Step inside Santi’s Bar & Grill on any given afternoon, and you’ll find more than just regulars; you’ll find a legacy. On a quiet Thursday in Sunninghill, I sat down with Joe Meldau, the heart behind the business, who’s been in the game since the '80s.
Friendly, fiercely proud of his food, and full of stories that stretch back to a different Johannesburg, Joe welcomes you like an old friend. As we chatted over forkfuls of creamy Al Pepe fillet and seafood pasta, it became clear that Santi’s isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a place built on principles, people, and the power of getting the basics right.
Joe’s journey in the restaurant world started in the 1980s in Orange Grove, at a time when breaking rules meant breaking the law. His first restaurant served everyone (men, women, people of all races) during apartheid, earning him a few nights in jail and a permanent spot in Joburg’s culinary history. “We were the first to do a lot of things,” he told me, “and I have no regrets.”
Mid-conversation, Joe flashes a grin and jokes, “I’ve been here so long they decided to name a city after me.” “Joburg?” I shoot back. We both burst out laughing, the kind of easy, familiar laughter that only happens in places with real heart.
These days, Santi’s is a Sunninghill institution, a beloved neighbourhood spot that’s seen office blocks rise around it, patrons grow older, and the community shift and stretch over time. Joe moved the restaurant here from Rosebank in the late ’90s, back when this location was still more construction site than shopping centre.
“People would say they were taking a drive out to the country,” he laughs. Still, they came. In droves. “We were booked out for weeks, sometimes months.”
That loyal following isn’t just because of the food, although it absolutely holds its own. It’s about people. I’ve hosted birthdays (including my own), 30ths, 40ths, 50ths, even funerals. Some of my former staff are like family. I don’t have kids of my own, but I get Father’s Day cards from patrons and ex-staff. That’s what makes this place special. The relationships."
And let’s talk about that food. I sampled a few house favourites, each one heartfelt and generously portioned. Joe’s Burger is a classic done right, 100% pure beef patty topped with bacon, egg, cheese, and a drizzle of his signature cheese sauce. The Al Pepe Fillet came grilled to perfection and smothered in a creamy green peppercorn sauce, with a side of homestyle spinach and butternut that felt like Sunday lunch at someone’s gran’s house. The Di Mare Pasta, brimming with prawns, mussels, and seafood in a garlicky Napoletana sauce, brought the coast to Sunninghill. And then there was Joe’s Special Pizza, salami, olives, peppers, onions, garlic, chilli — no notes.
Joe’s culinary inspiration? His mother. “We didn’t grow up with much, but she could make magic from humble ingredients,” he says. That philosophy still drives his approach today: keep it simple, use the best ingredients, cook fresh, and make people feel at home.
That same simplicity extends to how he runs his team. Everyone knows how to do everything, from the kitchen to the front of house. “I want my staff to feel empowered. And I want them to grow,” he says. “If a better opportunity comes along, I won’t stand in their way.”
At its core, Santi’s isn’t just a bar and grill. It’s a love letter to the basics, good food, good people, and the kind of place where you feel like you belong, whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth.
“I want to be remembered for how I treated people,” Joe says.
He already is.
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