Johannesburg - While sitting down at a restaurant is great, walking around a market and sampling different kinds of cuisine allows you to try a little bit of everything. In recent years, markets in Joburg have soared in popularity, and now there are dozens to take your pick from, especially over weekends.
Many people go to markets simply just to hang out, and end up sampling very little if not any of the food on offer. If you are one of these people, I don’t really blame you, because a lot of the food at these markets is, in my opinion, overpriced. However, there are a few dishes that are so good that they make visiting the particular market worthwhile.
1. Beef burger from The Counter at Market on Main
The Counter has been at Market on Main in Maboneng for some time now, and has become famous for its legendary chocolate brownies, which I definitely recommend as dessert once you’ve tried the 200g pure beef burger, R60, made with only the best ingredients, one of which is a secret ingredient which makes the burgers juicy and flavourful.
The burger is served on a toasted bun and is topped with a variety of delicious, homemade toppings which change every week; examples are “The Favourite”: melting mozzarella, crispy bacon and a homemade chilli pesto mayonnaise, as well as “The Mexican”: chunky guacamole, pico de gallo and crispy nachos.
If you want to get your burger fix more than once a week, The Counter also sell raw burger patties, which you can cook at home.
Market on Main runs every Sunday 10am-3pm. Address: 286 Fox Street, City and Suburban, Johannesburg. Visit www.marketonmain.co.za or www.thecounter.co.za.
2 Tacos from Baha Taco at Fourways Farmers Market
Baha Taco is all about Mexican street food, and uses locally grown, organic produce. Tortillas are hand rolled and are made with organic stoneground flour.
If you arrive at the market early, try the Breakfast Taco, with fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, scrambled egg, beans and cheese. Lunchtime options include the Pulled Pork Taco, with beans, cabbage, pineapple and habanero salsa, or my favourite, the grilled haloumi taco, with roasted veggies and salsa. All priced at R40.
Fourways Farmers Market runs every Sunday 9am- 2pm. Address: Cnr Monte Casino Boulevard and William Nicol Road, Fourways. Visit www.ffmarket.co.za.
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Aux Petit Four at Hazel Food Market
Aux Petit Four was started by a patisserie chef who uses only the finest ingredients in her incredibly decadent cheesecake: quality nuts, Belgian chocolate and the freshest cream cheese. The cheesecake isn’t overly sweet, but is as melt-in-the-mouth as it gets.
The base is made of chocolate biscuit, while the cheesecake filling is a mix of plain and chocolate. This is then topped with a peanut butter chocolate ganache and syruped peanuts – a slice of this is worth the drive to Pretoria.
Hazel Food Market runs every Saturday 8am-2pm. Address: Greenlyn Village Centre, Menlo Park, Pretoria. Visit www.hazelfoodmarket.co.za or www.auxpetitfour.co.za.
Sunday Independent