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Where to watch the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Remember the gees you felt in 2010 when the Soccer World Cup finally hit South Africa? The stadiums were all built on time, the nation pulled together and we put on a spirited celebration to be proud of.

It’s time to relive those moments and make more World Cup memories – with fewer buzzing vuvuzelas this time, thank goodness. With the 2014 FIFA World Cup starting in Brazil on 12 June 2014, sports fans – and fun-lovers along for the ride – will be donning their favourite teams’ shirts and scarves, face-painting flags, gathering friends and descending on pubs around the world to watch the games.

This year the matches kick-off at 6pm, 10pm and midnight local time, and while some restaurants will do fans a favour and keep kitchens open later than usual, it’s best to phone ahead to check on the day. All we can say is that if it’s possible to order hot chicken wings or burgers at 11.30pm, we’re in!

Round up the troops to celebrate all things soccer at the following restaurants, pubs and bars in the major cities that will be screening the 2014 FIFA World Cup and running some great specials.

Johannesburg

The Baron (Fourways, Bedfordview, Bryanston, Woodmead, Sandown)
Having moved away from the old English style to a more modern Manhattan grillhouse vibe, all five branches of the Baron will be screening the soccer.

Calisto’s (Bedfordview, Fordsburg and Gillview)
The three branches of this Portuguese favourite will be screening all the games. The Bedfordview branch has one TV upstairs, one downstairs and they might put one in the bar. The Fordsburg branch currently has three TVs, but is looking to set up more for the games, and the Gillview Calisto’s has three decoders, allowing for multiple channels. Enquire about their daily food specials.

The Colony Arms
This pub-style venue has six TVs inside, and might put up a projector. Order grub like chicken pie, bangers and mash, and steak rolls.

Espresso Caffe & Bistro (Parkhurst)
Head to the bar area with its two TVs to see the earlier games, and feast on prego steaks, crispy fries and traditional beef trinchado.

Gilroy Restaurant and Pub (Muldersdrift)
This brewery has an adjoining pub with two TVs in the bar, a projector outside and another inside. Build your own snack basket and feel free to bring the little ones with kiddies’ meal options.

The Guildhall (Johannesburg CBD)
Established in 1888, Guildhall is the oldest pub in Jozi. While they are open every day of the week, they will most likely screen the later games only when it’s busy, i.e. Thurs to Saturday. Order anything from pizzas to peri-peri chicken and prawns.

Espresso Caffe & Bistro (Parkhurst)

Espresso Caffe & Bistro (Parkhurst)

Hooters (Fourways)
They expect to be very busy, so bookings are essential for all matches. Kick back and watch the game while you nibble on curly fries and chicken wings.

The Keg and Filly (Sunninghill)
This is a great spot for families. Watch the games on their six screens outside on the terrace or large screen inside. They will be screening the 6pm and 9pm kick-off matches and selected midnight matches (Italy vs England), but phone ahead to check. Order from their wide selection of burgers, steaks, baskets and platters and enjoy the drinks promotions and prizes.

Mishmash Bar and Restaurant (Greenside)
This gastro-pub and specialist wine venue will be setting up a big screen outside, as well as one inside for guests to view the matches. Highlights are their pizzas and burgers.

Outer Limits Restaurant and Cocktail Bar
Watch the games on the ten 76cm TV screens, with full sound commentary. The Caipirinah Bar is selling Caipirinahs at R20 and jugs at R120. There will also be a Brazilian menu available from 6pm. They have seating for 600 people in the dining areas and space for 300 in the bar areas. There will also be massive parties after the games with the resident DJ.

Paddy’s (Randburg)
Watch the Soccer World Cup at this Irish pub on one of their three screens on the veranda or on one of the six screens inside. Order hearty meal items like the lamb shank or 300g rump steak and enter the competition to win a soccer shirt.

Rodizio (Bedfordview and Fourways)
Join Rodizio for the kick-off on Thursday. There will be caipirinha specials and free shooters with every goal scored.

Rodizio

Rodizio

Slug and Lettuce (Rivonia Square)
This branch of the Slug & Lettuce has five TVs (including an outside screen). Order from the tapas menu, which features shareable snacks like jalapeño poppers, crumbed chicken strips, spring rolls and crumbed prawns. Booking is essential.

TSG 4 Ways (Fourways)
TSG will be screening most matches (not all the late night kick-offs) on their seven TVs and one large screen. Enjoy the ever-changing specials or order from their wide range of Mediterranean dishes, such as pizzas, seafood and grills.

Zoo Lake Bowling Club (Parkwood)
This student hotspot (famous for its cheap drinks) will have six screens tuned in to the World Cup. Tuck into old-school pub grub while you enjoy the games.

Pretoria

Coco Bistro (Erasmuskloof)
The casual atmosphere here is great for the whole family. The bistro will be showing the earlier matches on their two small and five large TVs. Order from the pub menu, ask for one of their pizzas or build your own snack basket with ribs, pork bangers, chips and calamari.

Café Livingstone (Hatfield)
A popular ‘local’ for watching Saturday rugby, they will be switching over to the soccer matches. Patrons can order pub food like baskets, garlic bread, calamari and steaks and take advantage of the incredible drinks specials. Every day between 4pm-6pm buy one Castle Draft for R20 and get one free, or buy one glass of wine for R16 and get one free.

Eastwoods Tavern (Arcadia)
This vibey spot is a great entertainment venue in Pretoria. They will be screening most of the matches on their 15 TV screens, but check ahead for the later kick-off times. From Sunday to Tuesday order a T-bone for R45 or spare ribs for R69. From Wednesday to Saturday pay R69 for a 700g eisbein and get a free 340ml local beer.

Trademarx Restaurant and Bar (Arcadia)
Overlooking the fields at Loftus, Trademarx is all about sport, with over 50 LCD TV screens and two bars on two levels. Indulge in great menu specials such as a burger and coke for R59; a 500g T-bone with chips or pap and sous for R69; and  the 100g monster burger and 1 litre Castle draft for R110. (There are loads of student drinks specials, too.)

Durban

Billy the Bums (Morningside)
This is a favourite watering hole of sports players and supporters. They have a dual-view decoder, enabling them to screen both the soccer and rugby. There’s a happy hour at 3pm to 7pm from Monday to Friday. On Monday nights, get a burger and 500ml draught for R70.

Hooters (Umhlanga)
They’re known for their curly fries and wings (amongst other things), but you can also enjoy the weekly specials at Hooters. On Monday buy ribs for R115 and get a portion free. Tacos are R49 on Tuesdays; on Wednesdays eat all the wings you can for R89; on Thursdays order a 1litre draught for R32; and on Sundays kids under 12 eat for free, if accompanied by an adult.

Spiga d’Oro (Durban North)

Spiga d’Oro (Durban North)

Spiga d’Oro (Durban North)
Spiga will be showing major matches on their three TV screens and a projector. Phone ahead to check, but you will have to arrive first for a table as they don’t take bookings. Order snack dishes like focaccia and bruschetta or the enter the ‘roulette’ pizza competition (one slice is laden with hidden chillies).

Unity Brassiere and Bar (Musgrave)
A popular gathering place, Unity will be showing the 10pm games, but at this stage aren’t planning to stay open past midnight. On Monday nights order a Unity chicken or beef burger and get a pint of craft beer for for R65 (or half a pint for R60).

Cape Town

&Union (City Bowl)
A popular watering hole for after-work drinks, pulled pork sandwiches and prego rolls, &Union is open until midnight only, so they won’t be screening all the matches. Stop by to watch the earlier kick-offs on the two inside TVs.

Arnold’s (City Bowl)
This Kloof Street institution will be showing the earlier matches on three TVs inside and screening a projector outside in the smoking area. Enjoy their chicken wings, snack basket (spring rolls, calamari, chicken wings, crumbed mushrooms, veggie strips and sauces), burgers and grills.

Barristers Grill
An upmarket steakhouse, Barristers will be showing all the games kicking off at 6pm, 9pm and 10pm on the two big screens in their bar and one outside in the smoking section. Enjoy their usual à la carte menu options, which include snacks like crumbed mushrooms, potato skins with crème fraîche and onion rings.

Bossa Social Café and Bar (Somerset West)
This Latin-flavoured spot will be celebrating all things soccer this month with flags flying. They will stay open for the later games depending on the patrons, though their liquor licence runs only until 2am. Arrive wearing the name of any team in the world cup – whether it’s a beanie or soccer shirt – and receive a free 330ml draught. There will be cocktails and shooter specials in the colours of the teams playing, as well as the daily specials, which include burgers for R49 on Mondays; a free bottle of Van Loveren River Red with any two pizzas on Tuesdays; two free chilli poppers and a Hunter’s Dry draught with any nachos ordered on Thursdays for R85; and pizzas for R50, 600g ribs for R79 and cheddamelt steaks for R72 on Sundays. There’s also the standing special of a 300g rump for R100.

&Union (City Bowl)

&Union (City Bowl)

Cafe Caprice
All the games will be screened live on HD, with resident DJs playing in between the games. Enjoy half-price mojitos for the duration of the tournament every day from 5pm. Expect different flavours of mojitos for each game, with each nation represented by a twist to the classic Bacardi cocktail.

Dias Tavern (City Bowl)
This rustic Portuguese favourite will screen the “important” matches on their seven TVs with sound on, but the rest you’ll have to merely watch with music playing through the speakers. We’d bet your delicious prego steak or peri-peri prawns will comfort you though.

Ferrymans Tavern (V&A Waterfront)
With a large big screen upstairs and screens above the covered bar downstairs, Ferryman’s will be screening the World Cup games and offering their winter specials (see the specials tab) as well as the usual menu of pregos, steaks and pub grub.

Dias Tavern (City Bowl)

Dias Tavern (City Bowl)

Fireman’s Arms (City Bowl)
Big screens and sports jerseys cover any available space. They will be screening matches on their nine TVs and two big screens and serving food until midnight, with daily food and drinks specials in the pipeline. Order pizzas and focaccias to share, as well as bar snacks like peanuts and biltong.

Forrester’s Arms (Newlands)
This southern suburbs institution will screen the footie on six TVs inside and five outside. They will be running food and drinks specials for the duration of the World Cup. Check their website http://forries.co.za for details.

Fireman's Arms (City Bowl)

Fireman’s Arms (City Bowl)

Inside… Eden on the Bay
Watch the games on their five plasma screens and enjoy daily specials like double brandy for R18 and cosmopolitans for R25. Order from their selection of Indian food like bunny chows and curries.

Mitchell’s Waterfront Brewery
There are 10 flat-screen TVs located in the upstairs section of Mitchells, making it a popular pub for watching sport. The winter specials will be running, as well as a special shooter menu. The kitchen closes at 11.30pm, but they have a licence until 4am, so you can rock up here to watch the late games.

Mondiall (V&A Waterfont)
This elegant bistro will also be joining the soccer action with two big screens up behind the bar. Chef Oliver Cattermole has come up with food and drinks pairings themed for each match.For example, on the night of the opening, get tapas of coxinho with a spicy tomato sauce, mains of a Wagyu beef burger with gaucho sauce and fries, and a complimentary caipirinha for R180. Check this link for more details.

 

Mondiall (V&A Waterfont)

Mondiall (V&A Waterfont)

Pirates (Plumstead)
Catch all the sporting action at this old-fashioned pub and restaurant that serves big beef burgers – even at midnight. They have nine TVs and three big screens.

Posticino (Hout Bay)
Watch the matches on the big screen or two small TVs and enjoy two-for-one specials on glasses of house wine and small draughts. (Special only available during a game.)

Quay Four (V&A Waterfront)
Overlooking the harbour, the large deck at this unpretentious spot will have eight to ten screens. Enjoy the combos of favourites like hake and calamari, ribs and wings, and fish and chips.

Rick’s Café Américain (City Bowl)
Ricks will be screening the 6pm, 9pm and 10pm games (not the midnight ones) on their four HD screens. Fireplaces will also keep you cosy.

Quay Four (V&A Waterfront)

Quay Four (V&A Waterfront)

Shimmy Beach Club (V&A Waterfont)
For a more bling experience, you can reserve a spot at Shimmy. R100 gets you a welcome drink and canapés for the opening ceremony and match on Thursday 12 June. For the other matches, enjoy specials like a chicken or beef burger and 500ml Heineken draught for R65.

Slug and Lettuce (Kloof Street and Green Point)
Each branch has two TVs. Watch the soccer while snacking on sharable snacks like jalapeño poppers, boerewors bites, tempura prawns and fried halloumi.

Toni’s on Kloof (City Bowl)
Toni’s has two televisions and will be screening the matches during their opening hours (they close at 10pm, so you won’t be able to catch the 10pm or midnight matches there), and will only have sound on demand. Get in the mood with perennial favourite Portuguese chicken peri-peri or the feijoada, a traditional Brazilian stew.

shimmy

Shimmy Beach Club (V&A Waterfont)

 

Winelands

Bohemia Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
Bohemia has one big projector and two big TVs for screening the World Cup. They run specials daily, which are deservedly popular with their student patrons.

The Brazen Head (Stellenbosch)
With five TVs, this branch of the popular pub will keep soccer fans happy. The kitchen usually closes at 10pm, but they might make an exception (based on numbers, of course) to have the kitchen open until midnight on match days.

De Akker (Stellenbosch)
This spot will have one screen upstairs and two TVs in the restaurant showing the earlier games. There will be daily specials on offer, as well as the usual burgers, steaks and seafood.

Die Mystic Boer (Stellenbosch)
Another hub for the town’s youngsters, the Mystic will show the soccer on one big screen and two TVs. Enjoy pub grub like pizzas, burgers and chilli poppers.

Gino’s (Stellenbosch)
Popular with students, this venue is known for well-priced pizzas. There are seven beers on tap, and craft beers from local brewery Stellenbrau, to quaff while watching the games.

Sgt Pepper (Stellenbosch)

Sgt Pepper (Stellenbosch)

The Jolly Roger (Stellenbosch)
The Jolly Roger will be screening all matches on their two screens. Take advantage of the half-price pizza special all day on Wednesdays and Sundays, and half-price wine between 3.30pm and 7pm from Monday to Friday.

Sgt Pepper (Stellenbosch)
Sgt Pepper will be showing the games on their three screens. Watch this space for drinks specials and the new menu, which will be coming out soon.

The Slug & Lettuce (Stellenbosch)
The Slug & Lettuce has three screens to show the footie. They will be running changing specials, so check what’s happening on the day. Otherwise grab one of their burgers, pizzas or steaks.

Speakeasy Saloon (Durbanville)
This Durbanville favourite will be showing the games on its eight television screens. The chef is planning some Brazilian-themed food and beer pairing specials. Watch this space for details.

Have we missed your favourite pub or restaurant that will be showing the World Cup matches? Please let us know in the comments.

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