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Finding a restaurant that has a wine list to please wine lovers can be tough, however, a list has been curated by an expert to guide us all, presenting the best restaurants in Johannesburg.
An award-winning guide Star Wine List, which started in Stockholm – Sweden in 2017, is the wine lover’s guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants. The Star Wine list is now covering 35 countries around the world with wine guides in some of the major cities and wine regions in the world. All venues are selected by top wine professionals and consultants.
Popular food content creator, writer and wine consultant Steve Steinfeld has curated a selection of his top 17 wine restaurants and wines in Johannesburg.
The Citizen lifestyle team has also included their list of restaurants to make up our own list of the top 10 best wine restaurants and bars in Johannesburg.
The brainchild of Marble Group who have also brought us restaurants such as Saint and The Pantry. A group that is in partnership with award-winning chef David Higgs, Marble also has a gold member on their team.
Wikus Human the head sommelier at Marble was selected as the best sommelier by the South African Sommeliers Association (SASA) in 2021.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Meet Wikus Human – the best sommelier in South Africa
His wine selection is top in the country and Marble is considered the best wine restaurant in Johannesburg. Human has been honoured in the past, he was also named Best Young Sommelier in SA in 2017.
Making waves in 2020, Steinfeld writes the Asian luxury restaurant has over 150 wine bottles to choose from with local wine producers and international offerings.
What we have found during our visits to Tang Sandton, is the restaurant caters for many wine lovers and added to their hefty list with the owner, Nicky van Walt’s own rosé.
Van Walt produced Mirabelle Rosé which has been sold since September 2021. It is made from old wine grapes and is harvested earlier giving it a light and crisp taste.
RELATED: ‘Rosé all day’: Tang owner Nicky van der Walt launches new wine
The trendy Italian bar and restaurant also part of the Marble group is situated at the trendy The Marc in Sandton.
The wine list focuses on Champagne and Cap Classique, however, wine lovers don’t despair there is a list of predominantly local, premium white, rose and red wines on offer.
An urban eatery, a playground for the adventurous Zioux has become a spot for high teas to intimate dinners and a place to get a few drinks.
The wine list plenty of glass offerings including an additional in-depth and extensive bottle service. Champagne is also the focus with a selection of both vintage and non-vintage Champagnes and Cap Classiques.
Proud Mary has become quite one of the top restaurants for its location, in Rosebank’s Voco Johannesburg branch.
The stylish and vibey restaurant has an affordable menu to match its mixed selection of wines from local and independent winemakers.
Serving authentic Japanese food to match its detailed and modern interior celebrating the culture, KŌL Izakhaya in Hyde Park, has a selection of traditional small plates serving good drinks.
KōL is the Japanese interpretation of the kanji symbol for ‘coal’ and ‘izakaya’ in Japan means tavern, good drinks and delectable dishes that are shared and enjoyed among friends and colleagues. The selection of wine is extensive and will take you on a global experience.
An elegant and sophisticated fine dining restaurant inside the beautiful Houghton Hotel is a food lover’s dream. The menu is a fusion of head chef Freddie Dias’s globe exploits and his love for many cuisines.
The food and wine pairings are often with a bottle of either Graham Beck Brut or Graham Beck Rosé.
Aurum restaurant at The Leonardo building has a certain flair and consistency every time you dine there.
The waiters are always attentive to your needs, from the manager’s apt appearance of senior partner Paulo Santo, the brainchild of this magnificent, modern contemporary restaurant, also making an appearance. Their wine list is strongly slated to Stellenbosch wines while still showcasing well-known local growing regions, says Steinfeld.
Not necessarily a restaurant, the Spier Tasting Room is located in Indaba Hotel, Fourways. The Spier Wine Experience opened in October 202, as it seeks to provide “a piece of the Cape Winelands right in the heart of Fourways.
We have indulged in this experience and we highly recommended the wine tasting experience. The Spier Tasting Room offers a range of experiences, priced at the same range as they are on the Stellenbosch farm – between R40 and R100 per person – allowing you to fully experience what the brand has to offer. Bottles are also on hand to purchase should you happen to taste a vintage that you fall in love with.
READ NEXT: The Spier Tasting Room: A taste of the Cape Winelands in Joburg
This is a notable mention, of the fine dining escape in the heart of Ekurhuleni Level Seven Restaurant and Sky Bar in Radisson OR Tambo. It is Desmond Mabuza’s creation of the popular fine dining restaurant Signature in Morningside, Sandton. He wanted to create something similar, a culinary experience that matched Signature for the people of Ekurhuleni area.
The wine list is for both red and white drinkers.
Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele
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