We’ve hand-picked some exquisite places for you to go for dinner, have some drinks and dance the night away in Jozi, Durbs and Cape Town.
A night out in the city of Jozi
Dinner at Marble
Marble is a celebration of South African’s love of cooking on fire, a quality that makes our food culture different from the rest of the world.
“I’ve long been fascinated by what makes South African fare unique, and I believe it’s down to us being meat and flame enthusiasts – the timeworn ritual of cooking on wood fires and gathering with friends. That’s what Marble celebrates, and not just meat, but all types of ingredients cooked on coals, including fish, poultry, vegetables and breads,” said Chef David Higgs.
Marble offers Jo’burg diners something different – not only does the restaurant have a theatre of live-fire cooking which can seat 250 people, but there is also a beautiful bar for pre- or after-dinner drinks, and a view that stretches all the way to Magaliesburg.
Marble is open seven day a week for lunch and dinner. Booking is essential.
Trumpet on Keyes, 3rd Floor, Corner Keyes Avenue and Jellicoe, Rosebank
www.marble.restaurant | +27 (0)10 594 5550 | reservations@marble.restaurant | info@marble.restaurant
Drinks at The Mix Bar
Started in 2017, Mix Bar was opened to provide its members and the public with a unique cocktail experience. Much effort is put into hospitality and achieving detailed excellence whilst maintaining a laid-back atmosphere.
Drinks are designed to reflect the bountifulness of South African produce and are presented in an innovative way. Our commitment to seasonality forces us to produce drinks in a new way. Freshness is achieved by implementing a fermentation programme and also making use of acid alternatives and vinegars. The drinks are simple in serve but complex in execution. Waste is kept to a minimum by way of thoughtfully designed recipes and clever use of fresh ingredients. The food, which is served on small plates featuring influences from all over the world, is designed to be shared between friends. Fridays are Mix Bar’s busiest night and are hosted by The Rhythm Sessions who perform soulful house sessions until late.
2nd Floor, 21 Keyes Avenue, Rosebank
www.mixbar.co.za | +27 (0)10 594 5545
Dance at Onyx
A world-class luxury space, Onyx is recreating the best nights out. Adding a fresh dynamic to the Jozi nightlife, Onyx is the perfect space to enjoy, explore and experience all that this city has to offer.
One-part lounge, one-part nightclub, both parts stylish and exclusive, Onyx is designed with your celebration and social needs in mind. From the finest drinks to the most beautiful people this is the place to see and be seen.
Onyx is focused on creating the most exclusive and luxury experience in town. Rub shoulders with South Africa’s who’s who while listening to some of the country’s top djs as well as progressive entertainment.
Our guests are promised an unforgettable experience in this glam, new chic space. One look around this high-end, luxury space and you know you are in the new social haven where this city’s most beautiful movers and shakers come to let their hair down.
Shop PO1, Michelangelo Towers Mall, 8 Maude Street, Sandton
www.onyxsandton.co.za | bookings@onyxsandton.co.za
A night out in the Mother City of Cape Town
Dinner at The Bungalow
Set on Clifton’s most prime piece of coastline, it’s easy to come for lunch or a drink and end up staying for dinner at The Bungalow. Relax barefoot on a day bed or at your table with nothing to worry about
but enjoying a cool drink, sublime seafood, plump sushi and the sun hovering high over the big blue.
Experience the ultimate in Clifton cool with commanding views of the Twelve Apostles, Lion’s Head and the Atlantic Ocean. Come in straight off the beach and mix with the city’s elite in a vibrant cocktail of champagne and sunsets. Sit back, relax and take in the vibe at this ultimate summer location. Mediterranean cool meets Cape Town chic at the Atlantic Seaboard’s most sought-after space.
The Glen Country Club, No. 3 Victoria Road, Clifton
www.thebungalow.co.za | +27 (0)21 438 2018 | info@thebungalow.co.za
Drinks at Asoka
Set under the skylight of a revamped Victorian house, Asoka Restaurant & Bar is set around the trunk of a 150-year-old fairy lit olive tree. Tuesday and Sunday jazz nights, when Mr Keys & The Funky Munks take to the stage for a live two-hour jazz set, are sold-out affairs, and on other nights Asoka worldly sharing plates vie with a delicious cocktail menu for diners’ affections. Cocktail purées are made fresh each day, and drinks mixed by trained mixologists. Another bonus is that the kitchen stays open until 12pm each night – a rare occurrence in Cape Town. Asoka also boasts a live Deep House DJ Tuesday to Saturday every week. It’s easy to understand why Asoka Restaurant & Bar has been upholding its reputation as a Kloof Street gem for over a decade. Open Monday to Sunday 18h00 until late.
68 Kloof Street, Gardens
www.asoka.za.com | +27 (0) 21 422 0909 / +27 (0)82 775 4945 | info@asokabar.co.za
Dance at Shimmy Beach Club
Join Shimmy Beach Club on Friday’s for their weekly Friday Club Nights featuring a line-up of resident DJs that will get the party started from 8pm until late.
Shimmy Beach Club invites you to the seaside restaurant’s unique culinary offering by enjoying a delicious meal overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and rounding off your evening with our resident DJ swaying you off the dinner table and onto the dancefloor. Entrance is free of charge.
12 South Arm Road, V&A Waterfront
+27 (0)21 200 7778 | info@shimmybeachclub.co.za | admin@shimmybeachclub.co.za
A night out on the town in Durban
Dinner at 9th Avenue Waterside
Proudly relocated in 2019 to the Yacht Mole in the heart of Durban’s CBD, 9th Avenue Waterside focusses on creating original and imaginative cuisine while showcasing the beauty of Durban. This beautiful restaurant is a modern, warm and unpretentious venue in the heart of Durban, serving fresh, locally-sourced seasonal ingredients with an emphasis on sustainability.
Chef/Patron Graham Neilson heads up the kitchen and strikes a balance between modern interpretations of bistro classics to cutting edge gastronomy. The menu is constantly evolving, and diners are encouraged to enjoy the cocktail lounge and watch the sunset over the city before joining settling in for dinner.
The wine list changes regularly and concentrates on smaller boutique wineries offering some of SA’s finest. The wine list also offers a limited selection of international wines and locally sourced micro-brewed beers and craft gins.
2 Maritime Place, Harbour
www.9thavewaterside.co.za | 031 940 4628 | info@9thavewaterside.co.za
Drinks at The Chairman
To create an authentic and unpretentious connection with the people, The Chairman had to be a deeply personal. It is a project that showcases the venue’s extreme, unshakable devotion and love for jazz music, furniture, fine arts, cool collectables and their architectural heritage.
An intriguing experience played itself out when the walls were being mounted with record covers, which were aimed at celebrating the jazz greats. The team stumbled upon private and hidden messages that were smuggled into the country carefully sandwiched between the record and its cover. Forbidden at the time, these were political messages, love letters and protest poetry. This gave a new meaning to a famous saying: ‘If these walls could talk’.
An intriguing experience played itself out when the walls were being mounted with record covers, which were aimed at celebrating the jazz greats.
All the interesting things you find at The Chairman are authentic originals ranging from iconic mid-century modern style, antique furniture from around the globe, Ethiopian and Asian collectables, and Persian rugs, to name a few. All this in the name of establishing a social compact with anyone who walks through our doors. Open Thursdays to Saturdays from 7pm to 2am.
146 Mahatma Gandhi Rd, Point
www.thechairmanlive.com | info@thechairmanlive.com | 031 368 2133 | 079 753 6313
Dance at Rich
Staying true to a pioneering spirt, the Taboo Group introduces Rich, Durban’s first champagne and cigar lounge. The club has become the first and one of the only nightlife entertainment venues in the region to be awarded with the inclusion of The World’s Finest Clubs, an elite, cherry-picked list of some of the most exclusive venues in the world, further imprinting its mark on the Durban nightlife industry.
47 Intersite Avenue, Umgeni Road
www.iamrich.co.za | 063 433 2590 | concierge@iamrich.co.za
Author: Natalie Kinsley
