Filling a gap in the Joburg dining scene, The Foundry in Parktown North is a stylish, affordable restaurant that is full almost every night of the week. Lauren Hills shares her experience after nabbing a table for Sunday lunch.

You need to book for this restaurant about five night’s in advance if you would like to go for dinner. This is not normal for dining out in Jozi, but The Foundry is most certainly not the norm. Trendy to the max (thankfully without being pretentious) this restaurant in the heart of the Parktown North/Parkhurst dining hub stands out from its neighbours by bringing together a kitchen, craft beer bar and coffee roastery in an artistic, rustic space.

The bar at The Foundry has a great selection of local beers  served on tap or by the bottle. You can enjoy Jack Black ales or lagers and Darling Slow Beer from the tap, as well as Van Hunks Pumpkin Ale, which is an aromatic drink of pumpkin, coriander, butternut cinnamon and nutmeg flavours. The Darling Bone Crusher proved to be a very popular bottled beer at our table. Don’t be deceived by the name, this cloudy wit beer is not harsh at all, but rather, very easy drinking and slightly sweet with honeyed citrus notes.

The menu is simple and creative; what you would expect on a modern bistro menu, but with unexpected twists. Sourdough pizzas topped with butter chicken, masala pineapples, cracked poppadom and raita is an intriguing dish that is absolutely delicious.

The house-made ravioli is also a must-try; oversized pockets of perfectly al dente pasta with a creamy, heady filling of field mushrooms, feta and spring onions. The dish was finished with a slick of herb-infused truffle olive oil, pine nuts and rocket – simple food cooked superbly well.

The Foundry Royales, the sandwiches, are perhaps what Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta, should’ve been talking about in Pulp Fiction. The Pulled Pork Royale on artisan bread and served with vegetable crisps, is filled with succulent, barbecued pork ribs pulled off the bone and mixed with a generous helping of apple, green-pepper and cider relish.

If you’re in the mood for something a little lighter, there  is a good selection of salads, with the Foundry Caesar being a very popular option. Made with tempura anchovy, a poached egg, crispy pancetta, young beans, garlic croutons and Grano Padano shavings, this variation on the classic Caesar is finished off with a mustard, lemon and olive oil dressing that balances the flavours perfectly.

If you happen to book for The Foundry on a Sunday, be sure to look out for its specials. The roast beef, Yorkshire puddings and vegetables served with lamb jus was the order of the day when we visited, and even though the Highveld summer was in full swing, many people were ordering this hearty Sunday staple.

As the new kid on the block, the full tables and crammed bar area seemed quite normal as curious patrons visited to try out something new. But, the popularity isn’t waning and it seems that The Foundry is outliving the fad to become a real find, with diners coming back time and again for post-work drinks, dinner with friends or Sunday lunch with the whole family.

trendy eatery, craft beers, bistro menu