Sakhumzi

Sakhumzi began as a shebeen, an informal township tavern, and was turned into a proper restaurant on Vilakazi Street in 2001, keeping the original doors, walls and flooring. It is now one of the best-known places to eat in Soweto, a few steps from Mandela House and close to the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and it has grown to include branches at Phefeni in Dube and at Zoo Lake in Parkview.

The main draw is the African cuisine buffet. Dishes vary from day to day, but expect the kind of food South African families cook at home: stews, grilled and braised meats, chicken, pap (maize porridge), samp and beans, chakalaka, vegetables and salads, followed by dessert. The buffet is priced per person for a set period, which makes it easy to try a little of everything. There is also an à la carte menu, available as a PDF on the website, and a bar.

Sakhumzi suits almost everyone, from families and groups of friends to solo travellers on a Soweto tour. Vilakazi Street outside is busy with street performers, craft sellers and tour groups, and the atmosphere is cheerful and sociable. Weekends and public holidays are the busiest times, and many tour groups stop here for lunch, so arrive a little before or after the main lunch rush if you want a quieter meal.

The Vilakazi Street buffet runs from 11:00 to 21:00. For birthdays, larger parties and corporate events you can book by phone, email or WhatsApp, and the Phefeni and Zoo Lake buffets are by advance booking only. Prices are moderate by city standards, and drinks are extra.

If you prefer to eat away from the Soweto crowds, the Zoo Lake branch in Parkview serves a buffet by booking for groups of five or more, with a spit braai available on request, and it is close to the northern suburbs' hotels. The Phefeni branch in Dube also takes buffet bookings and offers baked goods and custom cakes.

Vilakazi Street is in Orlando West, about 20 kilometres south-west of central Johannesburg. Many visitors come on an organised Soweto tour, but you can also drive or use a ride-hailing app. After lunch, walk along the street to Mandela House and the house where Archbishop Desmond Tutu lived, then on to the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum.