The much-anticipated Ribs & Burgers franchise landed on our shores and made its fabulous debut at Menlyn Maine in Pretoria on 21 September. Brought to us by restaurateur and franchising tycoon, Natasha Sideris, Ribs & Burgers is a chip off the old Tashas block in its gorgeous yet practical interiors and impeccable attention to detail.

The menu is small but boasts a good variety of burgers, chicken wings, ribs, salads and tasty sides. Photo supplied.

Fast facts

Best for: A relaxed meal with friends
Serves: Ribs and burgers
Average main meal: R55 to R249 (for a full rack of lamb ribs)
Star ratings: Food 4, Service 5, Ambience 4

Food

The lamb ribs are an absolute hit. Photo supplied.

The menu is small but boasts a good variety of burgers, chicken wings, ribs, salads and tasty sides. The lamb ribs are an absolute hit: they are slowly braised then rubbed with fresh herbs and lemon before being thrown on the grill to achieve the perfect contrast of crispy and melting in your mouth. For vegetarian diners they offer what might be the city’s tastiest falafel in a burger, served with a delicious beetroot relish. Try it with a generous side of sweet potato chips. Salads are fresh, vibrant and well-dressed – the grilled halloumi salad with a minty vinaigrette is one for the books.

Extra care is taken to ensure that the pork ribs are a cut above anything you’ll ever have. The supplier owns a pork plant that specialises in sausages and ribs and supplies a very specific cut to R&B. The chef slowly braises the ribs for eight hours then slathers them in a mouth-watering BBQ basting before putting them on the grill for that hypnotically tasty smokiness.

The easygoing vibe makes a welcome break from the mall madness. Photo supplied.

For dessert, their fun-to-eat soft serve burger is made with a dollop of vanilla soft serve ice cream squished between two bright blue burger buns. Yum.

There’s a pleasantly minimalist approach to the food here, and it’s what makes the best restaurants. Everything is simple, beautifully prepared and full of flavour and colour.

Drinks

The drinks offering at Ribs & Burgers is not enormous, but it’s effective and includes a small selection of craft beer, some lovely wines like Vondeling rosé and Cloverfield sauvignon blanc, as well as a few spirits. There are also soft serve milkshakes and gelato shakes.

Try the burgers with a generous side of sweet potato fries. Photo supplied.

Service

This is not your ordinary restaurant setup. To order you need to step up to the counter and have a cashier take your order. You’re then handed your drinks (the wine here is served in whisky glasses with a few blocks of ice) and an old school metallic kettle containing your cutlery, condiments and order number. Once you’re seated your food is brought to you. The wait for your meal isn’t a long one at all. Waiters are talkative, fun and know everything about what they are selling. The treatment here and attention paid to customers is excellent.

Ambience

True to Natasha Sideris’ clean and comfortable style of décor with a touch of industrial chic, the navy and white hues paired up with wood and metal marry together perfectly and create an almost masculine look and feel to the restaurant. There is a really relaxed feeling to the place and a pleasant easygoing vibe – a welcome change from the very businesslike atmosphere of Menlyn Maine.

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Eat Out critics dine unannounced and pay their own way. View our full editorial policy here.

Eat Out attended the buzzing opening night (though we returned to sample things incognito on a second occasion). Photo supplied.