In honour of Heritage Month, we bring you a round-up of some traditional South African street foods that celebrate our rainbow nation’s diverse regional culture and rich culinary heritage, and eateries that offer incredible versions of them.

Gatsby

This ultimate Capetonian classic foot-long sub is what sandwich dreams are made of. Ideal for sharing, the gatsby comprises a wide variety of fillings including chicken, steak, seafood, polony or viennas, slap chips, salad, cheese, eggs and sauces. While not related to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, this monstrous baguette that was invented by Rashaad Pandy of Super Fisheries in the mid-70s, could aptly be called the ‘great gatsby’ for its size and smorgasbord of flavours. Here’s where you can get your hands on the perfect gatsby in your city:

 Cape Town

Super Fisheries (Athlone), Cosy Corner (Wynberg), Aneesa’s (multiple outlets), The Golden Dish (Gatesville), Mariam’s Kitchen (multiple outlets), Steelies (Canal Walk and V&A Waterfront), Cut-in-2 (Bergvliet), Cape to Curry (Monte Vista Boulevard), Fisherman’s Den (Bellville), Bona Fast Foods (Grassy Park), Lekker Vegan (Fish Hoek), Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch (Mowbray), Durban Curry House (Rondebosch)

Johannesburg

Industry Bakery (Sunninghill), Lekker Vegan (Fourways), Hunga Bustas (Ormonde), Jimmy’s Killer Fish & Chips (Mondeor)

 

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Pretoria

Sizzlers Braai Atlyn (Atteridgeville), Grubhouse (Menlo Park), Cape Town Street Food (Maroelana)

Durban

Roti & Chai (Windermere), Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch (Overport), West Grill (Westville), The Mall Café (Phoenix), That’s Fishy Glenwood (Berea)

Bunny Chow

A hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with spicy chicken, beef, mutton, mixed vegetables or sugar beans curry, the bunny chow (or ‘bunny’) was invented in KwaZulu-Natal by migrant Indian labourers in the ’40s who needed a fuss-free transportable lunch to dig into during short lunch breaks. Today, this humble Durban classic has earned global repute for being an intrinsic South African-Indian dish and is available in most Indian restaurants across the country. Here’s where you can devour a hearty bunny in full-, half- or quarter-portion sizes in your city:

Cape Town

Sundoo (Sea Point), Indigo (Bellville), JJ’s Indian Cuisine & Takeaway (Kalk Bay), The Burner (Century City and Bellville), Eastern Food Bazaar (Cape Town City Centre), Durban Curry House (Rondebosch), The Golden Dish (Gatesville), Cape to Curry (Monte Vista Boulevard), Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch (Mowbray) 

 

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Johannesburg

Moyo (Parkview), Banjaara (Douglasdale), Bismillah (Lenasia), Curry & All (Morningside), Dosa Hut (Fordsburg and Fourways), Mr Bunny Chow Restaurant & Takeaway (Dowerglen), The Indian Bay Leaf Restaurant (Fordsburg), Namak (Craighall Park and Blairgowrie)

Pretoria

4 Chilli Indian Takeaway & Spicebar (Garsfontein), Spice-The Indian Kitchen (Lynnwood Ridge), Sahil Curry Den (Montana), The Swagat North Indian Cuisine Restaurant & Take-Aways (Murrayfield), Taste of India Rietvalleirand (Elardus Park), Punjabi Laziz (Equestria)

Durban

Gounden’s (Glenwood), Capsicum Restaurant, Britannia Hotel (Stamford Hill), CaneCutters (Umhlanga), Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch (Overport), Victory Lounge (multiple outlets), Kebabish North Beach (North Beach), Bunny Chow Box (Congela), Food City (Overport)

Kota

Similar to bunny chow, but featuring a quarter loaf of bread or ‘kota’, this Gauteng township street food favourite comes crammed with a variety of fillings that are similar to the gatsby, including polony, viennas, chicken, steak, atchar, cheese, eggs, sauces and slap chips ­– a meal on its own. Here’s where you can dig into a sumptuous kota in your city:

Cape Town

Pitso’s Kitchen (V&A Waterfront), Kota Vibes (Langa), Native Kota (Gugulethu), Kota Cuisine (Gugulethu), Kasi Khaltsha Kota 7784 (Village 1 North), Bozza Kota Bar (Parklands)

 

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Johannesburg

Kota Joe (Edenvale), Nkukhu Box (Diepmeadow and Katlehong), Burbs Kota (Sandton), Sha’p Braai (Maboneng), Kota-Delicious (Marshalltown), Kota Paleis (Braamfontein), Kota Zone (Troyeville), Kota Point ZA (Lilian Ngoyi Street), Woza Woza Kota Place (Malvern), Baily’s (Alexandra)

Pretoria

Kota Joe Roadhouse (Wonderboom), Da-Kota (Mamelodi), Kota Kiosk Nellmaphius (Nellmaphius), Maftown Kota Palace (Tshwane), Kota Kings Mabopane (Mabopane), Kota Circle (Mamelodi)

Durban

Durban Kota House (Musgrave), Kota Kheyos (UKZN Westville Campus O Block)

Johnny’s Roti

Durban’s answer to Cape Town’s mighty gatsby is Johnny’s Roti, first introduced by Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch and still the only place where you can get your hands on this iconic street food. Known to be an apt cure for a hangover or a pocket-friendly lunch for two or three ravenous college kids, Johnny’s Roti contains an assortment of ingredients including mutton, chicken or beans curry, chips and cheese all rolled into an oversized roll that is ideal for sharing. You can try this delish street food snack at Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch in Overport (Durban) or at Sunrise Chip ’N Ranch in Mowbray (Cape Town).

Vetkoek

Also called ‘amagwinya’, vetkoek, which translates to ‘fat cake’ in Afrikaans, is a traditional deep-fried dough ball containing a variety of sweet or savoury fillings such as minced meat, apricot jam, cheese or polony. Humorously referred to as ‘heart attack on a plate’, here’s where to get your hands on some irresistible vetkoek in your city:

Cape Town

Vetkoek Paleis (Brackenfell and Strand), Zanne’s Fare (Cape Town City Centre), Ivy’s Kitchen (Observatory), Yo’ Vetkoek (Gardens), Fat Cake City (Plumstead and Monte Vista)

 

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Johannesburg

Vuyos Restaurant (Soweto), Busy Corner Imbizo Shisanyama (Midrand), Fat Cake City (multiple outlets), Vetkoek Paleis (Discovery), Vetkoek World (Roodepoort), Vettie se Vetkoek (Germiston), Heli’s Vetkoek (Germiston)

Pretoria

Vetkoek Maleis (multiple outlets), Vetkoek Delight (Rietfontein), Farmhouse Vetkoek (Magalieskruin and Waverley), Hot Spot Vetkoek & Takeaways (Hercules), Vetkoek Mania (Waverley)

Durban

Fat Cake City (Bluff), Lekker Delights (Pinetown), Ekhaya Fast Foods (Durban Central and Soldiers Way)

Koeksisters

Koeksisters are essentially crunchy strips of deep-fried braided pastry dunked in syrup, that are available in most bakeries or supermarkets across South Africa. A close cousin of the koeksister is the koesister, a Cape Malay-inspired fried dough ball that is soft on the inside and dusted with desiccated coconut, after being soaked in spiced syrup. Here’s where to enjoy great koeksisters in your city:

Cape Town

Wembley Roadhouse (Belgravia), Aneesa’s (multiple outlets), The Golden Dish (Gatesville), Biesmiellah (Bo-Kaap, Schotsche Kloof), Bo-Kaap Kombuis (Schotsche Kloof), Farieda’s Koeksisters (Lansdowne), Ouma Rooi Koeksisters (Maitland), Arpin Koeksisters (N1 City), Karibu (V&A Waterfront)

Johannesburg

Rehanas Home Made Koeksisters Delicatessen (Lilian Ngoyi Street), Koeksister Queen (Curzon Drive)

Pretoria

Bakes with Love (Pretoria Gardens), Bakers Trio (Moreleta Park)

Durban

Kaapse Koeksisters (Essenwood), Issy’s Superette & Bakery (Sydenham)

 

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Boerewors

Also called ‘wors’, boerewors is essentially thick farmer’s sausage that gets its name from ‘boer’, the Afrikaans term for ‘farmer’. A staple at braais, this well-loved spiral-shaped sausage comprises a mix of beef, pork, lamb or goat, spices, and salt and vinegar as natural preservatives. Grilled boerewors can be enjoyed on its own, or in a hot-dog version, stuffed in a soft bread roll with caramelised onions and sauces – called a ‘boerie roll’. Here’s where you can savour tasty boerewors or boerie rolls in your city:

Cape Town

Pitso’s Kitchen (V&A Waterfront), Zanne’s Fare (Cape Town City Centre), Skotnes Restaurant (Tokai), Mariam’s Kitchen (multiple outlets), The Golden Dish (Gatesville), Boers & Boerewors (Lansdowne), Boerie Express (Brooklyn), Mzansi Restaurant (Langa), The Butcher Shop & Grill (Mouille Point), Jou Ma se Boerie (Tokai), Big B Boerewors and Pancakes (Melkbosstrand), Karibu (V&A Waterfront)

Johannesburg

Sakhumzi Restaurant (Soweto), Vuyos Restaurant (Soweto), Chaf Pozi (Soweto), Pata Pata (Maboneng), African Hot Plate (Northriding), Sha’p Braai (Maboneng), Tribes African Steakhouse & Grill (Emperors Palace, Boksburg), Busy Corner Imbizo Shisanyama (Midrand), The Butcher Shop & Grill (Sandton), The Grillhouse (Rosebank and Melrose Arch)

Pretoria

Zemara African Restaurant and Guest House (Arcadia), Capital Craft (Menlo Park), Rock@88 (Lynnwood), Buffelsfontein Beesboerdery (Menlo Park), Blue Crane Restaurant (Nieuw Muckleneuk), Hinterland Restaurant (Hazelwood), Amaros (Pretoria Central), Afro-boer (Equestria)

Durban

Africa Peninsula Restaurant (Bluff), Meat Junction (multiple outlets), Butcher Boys (Morningside), JR Braai House Davenport (Berea), The Braai Place “Shisanyama” (Durban Central), The Lockdown Braaiman (Musgrave), Steak House Classic ChisaNyama (Durban Central) 

Shisa Nyama

Shisa nyama, which literally means ‘burnt meat’ in Zulu, features a variety of BBQ meats – including boerewors, steak, chops, chicken and ribs, cooked on a braai. These grilled meats are usually served with a variety of accompaniments including the traditional mieliepap and chakalaka. While a shisa nyama usually takes place in someone’s backyard, with a large gathering of friends around the braai, several restaurants in SA also offer shisa nyama or braai platters. Here’s where to enjoy a lekker shisa nyama in your city:

Cape Town

Pitso’s Kitchen (V&A Waterfront), Ivy’s Kitchen (Observatory), Karibu (V&A Waterfront), The Duncan Shisa Nyama (Parklands), Papa Rons Shisa Nyama (Woodstock), Phiwe’s Tshisa Nyama Place (Gugulethu), Maphindi’s Butchery (Nyanga), Mama Africa (Cape Town City Centre)

 

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Johannesburg

Chaf Pozi (Soweto), Moyo (Parkview), Sha’p Braai (Maboneng), Busy Corner Imbizo Shisanyama (Midrand)

Pretoria

Heritage Lifestyle Restaurant (Arcadia), Tshwane Lifestyle (Meyerspark), Halwas African Restaurant (Pretoria Central), Rock@88 (Lynnwood), Boujee Shisanyama (Hatfield), Ayoba Cafe Shisanyama (Trevenna), Menlyn Dial A Shisanyama (Waterkloof Glen)

Durban

Rooftop BBQ DBN (Umhlanga Rocks), The Joint Jazz Café (South Beach), KuD’Ta (Wilson Wharf Habour), Meat Junction (multiple outlets), Butcher Boys (Morningside), JR Braai House Davenport (Berea), The Braai Place “Shisanyama” (Durban Central), The Lockdown Braaiman (Musgrave), Steak House Classic ChisaNyama (Durban Central)

Mogodu

A slow-cooked tripe stew, mogodu is well loved across Africa and sometimes also includes cow or sheep intestines (called ‘mala mogodu’) that you can smell a mile away cooking in a huge pot over an open fire in most townships across South Africa. Mogodu is usually served with pap or tiff (a fermented sorghum porridge). However, for those who prefer to leave the experimenting to restaurants, here’s where you can sample an authentic bowl of mogodu in your city:

Cape Town

Pitso’s Kitchen (V&A Waterfront), Mama Africa (Cape Town City Centre), Fatima’s West Africa Restaurant (Cape Town City Centre)

 

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Johannesburg

Nkukhu Box (Diepmeadow and Katlehong), Vuyos Restaurant (Soweto), Sha’p Braai (Maboneng), Tribes African Steakhouse & Grill (Emperors Palace, Boksburg), Busy Corner Imbizo Shisanyama (Midrand)

Pretoria

Heritage Lifestyle Restaurant (Arcadia), Tshwane Lifestyle (Meyerspark), Amaros (Pretoria Central), African Pot Grill House (Pretoria Central)

Durban

Ekhaya Fast Foods (Durban Central and Soldiers Way), Iyanas Restaurant (South Beach), Meat Junction (multiple outlets)

Chicken Feet

Whether stewed, fried or braai’d, chicken feet or ‘road runner’ as it is colloquially referred to, is a favourite township street snack that is affordable, tasty and perfect for a quick bite. Another version of chicken feet is walkie-talkie – a tongue-in-cheek reference to the chicken’s head and feet, which is also quite a hit among South Africans. While traditionally a township speciality, here’s where you can relish this tasty dish in restaurants in your city:

Cape Town

Pitso’s Kitchen (V&A Waterfront), Mama Africa (Cape Town City Centre)

 

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Johannesburg

Nkukhu Box (Diepmeadow and Katlehong), Hombaze African Cuisine (Parkmore), African Hot Plate (Northriding)

Pretoria

Musanda African Restaurant (Pretoria West), Halwas African Restaurant (Pretoria Central)

Durban

Nkonzo’s Kitchen (Durban Central), Palesa South African Cuisine (Pietermaritzburg)

Apart from the above, other popular South African regional street food favourites include braaied mielie (BBQ corn-on-the-cob), salomie (a thick, flaky roti wrap filled with spicy meat or vegetarian curry), smiley (sheep’s head), biltong (dried beef or game meat cured with vinegar and spices), droëwors (thin, spiced sausages – a dried version of boerewors), ugali (steamed cornmeal), umngqusho (dried corn kernels with sugar beans), chakalaka (a spicy vegetable and beans relish) and pap (steamed maize meal), braaibroodjies (traditional cheese, onion, tomato and chutney sandwiches grilled on the braai), sosaties (BBQ marinated meat skewers), potjiekos (a meat and vegetable stew cooked in a three-legged cast iron cauldron on coals or over a wood fire), roosterkoek (buttered bread rolls grilled on the braai), oepsies (BBQ bacon and cherry skewers, coated with a sticky sweet sauce), amasi (thickened fermented milk, similar to cottage cheese), hertzoggie (apricot jam tart with a flaky base topped with desiccated coconut), bokkoms (salted dried fish that is sometimes smoked), masala pineapples (grilled masala-coated pineapple skewers), skopas popcorn (multicoloured popcorn coated in powdered sugar), samosas (fried triangular pastry filled with spiced potatoes or minced meat) and fish ’n tjips (the South African version of batter-fried fish served with chips coated with salt and vinegar).

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