Michelle Colman looks into new leisure offerings in the City of Gold, and finds many focus on locations of urban renewal.
New in Maboneng
Maboneng continues to be the focus of inner city trend, with new recreation spots opening all the time.
An inner-city rooftop venue, The Living Room is something of an oasis in the brick and cement surrounds of Maboneng, taking as its theme the jungle aspect in ‘urban jungle’. Lush vertical gardens that change with the seasons and hammocks from the ceiling are some of the unusual features in this relaxed location, where the focal point is a view over the skyline. Situated in the Main Change Building, it also has a showroom displaying prototypes for vertical gardens and a shop selling plants, gifts and jewellery. It is open on Mondays to Thursdays from 10h00-17h00, on Fridays and Sundays from 10h00-19h00 and from 10h00-21h00 on Saturdays. Tapas and toasties on the menu.
Lauren Kemp, Marketing and Communications Manager for Tourvest Destination Management, suggests another trendy Maboneng venue to chill in – Lenin’s Vodka Bar. “Lenin’s stocks vodka from around the world, with around 42 brands including a South African hand-crafted variety,” she says. “Comfortable couches, cool music and yummy flatbreads with toppings,” is how she describes the food fare.
Known for its smoothies, sarmies and shakes (some non-dairy ones too), Uncle Merv’s in Maboneng also has a reputation for coffee and croissants. From here visitors can also rent bicycles to explore this re-invigorated corner of Johannesburg’s inner city.
Enhancements in Soweto
An addition to the attractions of Soweto’s most famous Vilakazi Street is The Box Shop, which touts itself as a ‘lifestyle retail outlet’. It’s a showcase for local entrepreneurs in the fashion, furniture, accessories and food spheres, offering them access to market. There’s an African accent throughout – the coffee outlet Kofi, for example, uses beans that originate on the African continent, while the cosmetic products sold by Yivani Naturals make use of herbs and oils locals grew up using.
The home of an increasingly popular Soweto-grown craft beer, Soweto Gold, is open to visitors. Tours with tastings can be made of the Ubuntu Kraal Brewery in Orlando West Ext, and food and live music enjoyed at the Kasi Beergarden, a township gourmet grill. The facility is open seven days a week from 10h00-22h00.
Up-and-coming Kramerville
In Sandton, the suburb of Kramerville (take the Marlboro off-ramp off the M1) has become Johannesburg’s new home of interior design, where weekend shoppers roam from store to store along Desmond Street and Kramer Road. In the wake of the latest in furniture and fabric come locations to tempt foodies.
One of them is the Afro-inspired Milk Bar, adjacent to Amatuli Artefacts, which is a must for serious collectors of African craft. Township strains dominate the décor in this quaint venue, centred on a fireplace. It opens early enough for breakfast each day, and a little later on weekends to facilitate the brunch crowd. On Wednesdays and Fridays coffee gives way to cocktails and opening hours stretch into the night.
In the same location is another Wednesday night hangout, Sir James van der Merwe’s, part of an events venue called Katy’s Palace. The view over Sandton is impressive, as is the hodgepodge of antiques and African collectibles that decorate the space.
Inner city adventures with a purpose
The fluctuating fortunes of Hillbrow, its landmark Ponte City, and its neighbouring suburbs, Yeoville and Berea, are explored in a series of walking tours offered by Dlala Nje, the Zulu translation for ‘just play’.
Proceeds from these inner city adventures fund the Dlala Nje community centre at Ponte, where the 800 or so kids who live in the 52-storey building can hang out after school, do homework, take part in performing arts or play sport.
The accent of the tours is on stepping out of comfort zones, challenging perceptions, encountering cultures close-up and unpacking social issues. Dlala Nje operates an average of 20-25 walks a month and has a high TripAdvisor rating.
In the heart of the city
1 Fox, as the name indicates, is in Fox Street downtown, and has a few components, described here by Kemp.
“1 Fox Market Shed is in the old mining district and has a weekly market consisting of an array of street vendor food, clothing, art and live music and lots of space for the kids to run around,” she says. Alongside this market is Johannesburg’s hottest live music venue, The Good Luck Bar, the name believed to be taken from a saloon that operated in the area over 100 years ago.
“June 2016 saw the opening of Mad Giant, a craft beer brewery and beer garden next to Urbanologi, a sexy Asian fusion food restaurant,” says Kemp. “Assemblage is a studio space for young artists in the same area.”
Elsewhere in Joburg, The Joziburg Lane at One Eloff, a landscaped pedestrian lane lined with coffee shops, eateries, artists’ studios and retail spaces, is a similar inner-city attraction nearing completion.
The lane, just one component of a larger retail, office and residential development, leads to the Joziburg Foodhall and a large events hall. The adjacent Joziburg Bar serves craft beers and artisanal drinks.
Already partially operative, the development will commence trade in full on September 2. Stores and traders will be open for the compulsory trading hours of Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10h00-17h00, with extended hours till 22h00 on Friday nights.
