Looking for the best Power Lunch Restaurants in South Africa? The truly savvy business person in Africa always demonstrates class and professionalism by selecting a restaurant that not only oozes a distinctly South African cosmopolitan look and feel, but packs a menu of top class that goes well for a power lunch with great business conversation.
South Africa’s top 3 cities, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, are home to some of the best restaurants in the country that provide an ideal setting for your next power lunch with colleagues and business partners. Enjoy great food while conversing over business, and raise a glass of some of the finest wine while sealing that big deal.
Whatever your taste and preferred ambiance, this list of restaurants are sure to cater to your next power lunch.
Below is a list of some the best power lunch restaurants in South Africa to visit.
The Big Mouth – Sandton City
If you’re looking for a hearty meal to accompany a great business conversation, The Big Mouth, located on the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City, is the perfect restaurant. This restaurant is among the best power lunch restaurants in South Africa.
This sushi and grill restaurant was opened in 2015 with the revamped iconic square, which is named after South Africa’s first democratically-elected president, Nelson Mandela, whose statue is also located on the square. While enjoying lunch with clients and colleagues, you have a great view of the water feature in the middle of the square, as well as the contemporary and popular upmarket hotel, the Michelangelo.
The restaurant offers signature sushi dishes, a variety of grills including grilled calamari, ribeye steak and lamb chops, small plates including tempura biltong and dim sum, and pots including mussel and seafood pots. If you love dessert, you can enjoy deep-fried Oreos, carrot cake or churros.
When celebrating the closing of a deal, you and your clients can enjoy a wide variety of cocktails including the Big Mouth Mary, the Lennox, and Whiskey Sour, as well as a full selection of wine, beer, whiskey, and spirits.
Reservations are required for parties of 6 guests or more, and these can be made telephonically.
Moyo – Zoo Lake
If you and your business partners and clients are looking for a tranquil escape in the middle of the work week and some great African cuisine, then Moyo in Zoo Lake is the perfect restaurant for a business meeting.
Located in the leafy green suburb of Saxonwold, Moyo offers light meals such as crispy Zulu style peri peri spiced wings and an Egyptian vegetarian platter, kraal grill meals including rump and ostrich fillet with sides including African spinach and nhopi dovi; North, East and Southern African traditional dishes such as tagines and potjies, as well as delicious desserts including Cape Malva pudding and Amarula ice cream.
The decor of the restaurant is earthy and relaxing, mimicking the tone and feel of an authentic African outback. You can either sit inside or outside on the deck if you prefer some sun, fresh air and scenic views of leafy green trees.
Other Moyo restaurants are located in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, uShaka in Durban, and Kirstenbosch and Blouberg in Cape Town.
EB Café Social Kitchen and Bar – Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town
EB Café is not only a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city for literature lovers who enjoy a good book and a cappuccino, but is a great restaurant to meet clients and business partners for coffee and light meals. No wonder its among the best power lunch restaurants in South Africa.
The restaurant offers a quiche of the day served with a side salad, as well as an array of toasted and open sandwiches, including toasted chicken mayo, roast beef, ago and tomato and salmon trout and cream cheese with capers. And, off-course, you can enjoy an array of coffees offered, including espresso, Americano and cappuccino.
The cafe, located at Hyde Park Mall in Johannesburg, overlooks the northern suburbs of Hyde Park and Sandton, offering a scenic and relaxed view of the city. The one located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town also offers an idyllic view of the harbour, spilling out onto a terrace that gives you a view of Table Mountain.
EB Café can be found in various malls in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, including Ballot Junction in Durban, Canal Walk and Table Bay Mall in Cape Town, and Rosebank Mall in Johannesburg.
Gia’s on Montrose – Morningside, Sandton
Gia’s on Montrose is Sandton’s best kept secret, hidden away on South Road and located at Montrose Nursery. It offers a break from the busy city where you and your clients and business partners can enjoy brunch or lunch surrounded by an array of plants, trees, and overall tranquillity.
Gia’s offers an array of hot drinks including tea, cappuccino, and espresso, hearty breakfasts that include grilled smoked salmon, eggs, grilled halloumi, grilled rosemary-infused mushrooms, grilled tomato and rye toast, fresh salads, and lunch which includes burgers and desserts, which also include Gia’s signature baked cheesecake.
You can also enjoy cocktails, including cosmopolitans if you and your business partners would like to celebrate the closing of a deal. This is definitely one of the greatest choices when it comes to power lunch restaurants in South Africa.
Kream – Brooklyn, Pretoria
Kream is a trendy upmarket restaurant located in the country’s capital of Pretoria. With its stylish decor, friendly service, and delicious menu, Kream is the perfect place to enjoy a great meal while conducting business.
You can enjoy some smoked crocodile, wild mushroom tart or tuna tartare for starters; oxtail, cajun rump, smoked pork belly or Cape Malay chicken curry for the main course and summer fruit crepe stack or pear and almond tart for dessert. If you enjoy fish, there are an array of dishes to choose from, including prawns and baby kingklip. If you prefer a hearty salad, you can enjoy their signature smoked chicken caesar, tuna Niçoise salad or poached pear salad.
Table bookings can be made online or via telephone.
Market Restaurant – Durban
If you’re seeking out a restaurant with a charming ambience that offers great food and a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, then Market in Greyville, Durban is a must-visit.
The establishment is situated in a quiet courtyard behind a colonial building from the 1930s at the foot of Durban’s Berea in Marriott Road. The restaurant prides itself on creating dishes using local and organic-sourced ingredients and having a great selection of award-winning South African wines, freshly squeezed fruit juices and coffee.
Their lunch menu includes steak and lamb chops, a Moroccan-inspired lamb burger, and prawn and asparagus risotto with saffron. Breakfast is served all day if you’re having a brunch meeting and would prefer a hearty breakfast meal. If you have a sweet tooth, you can select any cakes from the cake of the day, or enjoy deep-fried banana or cranberry and cashew nut chocolate brownie.
Reservations can be made telephonically or via email.
Greedy Buddha – Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu Natal
If you and your business partners enjoy South East Asian cuisine, Greedy Buddha in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban is the perfect restaurant to visit for a business meeting.
The establishment prides itself on freshly cooked and served dishes, with ingredients sourced from the Natal Midlands and Northern KZN. Enjoy the Ducking Fantastic Platter, which is ideal for sharing, the crispy roasted pork belly and some dim sum. If you enjoy wraps and buns, you can feast on the 5-spice duck and Asian falafel. Their wine list has a good selection of wines; however, their cocktail menu is more popular, offering drinks such as Buddha Spin and Buddha Long Island.
Reservations can be made telephonically or via email.
Karibu Restaurant – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
If you and your colleagues and business associates enjoy good food while looking at the scenic view of Table Mountain, then Karibu Restaurant, located at the V&A Waterfront, is your restaurant of choice.
The restaurant offers a diverse South African culinary experience, offering dishes from seafood to Cape Malay cuisine, as well as local favourites such as putu, potjiekos, and game meat. Enjoy starter dishes such as oysters, pickled fish, and calamari; mains such as lamb chops, Cape Malay beef curry and braai meat, and desserts such as ice cream and hot chocolate sauce, and the local favourites malva pudding and koeksisters.
If you and your colleagues and clients want to raise a glass in celebration, the establishment has a good selection of the Cape’s finest wines, which have sourced from emerging and established estates to compliment their food and ambience.
Reservations can be made for eight guests or more either telephonically or via email.
9th Avenue Bistro – Durban
9th Avenue Bistro, located in Morningside, Durban, is one of the city’s top restaurants, boasting a great menu, friendly staff, and a great ambience for good food and business conversation.
The menu is filled with a variety of great dishes to choose from, including the starter dish of gin-cured salmon, which has received great reviews from local foodies, and crispy roasted free-range duck, and organic free-range beef steak for the main course.
It is advised that you leave some space for dessert, especially if you have a sweet tooth. The vanilla bean creme brûlée served with a tang of pineapple salsa and homemade shortbread for scooping will not disappoint. Their baked pavlova, consisting of lemon chantilly, lemon curd & seasonal fruit sorbet, will leave you satisfied.
A great thing about the establishment is that they have set menus for corporate gatherings, which incorporate their starters, main dishes, and desserts.
Reservations can be made telephonically or via email.
The Short Market Club – Cape Town
The Short Market Club is a great restaurant located just off the vibe-filled Bree Street in Cape Town. It was recently voted as one of the top restaurants in South Africa at the 2017 Eat Out Awards.
The modern and sleek design of the restaurant creates an opulent feel, making you and your colleagues and clients feel relaxed and at home in a classic cosmopolitan setting.
Lunch starts off with West Coast oysters with Asian accompaniments or beef carpaccio with a miso-cured egg yolk, Randles enthuses. The grass-fed beef tartare or Cape Malay crispy octopus are great starter dishes to get the business conversation going. For the main dish, you can enjoy Karoo lamb rack or the Short Market grill, consisting of grass-fed beef and a choice of one side. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list and a tasting menu should you want to explore their dishes further.
The restaurant welcomes walk-ins for lunch, and there’s an option to book online should you want to reserve a table.
Power lunches are meant to be engaging, creating great business conversation over a delicious and hearty meal in an establishment of top class and design. So, the next time you’re in the Mother City, the City of Gold, or the warm coastal city of Durban, make sure to take your colleagues and business associates to any of these top establishments to seal the deal while raising a glass to great business and good food.