Southern Africa
The Southern African hot list
Summer 2025–2026
What we’re loving in Summer 2025–2026 (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 Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
01
Inner City Saturdays: a new Inner City rhythm in Cape Town
Inner City Saturdays arrives as a daytime counterpart to First Thursdays. A fresh invitation from Mission for Inner City Cape Town and the creators of First Thursdays to revive the Saturday rhythm in the city’s core. Inner City Saturdays launches with an open-door circuit of fashion studios, galleries, indie cafés and small makers. Spend a day exploring the city on foot, no rush, no rigid route. We like that the organisers point you toward Bree and Shortmarket as a loose compass point. From there, it’s easy to drift into jewellery ateliers like Anna Rosholt or Philippa Green, design houses such as Dokter & Misses or the long-standing Merchants on Long. The gallery list is deep enough to make it a full cultural outing. And when you need a breather, the café lineup turns into a map of Cape Town’s all-day culture, including favourites like Clarke’s and Tjing Tjing. It’s the first time in years that the city centre feels like it’s being reintroduced to locals in a way that’s curated, walkable and genuinely fun.
Inner City Saturdays
Cape Town
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Clay Hands and Mochi Mochi
02
Le Bistro de Jan: Cape Town’s French shorthand for flavour
Le Bistrot de Jan hits the V&A Waterfront with French bistro bones and a Cape Town heartbeat. Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen brings the brand home, setting up inside the renewed The Table Bay Hotel. In charge day to day: Giles Edwards of La Tête, the chef who made nose-to-tail feel modern, not moral. The brief is simple and exacting. Clean flavours, proper technique, zero fuss. Think pâté en croûte that holds its line, fish cooked on the dot, a steak that doesn’t need a speech, sharp salads, real sauces and desserts with intent. France in grammar, Cape Town in accent.
Le Bistro de Jan
6 W Quay Rd
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Le Bistro de Jan
03
Arum: fire-first farm dining in Franschhoek
There’s a thrill in seeing a chef of Peter Tempelhoff’s calibre return to a working farm kitchen. Arum, arriving at Boschendal in December 2025, takes over the vaulted 1812 cellar that once housed The Werf. The team is rethinking the room from the ground up, creating a fire-forward kitchen that leans into Boschendal’s agriculture in a very immediate way. The promise here isn’t just another high-end countryside restaurant. It’s a chance to experience a menu shaped directly by the season’s harvest and by a cooking style that draws life from open flame. Franschhoek has no shortage of destination dining, but this feels like it taps into something more physical. Smoke that gives structure, vegetables that arrive still carrying the scent of the garden and meat that is seared to perfection.
Arum
Boschendal Wine Estate
Franschhoek
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Arum
04
Kenya’s luxury safari scene has been expanding with real ambition and the new Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp raises the bar again. Set along a quiet section of the Talek River, the camp keeps its footprint intentionally small, focusing on an intimate style of hospitality rather than resort-scale grandeur. The tents are more like elevated treehouse suites, each one with a plunge pool and a deck where you can watch elephants wander past while you’re still deciding what to have for breakfast. We love how design-driven it all is. There’s a calm, earthy palette running through the rooms and everything feels intentionally put together without tipping into that overdone luxury safari aesthetic. Game drives head out early and late in the day, following the rhythms of wildlife rather than a tight schedule. And if you’re into photography, there’s a full studio on site with pros who help you turn those fleeting sightings into actual portfolio shots.
The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
Masai Mara
Kenya
Affiliate link (what is it?)
Photography courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
05
Roger Ballen Centre for Photography: a new lens on visual culture in Johannesburg
Johannesburg now has one of Africa’s first dedicated photography museums. The Roger Ballen Centre for Photography, designed by architect Joe van Rooyen, can be found in Forest Town. Founded by renowned photographer Roger Ballen, the Centre was long-awaited. Ballen had run a foundation for local photographers for almost 20 years, but lacked a venue. The new space has three exhibition halls and a full photography bookshop. Its mission is to host both African and international photographic art, providing a platform for powerful photographic voices and engaging the public in reflection on images. The inaugural exhibition is titled Psychopomp!, curated by Berlin artist Boris Eldagsen. It uses AI‑generated images to probe the unconscious mind, raising creative and ethical questions about the new role of AI in image-making.
Roger Ballen Centre for Photography
2 Duncombe Rd
Forest Town
Johannesburg
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Roger Ballen Centre for Photography and Arminda da Silva
06
Cantina by Chefs Warehouse: tapas-style dining in Stellenbosch
Cantina brings a looser, more social edge to the Chefs Warehouse world. Born from a partnership between Chefs Warehouse and Le Grand Domaine, the concept draws inspiration from the Basque region, but it has its own South African soul. Think Spanish-style sharing dishes like paella, small bites and tapas-style plates that are made to bring people together. From the outside, the brick façade and deep burgundy awnings set the tone with warm light spilling through tall windows and tables pushed close together on the pavement. Inside, soft neutrals, caramel banquettes and patterned tiles create an intimate energy. The tiled feature wall nods to old European cafés, while woven pendants and slim bar lights warm the whole space beautifully. There’s also a tiled feature wall carrying the Cantina name in bold lettering, a nod to old European cafés.
Catina by Chefs Warehouse
7 Church St
Stellenbosch
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Cantina by Chefs Warehouse
07
Kiosk: an all-day neighbourhood fix on Kloof Nek in Cape Town
Kloof Nek finally has the hybrid general store and eatery it has been missing. Kiosk works as a morning stop, an afternoon refuel, a casual supper run or a late-night fix. Kiosk keeps its shelves stocked with daily essentials (bread, pastries and pantry items) while serving fresh food from morning till night. The shared long table brings strangers together without forcing interaction and the extended hours make it a dependable neighbourhood stop. What we enjoy most is the openness of the concept. You can buy a bottle of wine, grab a coffee, pick up snacks or sit down for a casual meal. Cape Town’s neighbourhood dining ecosystem just feels more complete with this one in the mix.
Kiosk
15 Kloof Nek Rd
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Kiosk
08
Toevlug: Stellenbosch’s new ode to honest South African cooking
Toevlug brings a grounded, produce-first approach to Annandale Wines. Led by chef Bertus Basson (with Drikus Brink as head chef), Toevlug focuses on simple, produce‑driven South African farm cooking in a family-friendly setting. The name Toevlug means sanctuary in Afrikaans and indeed, the restaurant is designed as a warm, welcoming refuge. Basson and Brink follow a straightforward cooking philosophy where clarity, flavour and ingredients speak for themselves. Brink’s approach to vegetables, herbs and local meats has always stood out and Toevlug gives him a broad canvas. The farm adds a family-forward layer to the experience, with open space for kids, a relaxed outdoor setting and the continuation of Familiér, the on-site shop. Wine tastings still run next door, creating an easy flow between the farm’s different corners.
Toevlug
Annandale Wines
Annandale Road
Stellenbosch
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Annandale Wines
09
Farro: a local favourite returns with fresh verve in Cape Town
After years in the countryside, award-winning chef Alex Windebank and his wife, Eloise, have brought Farro back to the city. In October 2025, Farro reopened in a charming Victorian terrace in Gardens, Cape Town. The restaurant seats just 26 people, spread across two upstairs dining rooms with views of Table Mountain, plus a cosy cocktail bar downstairs. The decor has a hint of vintage and is sentimental, with a few artworks gifted by long-time guests and even making use of their grandmother’s cutlery. It all gives the restaurant a warm, personal feel. Unlike its former à la carte approach, Farro now offers a focused five‑course chef’s menu. Dishes you have to try include their famous savoury beignets, handmade cappellacci with pumpkin and wild garlic and sustainably caught kabeljou with pot-roast potato and tartare cream. Don’t skip dessert, go for the tonka-bean parfait or a lemon tart with raspberry ripple ice cream.
Farro
30 Wandel St
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Farro
10
Terra: nature-inspired dining in Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch continues evolving beyond its traditional tasting-room identity and Terra adds another thoughtful point to that arc. Terra was created by Marais Kirsten-Uys (owner) and chef Matt Van Den Berg (formerly of Mertia and How Bao) and is inspired by nature and earth. Terra is an all‑day restaurant with an eclectic, family‑style menu. The emphasis is on grounded, honest food from morning to night. The concept here revolves around small plates and shared dishes that really push the boundaries of innovative cooking. For daytime dining, try the French toast with banana and lime crème or tuna-avocado toast with yuzu. Signature dishes best enjoyed late afternoon or into the night include the prawn toast, pani puri and crayfish orzo.
Terra
107 Dorp St
Stellenbosch
South Africa
Photography courtesy of Terra
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