Four of Joburg’s best fine dining hotel restaurants

1. GREI AT THE SAXON

Joburg’s finest fine dining destination, Grei at The Saxon, is the place to go for that special date night or celebratory dinner. Embark on chef Candice Philip’s gorgeous six-course tasting menu which boasts technically spectacular dining with an herbaceous twist. It is clever cooking and each dish arrives at the table pretty as a picture and bursting with the most beautiful of flavours. The wine pairings are second to none and include a beautifully curated selection of both local and international wines. Book now to experience Grei’s recently launched late summer menu Solstice.

• Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, 36 Saxon Road, Sandhurst, Johannesburg, (011) 292-6000

2. QUNU AT THE SAXON

The Saxon’s Qunu is the perfect destination for anyone looking for a luxury vegetarian/vegan experience. Chef Jane-Therese Mulry has embraced the plant-based approached to dining and, in addition to modern, locally inspired cuisine, Qunu offers a full VegVegan menu, featuring an array of interesting and exciting dishes, with a strong focus on vegetables grown in the Saxon’s   Sarapana garden. Expect the likes of grilled king oyster mushroom accompanied by textures of mushroom, hemp nut tabbouleh and rooibos gel and be sure to try the coconut rice pudding complemented by flavours of mango, pineapple, ginger and thyme.

• Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, 36 Saxon Road, Sandhurst, Johannesburg, (011) 292-6000.

3. LEVEL FOUR AT 54 ON BATH

Since Chef Matthew Foxon took the reins at this fine dining eatery he has slowly but surely implemented a menu that focuses on fresh, local and seasonal produce. One of the most recent additions was the use of the Abalobi App — a mobile app suite for small-scale fisheries — to source fresh, line-caught fish — they were one of the first restaurants in Joburg to use it. The line fish is served with roasted peppers, caper berry, pickles and gremolata. Other highlights include the pork belly with Thai apple puree, Peking duck and a selection of Jersey beef cuts. Don’t miss savouring a glass of champagne or MCC off the exceptional wine list, which offers some of the best bubbles for your buck in town.

• 54 Bath Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg, (011) 344-8442.

4. BASALT AT THE PEECH  

Chef Freddie Dias, previously at The Pot Luck Club, helms Basalt at The Peech Boutique Hotel, where he serves contemporary global cuisine. Refusing to be limited by a single methodology, Dias borrows from his extensive travels, and his own Portuguese heritage, to create a concise and clever menu. Expect the likes of tuna tatami with habanero salsa, ceviche with squid ink tiger’s milk and Mexican-inspired pork belly. The decor plays with shades of grey, with warm woods and pops of red, creating a space that is both modern and intimate.

• 61 North Street, Melrose North, Johannesburg, (011) 537-9797.