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Southern Africa

The Southern African hot list
March 2025

Southern Africa • Insider guides • The Southern African hot list March 2025

What we’re loving in March 2025 (and you will too)

Stay informed and stay inspired! The Southern African hot list is your monthly dossier of what’s shaping the cultural and creative landscape across Southern Africa. From smart new openings and design-forward projects to events worth pencilling into your diary, we spotlight the ideas and initiatives that matter. Whether you’re a local with a keen eye on your surroundings or a traveller seeking authentic inspiration, this is your curated guide to the things that are getting our attention (and deserve your’s, too).

Top photography courtesy of The Beach House

Kruijd by Kraak: slow living in Wellington

Set in the calm landscapes of Wellington, South Africa, Kruijd is a retreat that invites you to embrace the art of slow living. The name Kruijd, derived from Dutch, translates to herb or spice, reflecting the retreat’s deep connection to nature and its commitment to organic principles. At Kruijd, the philosophy centres around four core values: barefoot luxury, slow, organic and considered. This ethos encourages you to find comfort and elegance in a relaxed setting, fostering genuine connections and mindfulness. The retreat offers an intimate experience with just 12 exclusive luncheons annually, year-round stays and a limited number of bespoke events and weddings. One of the standout experiences is the kruidjie-roer-my-nie luncheon, the Afrikaans phrase translates to a state of not wanting to be bothered – this is a mindful feast designed to immerse yourself fully in the present moment.

Kruijd
Bovlei Rd
Wellington
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Kraak

Minimalist Wines: innovative wines in the heart of Cape Town

Minimalist Wines, founded by the innovative young winemaker Sam Lambson at the young age of 21, has swiftly garnered acclaim for its exceptional Syrah offerings that authentically reflect South Africa’s diverse terroirs. Embracing a hands-off approach in the cellar, Minimalist Wines employs traditional techniques such as spontaneous fermentation with natural yeasts, extended maceration and ageing in large old barrels. This methodology ensures that each wine authentically expresses its terroir, free from excessive manipulation. Minimalist Wines focuses on select vineyard parcels across three distinct regions: Cape Agulhas, Elgin and Stellenbosch. One of their wines that stand out is the Stars in the Dark – sourced from Cape Agulhas, this Syrah has a savoury profile, influenced by marine fossils in the vineyard and exhibits cool-climate acidity and depth.

Minimalist Wines
105 Hope St
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Minimalist Wines

Wilderness Bisate Reserve: experience African luxury in Rwanda

Situated on the edge of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Wilderness Bisate Reserve offers an intimate and luxurious gateway to one of Africa’s most captivating wildlife experiences. Opened in September 2024, this exclusive lodge features just four spacious villas. Designed by South African firm Nicholas Plewman Architects in collaboration with interior designer Caline Williams-Wynn, the architecture draws inspiration from traditional Rwandan thatched dwellings. The villas are constructed with materials like volcanic stone, bamboo and timber. Interiors are adorned with bespoke Rwandan wickerwork and colourful textile art, including embroidered armchairs and pillows. Each villa has a private deck with a wood-fired hot tub, offering you panoramic views of the landscape and the majestic Virunga volcanoes.

Wilderness Bisate Reserve
Volcanoes National Park Ruhengeri
Rwanda

Photography courtesy of Wilderness Bisate Reserve

Alfi Pizza: a new pizza joint in Cape Town

Alfi Pizza, the latest venture from the team behind Jarryd’s and Ariel, has introduced some fresh flavour to Cape Town’s culinary scene by bringing New Haven-style pizza to Sea Point. Originating from Connecticut in the 1920s, this thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza is characterized by its hand-stretched dough and wood-fired preparation, resulting in a crispy yet chewy base with a distinctive char. Their pizzaiolos or sourdough DJs as they like to call themselves, serve up hand-rolled sourdough pizza with a variety of toppings. You’ll find four varieties of garlic pizza featuring mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan or simply olive oil and garlic. The menu also includes the classics like Quattro Stagioni and some seriously meaty options with double pepperoni, pancetta or chorizo. They even have a sweet option for dessert – a S’mores pizza!

Alfi Pizza
158 Main Rd
Sea Point
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Alfi Pizza

The Beach House: seaside dining in Yzerfontein

Located on the edge of Yzerfontein’s iconic 16-Mile Beach, The Beach House offers a dining experience that captures the essence of the West Coast. This seaside eatery was opened in October 2024 by acclaimed chefs Darren Badenhorst and Callan Austin, with chef Jacques Grove at the helm of the kitchen, where he focuses on what makes the West Coast truly special – its ingredients. Signature meals include the Baai Slaai, a foraged salad with dune spinach, soutslaai and wood sorrel flowers and the whole baked line-caught fish, cooked over a wood-fired kaggel (fireplace) just as the local fishermen have done for generations. The restaurant is a reimagined version of an 80-year-old original beach house, thoughtfully redesigned by Hayley Breytenbach. Her vision captures the essence of the West Coast’s raw beauty, drawing inspiration from Ralph Lauren’s iconic summer-by-the-sea style.

The Beach House
2 Beach Rd
Yzerfontein
South Africa

Photography courtesy of The Beach House

Kiki: bringing Greece to Cape Town

Chef Scott Walker’s 2025 spot Kiki is lively yet chic – bringing the flavours of Athens to Sea Point’s Regent Road with a fresh, modern touch. The menu is built for sharing, from meze like fava bean dip, tzatziki and saganaki to heartier dishes like kleftiko lamb shoulder, chargrilled fish and Alaskan crab linguine. The space, with its whitewashed walls, blue tiles and candlelit tables, feels both familiar and elevated. The bar keeps the energy up with inventive cocktails and a Mediterranean wine list. End with loukoumades drizzled in chocolate and pistachio or the citrusy portokalopita with olive oil ice cream. Greek flavours, Cape Town cool!

Kiki
Section 52 Piccadilly Court
85 Regent Rd
Sea Point
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Kiki

Few & Far Luvhondo: a stay in the mountains of Limpopo

Set within South Africa’s Soutpansberg Mountains in Limpopo, Few & Far Luvhondo is a groundbreaking eco-lodge that combines luxury with sustainability. Spanning 100,000 hectares in the UNESCO-designated Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, this retreat offers six cliffside suites. The lodge’s architecture, a collaboration between Nicholas Plewman Architects and Ohkre Collective, draws inspiration from the natural landscape, incorporating locally sourced materials such as heat-treated eucalyptus. A standout feature of Few & Far Luvhondo is the Solfari, an eight-kilometre solar-powered aerial cable car that offers you a unique perspective of the diverse flora and fauna from above the treetops. Few & Far Luvhondo also boasts a farm-to-table restaurant, led by Chef Nhalkanipho Soxhela who crafts dishes with produce sourced from the on-site farm, complemented by a selection of sustainable local wines chosen by Sommelier Erica Taylor.

Few & Far Luvhondo
Soutspansberg Mountains
Limpopo
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Few & Far Luvhondo

The Fountain by Planet Bar: a taste of the Med at Mount Nelson Hotel

Housed within the lush gardens of Cape Town’s iconic Mount Nelson Hotel, The Fountain by Planet Bar offers a Mediterranean-inspired outdoor dining experience, where you can enjoy leisurely meals under umbrella-shaded tables surrounding a central fountain. The menu, curated by Chef Luke Barry, emphasises locally sourced ingredients, working closely with renowned local suppliers, including Farmer Angus and Meuse Farm. Standout dishes include the Zuney Wagyu bone marrow and the Nonna-style pork and beef meatballs with fresh bread. The seafood options are also plenty with dishes like West Coast prawn scampi, Saldanha Bay mussels or roasted calamari. But the best for last, dessert – decadent pistachio bomboloni or limoncello-infused tiramisu accompanied by fresh berries. Don’t forget the cocktails, expertly curated by the head mixologist Jonathan Makonga, try the Green Goddess!

The Fountain by Planet Bar
Mount Nelson Hotel
76 Orange St
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of The Fountain by Planet Bar

Our Local Sea Point: there’s a new local favourite in Sea Point, Cape Town

Our Local, a cherished eatery in Cape Town, has expanded to another location in Sea Point. This new branch offers the same cosy and inviting atmosphere that we love from the OG spot. Our Local remains a top contender for the best breakfast spots in Cape Town and this new location shines bright with its bright and airy interiors, exposed brick walls and just the right touch of greenery to balance the old and new. The menu features some of their signature breakfasts, like the shakshuka, plus some new additions like the Pistachio Whip – pistachio, mint whipped feta with crispy kale, roasted carrots and pumpkin seeds served on a slice of toast. While the original Our Local in Kloof Street, Gardens is all about laid-back quirk and antique beauty, the Sea Point spot brings fresh energy to the brand with a sea breeze and that electric Sea Point atmosphere that’s hard to find anywhere else.

Our Local Sea Point
295 Main Rd
Sea Point
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Our Local Sea Point

Baby: a 1980s-inspired luxury cocktail bar in Cape Town

Draped in velvet and illuminated by a cosmic glow, Baby offers an intimate atmosphere where premium cocktails meet refined bar snacks, all set to a high-fidelity, disco-inspired soundtrack. This luxury cocktail bar seamlessly blends 1980s-inspired aesthetics with modern elegance, with a first-floor vantage point, offering you glimpses of the bustling Sea Point streets below. We love the cocktail offering at Baby, some of the signature cocktails to try are the Disco Inferno with Don Julio Blanco, watermelon, fresh strawberry, habanero and lime and the Fluffy Paloma with 1800 silver, fluffy grapefruit, Aleppo salt and grapefruit soda. On the food side, give the teriyaki chicken skewers and fish tacos a try. Baby knows how to set the mood – pop in for an impromptu drink, stay for dinner and dance the night away.