African cuisine: the best places to taste it in Johannesburg

Fireside Bistro

93/100 (296 ratings)

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"What an unexpected positive experience.. this restaurant would hold its own anywhere in Jozi, upon arrival the chef himself came over to our table to..."

Richard Clemitson

"Hands down the best restaurant in Norwood! The service is always fantastic, and the MEAT is to die for! Terrance (the owner, I think?) is a great..."

Natalia Bonegio

"The best place in Jo'burg...quiet environment easy to access other place..its amazing the food is just the best..pay visit and you won't be..."

Ali Shaban Mucheke

"Fireside is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in the whole of Johannesburg! We get food from there at least once a week and it never..."

Caren Waldman Green

"The Moroccan Lamb Tagine at The Fireside Bistro in Norwood. The best iteration of this iconic dish that I've had in a long..."

Theuns Opperman

"Terence is an awesome Chef, the food is fantastic i eatbtheir atbleast 10 times a month and hav3 never had a bad meal awesome restaurant thanks for..."

Sean Haynes

"Had the best evening at Fireside. This is a must try for everyone. Terrence and his team make you feel at home and the food is..."

Charmaine Cockhead

"Excellent food and great ambience...service was also very good tks Agnes for taking good care of us. Will be..."

Sharon Rudy

"Fantastic food. Incredible service Best resteraunt..."

Kim Davidoff

"Awesome cooking by fire. The real deal. Great knowledge about African game meats. Springbok was incredible. Smokey, succulent. Squid gets charred on..."

Ant Kendall

"The best steak I've had eating out in years, so..."

Vic Campher

"Best T-Bone steak in a very long time! Definitely worth a..."

Ockert Van Den Berg

"As always Terrence you rock . great catching up with you remembering the old days running kitchens together. But most of all amazing food bro. You..."

Alex Cristopher D'Ándrea

"Beautiful food / lovely, cosy feel & superb customer service (thank you, Charles). Left feeling very happy &..."

Fiona Felton

"Great undiscovered spot for now. Excellent food, ambience and value for money. Will be back soon. All the best Terence and thanks for a great..."

Richard Speechly

"One of our favorite spots - especially in winter when the fire makes for a a warm and cozy night out. I had the most yummy medium rare fillet on..."

Lesley-Caren Johnson

"Amazing food, brilliant chef. Quite expensive but worth..."

Dario Torrente

"I've wanted to go to this restaurant for a while, then we ended up at it twice in one week. What are the odds. We started with a Thursday night quick..."

Natalie Lazaris

"Fireside has a homey feeling. I went on a coldish spring evening. I was attended to almost immediately and seated very close to a heater which is..."

Kea Rapitsi

"I met friends at Fireside Bistro on Friday night and was so impressed with this restaurant and quality of the food. After looking at the menu I..."

Lisa Lumley

"I’ve been 3/4 times now so this review isn’t based on a single experience. Fireside is on of my favorite restaurants in Johannesburg at..."

Grant

"Always great food! Love the theme as well as sitting by a real wood fire while your food is prepared. Good service and attention to detail by the..."

Shivan Singh

"A very good an original place. Great concept and very delicious and flavorsome food all cooked on a wood burning grill.The smoke is an..."

Alain Nathan

"Long ago, in a previous lifetime there was an esteemed italian restaurant on louis botha called la rustica, in those days it was deemed the best..."

Saul Ben Smith

"Best steak roll in Joburg you guys rock. 10/10All the meat is cooked by the owner/chef himself I have never been disappointed and keep coming..."

Steven Brittan

"My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our meals at the Fireside Bistro so much so that we've visited every month for the past three months! The food is..."

Deshanya Naidoo

"This restaurant lives up to it's name...you can literally sit next to the fires that gets your food cooked. Had the blue cheese salad as a starter,..."

Mayuri

"I heard some good things about Fireside and I figured it would be great to check out. I really like the setting because it's very intimate and I..."

Chante Daries

"Fireside Bistro on Grant Avenue in Norwood (Johannesburg) is one of those eateries where ambiance, service and food are always inviting and seldom..."

Heleen Liebenberg

"Very tasty !!! Big portions and wonderful service , a must see experience !! Will come again . Had the spring bok steak and chicken Brest baked..."

Vaughnpreddy

"Terrance cooks the food on an open wooden fire in front of the people, great ambiance! The steak is phenomenal and the service was outstanding!..."

Norman Bakos

"Absolutely delicious food, I have no complaints in that department. My boyfriend even said he thinks it's the best fillet steak he's ever had in his..."

Shari Rebecca Mayers

"Every Sunday for the rest of your life, you should wake up, have some pronutro (coz breakfast is important obviously), maybe watch some PVR'd WWE and..."

Shahil Juggernath

"Some REALLY good food at this place. I'd been debating going for a while but just kept putting it off for no specific reason. Tonight was the night..."

Smelly Celly

"A group of us decided to go for dinner , service was excellent and Terence (owner) very involved in the cooking, chicken very good , but the standout..."

Russel Roth

"Went to the fireside for a quick family dinner and enjoyed it thoroughly! Had the ribs (yummy!!!) but the veggie platter that was also ordered looked..."

Filipa Farinha Santos

"What an amazing above average street side bistro. Walking past one might give the place a miss but do your self a favour and stop.Judging by..."

Daniel Wiggill

"It's been months of "we should try that place with the fire" until we finally went for dinner tonight. I love the fire and the open plan of the..."

Jenny Louw

"This unique restaurant was such a treat last night. From the moment we entered, we were greeted by the friendliest faces. The place is very clean and..."

FoodloverJHB

"Stopped by at the Fireside Bistro for lunch in a chilly afternoon and really appreciated the warm fire that had been lit! The menu isn't very big but..."

Tam Loves Food

"I met a friend here for lunch a few weeks ago. There lamb on the spit looked amazing but we decided on steak instead. My steak was cooked to..."

Paula Baetu

"They are making a solid effort on the ambiance score with the fireside thing, but the space is quite large and feels somewhat cavernous. The food is..."

Tasty Traveller

"We took a father's day take away lunch today to have at home,we ordered steak,chicken,borewors,calamarie it came with veggies and Potatoes. It was..."

Natasha Lutz

"We absolutely loved the atmosphere and the warmth in this gem of a restaurant, it was a freezing cold Jhb night and the coziness and warmth was too..."

Annie Hodes

"Excellent restuarant with a chilled atmosphere. Mussels starter was excellent, lamb chops main was outstanding. Wife had a haloumi salad , and loved..."

Marc Nowitz

"Wow.. Just had the most amazing meal at this resturant. My husband had the lamb. And i had a rump. I am so impressed. One of the nicest meals we..."

Devora Harris Even-Tov

"Visited Fireside Bistro for the first time tonight and were treated to a fireside table. Quite simply, these guys know how to braai meat. Both our..."

Lynette Van Der Merwe

"A lovely, but very limited restaurant. Limited meals, limited drinks. The food we did order was fantastic. The oxtail was the best we've had, the..."

'Jessie Jawbreaker

"I absolutely loved my first visit to Fireside Bistro. I had been wanting to try it for a while, and it was definitely worth it!The service..."

Natalia Bonegio

"The wood burning fire provides a good welcome, I'm sure it will be much appreciated in Winter. Excellent service, fresh, delicious food. I had a..."

Kubash Govender

"This is an establishment where every effort and expense is devoted to the preparation of outstanding food. In its workmanlike, unpretentious..."

John Burchard

"We had been waiting patiently for the restuarant to open its doors again in 2016..and happened to choose to eat here on one of the hottest days in..."

Caron Whitfield

"I visited the Bistro for the first time on Tuesday night. It was bustling with people and smelt absolutely delicious as we walked in, which we soon..."

GiaCostella

"First time at this wonderful establishment - delicious meals had by everyone / highly recommend the chimchurri rump with side salad - will definitely..."

Elan Sawitzky

"Great food and a great menu! Love the flames in the background, cooking away. T-bone was one of the best I've had. Also had n great braaied trout...."

Ernst Dill

"Wonderful decor, friendly service and good food. For starters my BF and I both ordered the Springbok Carpaccio, it was delicious and so..."

Michelle Levy

"Sunday lunch is superb. Unique, small and intimate but the portions are incredible and it's a taste bud bender.Lamb on the spit with roast veg..."

Cdawg Dubya

"Fireside Bistro drew us in purely because it looked so cosy and vibey and I love a good wood fire on a cold winter evening. I thought it was a great..."

Jevani Pillay

"Food with thought. Great food. Sustainable firewood, kitchen ingredients and skills development. As well as being a major contributor to..."

Margie Edwards

"I took family, including my British nephew, to Fireside Bistro and with a huge braai in the middle of the restaurant where most of the dishes are..."

Vee Fletcher

"This is such a different experience,like being at a proper south African braai except you're in a cozy sexy little restaurant. The food is superb,..."

Elle

"We sometimes find it difficult to go out for dinner because we have a young baby at home... Fireside is our perfect solution: our take away orders..."

Janet Hofman

"Absolutely fantastic! Original concept. The owner cooks on the coals and wood. Incredibly friendly. Great service. A must try. Loved the rump...."

Taryn Harris

"Finally made it to Fireside Bistro! Chef Terence - previously at La Rustica and who subsequently furthered his training at Prue Leith - cooks only..."

TheJoburgFoodie

"This is the new kid on the block in the area. All round everyone was extremely impressed. From the service to the quality of the food the evening was..."

Gary Greenberg

"A welcome addition to Norwood. In this cold weather the fire inside was fantastic. My rump was soft as butter and very tasty. The veg were..."

Wendi Kark

"So thrilled that we discovered this amazing neighborhood bistro. An awesome team of staff here. Cooking done in an open fire with a dynamic chef who..."

Janice Kelvin Leibowitz

"I really love Fireside Bistro. Sure it's not your conventional restaurant, but the atmosphere is great and the concept very unique. The food is..."

Anthony

"I had the mussels starter and creme brulee dessert. Both were divine. The atmosphere is cosy and inviting. I will definitely be..."

Claire

"I visited this restaurant on freedom day, which Zomato shows as closed. I was glad that the Sunday menu of lamb on the spirit was also available. I ..."

Dips Naik

"Been here 4 times already. Never disappointed. Steak beautifully grilled over a wood fire. Grilled Chicken excellent as well. Can't wait to try the..."

Lance Postan

"Great food. The chef knows what he is doing. Managed the old La Rustica and the kitchens at the Grillhouse. I am here the 4th time and not..."

Darren Postan

"This place is really great in terms of the food and service. My only gripe is the occasional smoke from the fire pit right in the middle of the..."

NJC M

"Honestly one of the best restaurants in Johannesburg. Food cooked on a beautiful open grill creating a tranquil ambiance and beautiful smell..."

Kevin Grinker

"This restaurant is spectacular!! We had dinner here after a wonderful day of touring and couldn't have been more impressed. The service was friendly..."

Brandy D

"Had an excellent steak. Ella's chicken was a little undergone, but was fixed without issue so everyone..."

Luke Mckend

"A fun spot, having the fire is awesome and quite impressive. Food was good and very "real", cuts out the fanciness to leave a bare bones homely meal..."

Ollie Gilbey

"Cosy with open fire urban feel great steaks well cooked good..."

Elaine Seale-Mckend

"Owner run with excellent service, Fireside Bistro is a real gem. The menu boasts a variety of meals, which is great when dining in a group, while..."

Lindy Schultz

"Lovely atmosphere and food was great. The fillet with mushroom such was definitely a hit. They also went out of their way to help us out, even..."

Melinda Collins

"Great steak, big portions, lovely service (thanks Carlton)... Only mark down is for smokiness from the charcoal BBQ, which is what made my sirloin on..."

Nicky Plant

"Nice warm cozy place to have dinner on a cold day. Best part is this is one of the few places where they DON'T put BBQ sauce on your steak! Love it...."

Clive

"Pleasant, artisan decor. The food is excellent and well worth a visit. All the cooking is done on wood fires in full view of the patrons which is..."

John Burchard

"One of the best lamb chops I've had.. Portions are very generous and the concept of over the fire cooking is a winner.. Sunday spit eat as much as u..."

Bhavs ravjee

"Pleasantly surprised by this local restaurant. Good selection on menu. Food was delicious and value for money. Desserts were to die for. Try the..."

Wayne Bailey

"Absolutely amazing lamb ribs, slow cooked in smoke over an open wood fire. Inexpensive but good wine list. Wonderful..."

Jeffrey O'Malley

"The staff are welcoming and friendly. The food is superb, the menu has great choices for all. The service is good and you are well cared..."

Moira Dworcan

"An absolute treat and quite different. Worth a visit! My favorite are the lamb chops, five big ones so have an appetite, really..."

Nigel Pengelly

Little Addis

86/100 (570 ratings)

Restaurants

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Ethiopian

Vegan Options

African

Ethiopian

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

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Sit down

African

Ethiopian

Takeout

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Lunch

Dinner

Mid-range

"We missioned in the rain to get to this cool spot in Maboneng. It was actually very quiet for a Friday night. I don't know if it was cos of the rain..."

Ntshembo Nkuna

"Ethiopian food never disappoints. African, fresh, healthy and mouth watering. Little Addis Cafe atmosphere is it. The attention to detail definitely..."

Natache Iilonga

"Some of the best food I have ever tasted. Caters well for vegans and vegetarians. Traditional and homely atmosphere with welcoming and friendly..."

Lauren Thomson

"This place is fantastic! If you're a coffee lover, there's a whole station set up outside the café where a woman brews fresh coffee to..."

Pearl Pillay

"Authentic beautiful cuisine I was born in Addis Abeba Ethiopia and Little Addis brings me home and warms my heart. Not just good food but a social..."

Fabrizio Capello

"I'm usually not a fan of traditional African food especially as I'm quite picky with what I eat, but having something at Little Addis Cafe is..."

Martin Headger

"It's a little cozy place in Joburg, really the food got a very nice flavor and the portions are very generous if you are searching & love to try..."

AskTheRazz

"Very nice little restaurant in the heart of Maboneng. Food was great, spicy but not too hot. We had the beef and veggie plate for 2, nice challenge..."

Paul.vermeij

"Excellent service, amazing food and great atmosphere. We ordered the Vegan half platter (each) and it was a lot of food. One should eat with the..."

Bryan Turner

"The most incredible let vegan platter of some of the most tasty Ethiopian food in Jozi. Love being catered for as a vegan in the most unexpected..."

Genya Beulah Gluckman

"Refreshing experience! Little Addis is a little gem. Ethiopia has come to Jozi. Enjoyed the food tremendously and very affordable prices! Highly..."

Leverne Mountany

"Cute little sidewalk Ethiopian restaurant on the main road of the Maboneng Precinct. The service is super slow, but the food makes up for it...."

Smelly Celly

"Reminds me of home :) Proper cooked meal with many exciting flavors from the organic spices. LOVE IT!My favorite has to be the meat platter but..."

Eugene Alberts

"This is one of our regular eating spots in Johannesburg. If you want some fabulous spiced favours, this is definitely a place to try out considering..."

Toni-J

"This is a great cultural experience at an affordable price. If you want to try out some authentic Ethiopian food then don't look any further. The..."

Unathi

"Sick vibe, unique food. Authentic Ethiopian experience in the heart of Jozzi. The coffee is powerful, it's super strong and tasty...."

Nina Formanek

"Delicious flavours on offer at this Ethiopian restaurant. Be willing to use your hands (so share the platters with someone suitable!). Well priced..."

Karen Heese

"A great little spot. Small menu with big portions. We had the half veggie platter and the half meat and veggie platter. Full of flavour with great..."

Jo Savva

"I love this place. What a little gem. I go there often for lunch. The food is amazing. The food is quite addictive actually. The coffee is strong and..."

Quinten Edward Williams

"Very humble little place, kind people. The food is interesting, not too spicy just tasty. Real cultural experience, as standard they eat with their..."

Johann & Limari

"I have the privilege of working in Maboneng and I fell in love with the authenticity of "Little Addis" they serve delicious traditional Ethiopian..."

Ngwako SA

"I've not been to their restaurant, but if the market on main is any indication of their food I need to get there asap. We had the Jeerah bread with..."

Suzanne Crozier

"The reviews for Little Addis are quite mixed. But we still took a chance. And overall, it was good enough!We ordered the meat and veg platter which..."

Ka Wing 88

"This place is very quaint! A tiny restaurant with about 4 tables. The service is a bit slow but the food is really interesting and although I don't..."

Amy Scroope

"My collegues took us to this famous restaurant. I was not sure of this Ethiopian restaurant for my vegetarian options at first but when I saw my..."

Hitesh Agrawal

"this is one of my favourite restaurants in the city!! great, tasty menu, excellent coffee, and unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere; chef and owner..."

Dorothee Kreutzfelt

"Awesome flavours and great vibe! Had a tasty meal - eat with your hands, which is fun. No license so we bought wine from next door. Friendly and fun..."

Carolyn Freeman

"Little Addis is the best place in town. The best Ethiopian food , the owner is absolutely friendly and warm .. Ive never seen someone with such a..."

Mayenzeke Baza

"Hidden gem in the heart of Joburg! Cosy atmosphere & delicious food at a ridiculously reasonable price. The kind of restaurant you need to..."

Marie-Louise Kirsten

"I give Little Addis a 5 because they are a perfect example of keeping it simple and getting it right. They serve the typical ethiopian..."

Andz Venter

"Best Ethiopian restaurant in Joburg hands down! The owner is warm and friendly and his love comes out in the food. My favourite is the veg..."

Thembelihle Seruto

"A wonderful little restaurant in the heart of the maboneng precinct which serves authentic Ethiopian food. If you are in the CBD and like something..."

Alexis Assimacopoulos

"Great hidden place, the vegan food is amazing with 6 or 7 different tastes on the plate. A simple venue but great food. I will be back for those week..."

Sven

"A humble, unpretentious, and authentic experience with truly unique flavours. Definitely something worth trying if you're even slightly..."

Brendan M

"The platter is amazingly delicious and extremely fresh. Especially love all the lentil dishes and beet root. 100%authentic, unpretentious and..."

Nicole

"Enjoyed the simple authentic meal. Service was good and on the whole the dining experience was very pleasant. The only slight downside is that they..."

Sheryl

"Loved! Loved! Loved!This little gem in the heart of the Maboneny precinct is just delightful. It's incredibly popular as the stream of people in..."

Mabelami

"I am an Ethiopian food fanatic and have eaten it all over the world. The food is tasty and authentic. Place is small , clean. No..."

Lauren Panicco Fabian

"I was a bit apprehensive of Ethiopian food going to this place. What was memorable was how tasty the food was, the balance of spices was well..."

Imah Mwaba

"I was really impressed with the quality and value of the food. Even the half portion is more than enough for one and so tasty. No bar, but can buy..."

David Bollaert

"Little Addis has become one of our favorites, their food is great, healthy and low in carbs. Its the perfect meal for us when we want a quick dinner..."

Lizl Brink

"I love Little Addis! I used to live in an apartment above for a year and half, during which I used to eat here 3 times a week on average. The reasons..."

John Bazley

"Great little gem. Awesome down to earth place with hearty food. I'd go there everyday if I..."

Danielle Nurock Nardini

"Good honest affordable ethiopian soul food made by Kassa himself under the watchful eye of King..."

Tian Johnson

"Tried out Little Addis while touring the city with my Honors class a few years back, at their Ethiopian quarters on Jeppe Street in the CBD. Their..."

Hasina Gori

"Delicious food! We got the veggie and meat mix half portion and it was so amazing we cleaned our whole plate. The Ethiopian spiced tea was also..."

Aly B

"Charming spot, with simple and deliciously tasty food. Relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, and excellent service. Safe and sufficient parking with..."

Lauren Rota

"Lovely little restaurant serving Ethiopian food. Haven't had much exposure to it so it was exciting to try something different. I had beef tibs and..."

Kemal Shand

"Such great food Ethiopian cuisine. Flavourful. Would certainly..."

Amanda Kaburise

"In case you're seeing the location at 44 Stanley, they're not there and have been located across the street next to the Virgin gym since 2019. I'm..."

Frank Lim

"This is one of my favourite spots. They have a delicious affordable platter of a variety of vegan dishes with generous portions. The owner is very..."

Chris Glover

"Neat inside and very friendly staff. The food was okay. For people who dont like mild and hot spicy Ethiopian food it is ideal. But if you are..."

Anesu Chayire

"Very authentic. The host was pleasant and the chef came out and greeted us. The food was beyond amazing, all the flavors blended so well and you..."

saarah amod

"The food was finger licking good! Thank you Kassa and Yvette, For the warm welcome, amazing food and lovely chat.we had the fasting meal (which is..."

Manisha Bramdeo

"Lovey experience at this small modern Ethiopian place. It may be the best we’ve ever had here or in the US. The spice was perfect. Not too hot and..."

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African cuisine: the best places to taste it in Johannesburg

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