One of the many great things about being a resident of Turffontein is that you've got a smorgasbord of restaurants ready to tantalise every taste bud within a few minutes of home. The area's history is a woven tapestry of stories of the Italian, Portuguese and Lebanese immigrants who made their home in this area. Hand in hand with that history, the area's cuisine has a rich cultural heritage that brings foodies from far and wide to the Turffontein area. Seeff, a real estate agency renowned throughout Gauteng, puts together (in no particular order) a list of four of our favourite restaurants around Turffontein.
- Parreirinha Restaurante
Arguably the best-known and most-loved Portuguese restaurant in Johannesburg's south, Parreirinha is home to a piece of history, as its setting is a building that used to be a jail. Look around and you'll see how metal bars and windows from jail cells have been artfully integrated into the restaurant's décor. Look up and you may be surprised be see hundreds of ties hanging from the ceiling. Leaving one's tie behind is a Parreirinha tradition, although returning visitors are unlikely to be able to distinguish their own tie from the artful collective above.
The cuisine on offer at Parreirinha is authentically Portuguese, with a focus on prawns and peri peri dishes. Don't miss the delectable Saturday specials advertised on their Facebook page. Some recent highlights include seafood rice, oxtail and crab curry.
- Rolling in Dough
Enjoy a taste of Lebanon within a short drive of home. Residents of Turffontein can head to Rolling in Dough, which promises to provide you with an authentic Lebanese experience through good food, great service and outstanding entertainment. Choose your starter from a menu that includes the likes of tabbouleh salad, a mezze platter or Lebanese pies. For your main course, choose from home-style cooking like lamb spaghetti to exotic options like grape leaves stuffed with mince and spices.
- Gino's
For a taste of Turffontein's Italian heritage, look no further than Gino's, which has recently been named South Africa's most loved pizza joint. In acknowledging the award, owner Gino Mazza told Independent News that the accolade was a great validation of their work, which is to "provide delicious Italian food made with passion and provide good value for money". Having been in the business for almost 40 years, this restaurant has perfected the simplicity of Italian food. Visitors can choose from an array of seafood dishes, steaks, pizzas and pastas - and there's also a "special dishes" menu that should not be overlooked.
Visitors to Gino's shouldn't make the mistake of filling up before dessert, because you won't want to miss out on choosing from the range of delectable ice creams, sorbets, cakes and Italian specialities on offer.
- Little Addis Cafe
If you've never had the chance to go to Addis Ababa to experience the delights of Ethiopian cuisine like injera and Ethiopian traditional spiced tea, there's no need to travel internationally to fix this. You can head to Little Addis in Millpark to get your Ethiopian food fix. They have relocated to a new spot just down the road from their original home and can now be found at 41 Stanley Avenue. There are options for everyone - from meat lovers to vegans and since Ethiopian food is conducive to sharing, it's the perfect place for a catch-up with family or friends.
It's not only the racecourse that makes Turffontein a Johannesburg landmark. The wide range of ethnic cuisines and mouthwatering meals in the area puts Turffontein on the map. To find a home to buy or rent in this historic centre, contact Seeff today.