Award-winning musician Ntokozo Mbambo shares her favourite spots in the city — from great restaurants to fantastic hangout spots, these are the Jozi gems she adores.
For over two decades, Ntokozo Mbambo has been one of Africa’s most celebrated and sought-after voices. Her healing and soulful sound has brought hope to millions, uniting music lovers from all walks of life.
From singing for presidents to performing the National Anthem at the 2024 Springbok rugby match, Ntokozo continues to shine brightly as one of South Africa’s most inspiring artists.
Her music has taken her across the world — performing in countries such as Nigeria and beyond — and earning her numerous accolades along the way. She has also collaborated with top African musicians and shared stages with Grammy Award-winning artists like CeCe Winans, cementing her place among gospel’s finest.
Originally from Durban, Ntokozo now calls Johannesburg home. She says one of the things she loves most about the city is its vibrant, fast-paced energy.
“So, I come from a coastal area. Down there, people are very relaxed — very chilled. I don’t know whether it’s the sea breeze,” she laughs. “But what I love about Jo’burg is that it’s fast-paced. Oh, and I also love that there’s not much traffic during Christmas — because everybody’s gone home!”
Another thing that stands out for her is the city’s diverse culinary scene.
“I love food, okay? I love eating,” she admits with a smile. “My husband and I always try to find new restaurants to experience something different. That’s why it’s hard to choose a favourite restaurant — there are just so many gems around the city to discover.”
Join her as she shares her favourite spots and hidden gems in eGoli — the city that continues to inspire her love for life.
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I love Izipho Functions' food. They sell delicious African cuisine. On Sunday, they offer Sunday lunch specials, your Seven Colours meal. They also make the best beef curry. Hands down! Sometimes they'd have fish and roasted chicken as an additional meat option. Sometimes they'd have mogodu, hardbody, and samp. It's like a traditional home-cooked meal.
As a family, whenever one of us has a birthday, we always make sure to go to a restaurant or a place we’ve never been to before. We recently visited Fireroom - my daughter loves the flaming sushi there.
For gifts, I love shopping at Typo - my kids love it too. For elderly people, I shop at stores that sell crockery, such as @Home, Mr Price Home, and similar places. I buy my husband clothes. Sometimes I buy him a timepiece or something like that because he doesn't wear jewellery. The only thing he likes that's jewellery is watches. For shoes, I shop at any store that sells beautiful shoes.
A fun place to visit with kids during the holiday season or when family comes to visit is Gold Reef City. My kids have fun there; they love the rides - they have a great time.
We love going to watch movies as a family, especially Eastgate's Ster Kinekor's Cine Prestige, so we can put our feet up and enjoy the experience.
When it comes to local designers, I support my brother-in-law, Sne Mbatha. He makes dresses that stand out. I also work a lot with Lindani Styling. He does most of my clothing. The two designers are very different in personality - Lindani is very out there, he's hyper and dramatic. My brother-in-law, Sne, is very calm; he's chilled. I love them both.
A hotel I'd recommend for couples is the Houghton Hotel. My husband and I went there last year for our anniversary. They've got a really nice, amazing restaurant there that's fine dining. It was very quiet and serene. That's what we loved. We had such a great dinner. We stayed the night as well.
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