Eat
Parkhurst is an all-day neighbourhood. Breakfast is a sport, lunch is a lifestyle, and dinner comes with candles and good music.
Breakfast
Start at Nice on 4th, a Parkhurst institution with a loyal following and a menu made for indecisive, hungry people. It’s also one of the easiest places to begin a full-day walk because it sits right at the furthest end of the strip.
Order the half and half breakfast and kill two birds with one very tasty stone: savoury on one side, sweet on the other. Fab and Co is another constant, always buzzing in the morning, but somehow always turns into something longer than breakfast. The Fat Zebra is also a favourite for breakfast energy and big plates when the group chat demands ‘somewhere cute’.
Lunch
From here, start walking. Parkhurst does daytime eating exceptionally well, especially if you like a lazy lunch with sun, street-side tables, and a low-level soundtrack of clinking glasses, and friends and families coming together.
Kolonaki Greek Kouzina is a favourite for good reason. The setting is beautiful, the energy is high, service is always amazing, and the food is built for sharing. Order widely, do the dips properly (order extra pita, you will always need more), and let the table get loud.
Modena is another standout when you want Italian that feels like a treat, especially their seafood.
If you want something quicker, Slaps Sandos is the move for a proper chicken sando moment and an easy grab-and-go stop mid-walk. And if you need a fast, satisfying pizza bite on the go, the new NY Slice is an easy plug-in.
A sweet intermission
Ease into the afternoon with ice cream. Parkhurst takes dessert seriously, and you can turn this into a proper crawl if you feel like committing to the bit.
Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream is always a good idea, even when you told yourself you were being ‘good’. Baglios is another local favourite on 4th Avenue. Gelato Mania is also worth a stop, especially if you’re getting your fix later in the evening.
If you want something giftable, Wedgewood’s Parkhurst Emporium is a proper sensory detour, even if you just ‘pop in quickly’ and leave with a hamper and six ice creams.
Dinner and drinks
At night, Parkhurst dresses up. The strip is always full, tables spill onto pavements, and the whole place feels alive.
Espresso Caffe and Bistro is iconic, and Parkhurst people will happily tell you what to order before you sit down. It’s the kind of place where dinner can turn into a long, slightly chaotic evening very easily. The signature Espresso Pizza is the kind of dish that makes pizza purists dizzy and locals loyal. Calamari, crispy bacon, ladles of peri-peri cream sauce, avocado, and a level of indulgence that does not pretend to be sensible. Pair it with an Espresso Martini and accept that you are no longer in control of your evening.
Across the way, The Station leans into its ‘little bit of London’ energy and has a great selection of gins, which makes it a good stop when the group cannot agree on anything except ‘a drink’. Also some of the best DJ lineups in Jozi, if you’re looking for a dance.
If you want more options to plug into your night, the strip is stacked: The Birmingham for cocktail-bar energy and a lively, slightly more alternative crowd; Hudsons - The Burger Joint when you want burgers, volume, and a weekday buzz; Embarc when you want a date-night; Pocha for Korean hot pots and ramen; Oba for perfect Turkish; and The Blockman when the group wants steak and a slightly more lush mood.
