresta years ago, but that succumbed to modernity and fast food chains. Pity, but commercial realities are like that.
Don't expect starched napery and heavy fake cutlery. Simple sit-down at tables or benches outside if your that way inclined. Gordon Road is busy, so unless you don't fret about noise and fumes it can be better inside. Except of course that the music (?) can be overpowering if you don't ask them to turn it down or even off. The staff are friendly, obliging and understanding of one's foibles.
But get down to the food - salads, steak, ribs, oxtail, pies - every imaginable pub fare, far too much to sample in one go. We had ribs, ox tail and fillet - all perfect, with veggies and chips (real chips without funny stuff on it!) - sauces to drool over and and too many to remember. But leave some space for desert, or try one of their real Irish Coffees if you're not the designated driver.
Gone are the days when one could get a pub lunch for under R200 (about 15-20 Euros or Dollars at today's tourist exchange rates) but the specials go for as little as a third of that. But then who wants bad food in a swanky place at three times the price?
I'll hitch a ride on this one again when the opportunity comes along!
8. Les Delices De France
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 226 reviews
Reviewed By Kat W
Off the beaten track, odd decor, excellent service, great bonhomie from tbe hosts, authentic and supremely delicious French fare. Really enjoyed our first visit, after hearing great things, and will certainly go again.
9. Wild Spear Spur Steak Ranch
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Spoil your family & eat out at Wild Spear Spur, we are the best steakhouse & burger restaurant in Soweto. Bring along your kids for some great tasting food & dessert from our famous Spur menu.
Reviewed By Thato M
the team at Wild Spear are on the money! they have a sporadic team building dance session that everyone partakes in. the team is relatively young but the are highly spirited and passionate about service. wild spear is the Only spur i will eat at...MoreDear Thato M, Thank you so much for the awesome review of Wild spear Spur! We are thrilled to hear that staff and management were Fun-tastic and we definitely look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Kind Regards, Spur Steak Ranches
10. Robby's Place
Overall Ratings
4 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By gabrielphiladelphia - Philadelphia
What a great night! Robby met our group at the front door and ushered us into a series of small rooms where we feasted on home-style African cooking. Fantastic flavors that culminated with a wonderful dense and moist cake for dessert. Robby is an amazing guy, quite the entrepreneur and the consumate host. Heartily and happily recommend you try Robby's Place.
