Living on the East Rand doesn’t offer a hungry foodie many options for a decent meal. So when NIKOS opened their doors in September last year I couldn’t wait to give it a try… having said that I had to go back a second time for this review because I enjoyed it so much the first time I didn’t take a single photo.

While the NIKOS Coalgrill Greek restaurants form part of a franchise the Benoni branch is owned and run by a local Greek family who are very hands-on. This adds to the authenticity making the restaurant a slice of Greece in our neighbourhood.

We recently took a trip out to the Butcher Block in the Mall of the South for an early lunch and were pleasantly surprised by the stunning decor. On arrival, we were greeted by very friendly and helpful staff who showed us to our table.

Nussbaum’s is a traditional Kosher Butchery with a difference.

Having been tempted with visuals of delicious pastrami sandwiches on TV for years, the moment I spotted a couple of pictures of the food on offer at Nussbaum’s I knew I couldn’t resist and needed to pop in to sink my teeth into their signature ‘Hot Beef on Rye’.

A quaint little ‘Portuguese’ restaurant located on the outskirts of Benoni on the road to Petit.

We had heard about Padrinhos on Facebook and decided to take a drive out for a quick Saturday morning breakfast but if you weren’t looking you’ll probably drive straight past.

Walking through the blue doors you are greeted by a beautifully decorated little room containing a few tables and a counter with the coffee machine set as the main attraction. We decided to sit outside and chose a table in the sun next to the pond.

Gelato, waffles and coffee, could it get any better? Well yes, it can but, only if the restaurant you get them from has an obscure and delightful name, like Moody Cow.

The Moody Cow concept is the brainchild of Jose dos Passos (an idea he got on a trip to Italy) and together with his partner Xanthya Kriel they have turned that idea into an amazing and indulgent reality. You’ll find Xanthya in the kitchen. She is the one responsible for the wonderful creations on their menu.