South African Restaurants in London: A Saffa's Guide
Culture and communityLondon has no South African quarter, but it does have a small, proper South African food scene. For a sit-down meal, the best-known South African restaurants in London are Vivat Bacchus in Farringdon and London Bridge, High Timber in the City and Kudu in Marylebone. For something more casual there is a South African bakery in east London, a shop counter at London Bridge that serves hot food, and a Wandsworth pub run by Saffas.
Every venue below has been checked against its own website. Prices and opening details are correct as of October 2026, and menus change with the seasons, so check before you go.
South African restaurants in London at a glance
Vivat Bacchus
Found in Farringdon and London Bridge, this is the place for steaks, South African wine and a Sunday braai.
High Timber
Located in the City of London on the Thames, High Timber is best for biltong, South African wine and a weekday lunch.
Kudu
Based in Marylebone, Kudu is best for open-fire cooking and cocktails.
Wild Goose
With sites in Leytonstone and Forest Gate, Wild Goose is best for South African baking and a weekly community braai.
The Savanna
Situated in London Bridge, The Savanna suits a quick sit-in or takeaway South African lunch.
The Pig and Whistle
Found in Wandsworth, this pub is best for bobotie and boerewors rolls with a pint.
Jungle Braai
Based in Walthamstow, Jungle Braai is best for braai-style takeaway.
The best sit-down South African restaurants in London
Vivat Bacchus, Farringdon and London Bridge
Vivat Bacchus has been flying the flag since 2003 and describes itself as a South African restaurant and wine bar. There are two sites. The Farringdon restaurant at 47 Farringdon Street (the entrance is on Charterhouse Street) opens on weekdays only. The London Bridge restaurant at 4 Hays Lane, a stone's throw from the station, opens Monday to Saturday from noon until 11pm and on Sundays until 6pm.
The menu is built around rare-breed meats and steaks with South African touches such as ostrich fillet, crocodile goujons with peri peri aioli and Karoo-style lamb, alongside what it bills as London's largest South African wine list. Both sites have walk-in wine cellars and cheese rooms, and if you find a bottle you like, it sells wine to take home at up to 40% off the list price.
High Timber, City of London
High Timber sits at 8 High Timber Street on the north bank of the Thames, looking across to the Globe, Tate Modern and the Shard. It was founded by Gary and Kathy Jordan of Jordan Wine Estate in Stellenbosch with their partner Neleen Strauss, and its cellar is headlined by South Africa's leading wine estates. The walls carry work by South African artists, and there is a walk-in cheese room.
The cooking is modern British with a South African accent. As of October 2026 the nibbles include homemade biltong (£13) and droëwors (£16.50), and the starters include rooibos tea smoked salmon and a lamb bunny chow (£20). The kitchen is open Monday to Friday only, and at weekends the restaurant is available for exclusive hire.
Kudu, Marylebone
Kudu made its name with a small group of restaurants in Peckham and now has a two-floor flagship at 7 Moxon Street, Marylebone, a short walk from Baker Street and Bond Street stations. Its own website now lists only the Marylebone site. Founded by husband-and-wife team Amy and Patrick, it calls itself an open-fire braai restaurant serving modern European cooking with a South African twist.
The dinner menu (as of October 2026) includes Kalahari spiced biltong, bread with Cape Malay butter, and a braai section with Cape Malay monkfish and a pork chop with monkey gland sauce. If you cannot decide, the "Best of Kudu" sharing menu is £95 per person. Upstairs is Smokey Kudu, a cocktail bar doing classic cocktails with a South African twist. Worth knowing before you book: Kudu is cashless, adds a discretionary 13.5% service charge, and charges £25 per person for cancellations made within 24 hours.
Where to find a South African braai in London
A London winter is not braai weather, so a few places have done the fire-building for you.
Shisanyama Sunday at Vivat Bacchus London Bridge. Every Sunday the London Bridge site drops its à la carte for one sharing menu: monkey gland glazed short rib, lamb ribs and shisanyama spiced chicken, with vetkoek and roosterkoek, braai broodjies and malva pudding to finish. As of October 2026 it costs £48 per person, under-12s eat for £15, and it is not suitable for vegetarians. London Bridge also has a braai menu for groups of eight or more.
The Wild Goose braai in Forest Gate. This South African bakery runs a weekly, ticketed community braai at its Forest Gate site: a generous plate of food cooked over fire, with vegetarian and vegan options, seasonal salads, bread from the bakery and something sweet. Kids eat for £1. Its website gives different days on different pages, so check the braai page before you go.
Casual South African food: bakeries, shops and pubs
Wild Goose, Leytonstone and Forest Gate
Wild Goose calls itself an artisan South African bakery. It began in 2014 when chef Kirstin started baking from a home kitchen, and today she and fellow chef Vernon bake sourdough, pastries, cakes and South African classics inspired by recipes passed down from Vernon's Ouma Ruth. There are two bakeries: 654 High Road, Leytonstone, open Tuesday to Sunday from 8.30am to 4.30pm, and 370-371 Station Road, Forest Gate, which opens every day and hosts the braai.
The Savanna, London Bridge
The Savanna is best known for its chain of South African shops (it features in our guide to South African shops, butchers and biltong in the UK). Its London Bridge store at 59 St Thomas Street, opposite Vinegar Yard Market, is the only branch with a full sit-in or takeaway South African menu. As of October 2026 it opens from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 6pm at weekends, and it also delivers through Deliveroo. Handy for lunch, and you can pick up rusks and droëwors on the way out.
The Pig and Whistle, Wandsworth
The Pig and Whistle at 481 Merton Road, SW18, is a neighbourhood pub whose team say they are South African themselves. Its menu and specials boards carry dishes such as bobotie and boerewors rolls next to a Sunday roast and a homemade pie, and there are South African soft drinks and crisps behind the bar.
Jungle Braai, Walthamstow
Jungle Braai at 115 Wood Street, E17, is a braai-inspired grill doing burgers, steaks and grilled food, with online ordering for takeaway and delivery. London restaurant guides describe its cooking as South African BBQ style.
Where to get bunny chow in London
Bunny chow is Durban's classic: a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry, usually lamb, chicken or beans, with the scooped-out bread on top for dipping. South African Tourism traces it to the 1940s in KwaZulu-Natal, where it was cheap, filling food for Indian labourers working the sugarcane fields.
A sit-down bunny is surprisingly hard to find in London. As of October 2026, High Timber serves a lamb bunny chow made with braised lamb belly as a weekday starter. If you want the full Durban experience at home, Bunny UK delivers Durban curries and bunny chow boxes across the UK, with fresh bread, Mrs Ball's chutney and carrot salad as extras.
South African dishes to look for on the menu
Bringing British friends along? Here is what they will see.
Braai: the Afrikaans word for grilling over an open flame or coals, and for the gathering around it.
Boerewors: a coiled sausage made from beef, pork and spices, and a braai essential.
Biltong and droëwors: traditional South African dried meat, either sliced beef or thin dried sausage.
Bobotie: spiced minced meat baked under an egg custard topping.
Chakalaka and pap: a spicy relish of beans, vegetables, onions, peppers and tomatoes, often served at a braai with pap, a maize porridge.
Monkey gland sauce: a thick, sweet and tangy sauce for steaks and burgers. Despite the name, there are no monkey glands in it.
Malva pudding: a warm, spongy baked pudding made with apricot jam, with a cream sauce poured over it while it is hot.
For the words you will hear around the table, from lekker to eish, our South African slang guide has you covered.
Tips before you book
Check the day. High Timber and Vivat Bacchus Farringdon are weekday-only, so for a weekend meal try Kudu, Vivat Bacchus London Bridge or one of the casual spots.
Book ahead for Kudu. It recommends reservations for dinner and at weekends, and tables are allocated for two hours.
Plan Christmas early. As of October 2026, Vivat Bacchus Farringdon closes from 25 December to 4 January, and London Bridge from 25 December until mid-January. Both sites take private bookings for group celebrations.
Pair it with the rugby. If you are planning a meal around a Springbok Test, our guide to Springbok fixtures and where to watch in the UK has kick-off times and the best places to watch with fellow fans.
Eating with other Saffas
Half the point of a South African meal is the company. If you would rather join a braai than book one, Howzit's community events page lists braais, pub nights and rugby watch parties organised by South Africans in the UK. Download Howzit, the free app for South Africans abroad, to RSVP, or to find Saffas near you to fill the table next time.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any South African restaurants in London?
Yes, though not many. The main sit-down South African restaurants in London are Vivat Bacchus in Farringdon and London Bridge, High Timber in the City and Kudu in Marylebone. For something more casual, try Wild Goose bakery in east London, The Savanna's hot food counter at London Bridge or The Pig and Whistle in Wandsworth.
Where can I go for a braai in London?
Vivat Bacchus London Bridge serves a set Shisanyama Sunday braai menu every Sunday, at £48 per person as of October 2026. Wild Goose runs a weekly ticketed braai at its Forest Gate bakery, and Kudu in Marylebone cooks over an open fire.
Where can I get bunny chow in London?
Sit-down bunny chow is rare in London. As of October 2026, High Timber in the City serves a lamb bunny chow as a starter on weekdays. For a Durban-style bunny at home, Bunny UK delivers curries and bunny chow boxes across the UK.
What is the most popular South African food?
The braai is one of the most popular ways of cooking in South Africa, with boerewors, steak, chicken and lamb chops the usual stars. Beyond the fire, bobotie, biltong, bunny chow, chakalaka with pap and malva pudding are the classics you will find on South African menus in London.