Joburg now: Newish spots, events and exhibitions

Keen to get out and about in Joburg? We bring you the rundown of what’s new in the City of Gold.

Your favourite bakery just moved a few shops down

We’re already huge fans of De Baba Eatery in Melville. Originally starting as a market stall, it opened its first brick-and-mortar store a few years ago.

Owned by Ansie van der Mescht and Jean René Onyangunga, also behind the Dr Pachanga clothing brand, De Baba is more than just a bakery. Driven by a passion for authentic, home-cooked meals, it’s a culinary experience celebrating culture, flavour and community, made fresh daily with love.

The shop has just moved a few stores down to 76 4^th Avenue and reopened last week in a bigger, better space. You can park conveniently in the underground parking at 27 Boxes, just a short walk away.

Don’t miss the eggs Benedict and mushrooms on toast, both served on chewy, crispy sourdough, the creamy vanilla milkshake made with homemade ice cream, and an extensive range of baked treats, from matcha-filled croissants, and bread and butter croissants, to pain au chocolate. There is also a small selection of cool merch, including crocheted items and Dr Pachanga’s iconic patterned handbags. www.debaba.co.za

Ajabu cocktail and spirits festival

If, like the Currency team, you appreciate a well-made cocktail crafted from quality ingredients, Ajabu Cocktail & Spirits Festival is your kind of party. Returning to Joburg and Cape Town, this pan-African festival celebrates African flavours, indigenous ingredients and the continent’s vibrant bar scene – all while bringing the world’s top bartenders to collaborate, educate and inspire.

Now in its most ambitious edition yet, Ajabu pairs international talent with African bartenders to create bespoke cocktails, hosts masterclasses, workshops and tastings, and supports the Ajabu scholarship programme, nurturing the next generation of hospitality leaders.

This year also marks the 25^th anniversary of the iconic pornstar martini. LAB Bar Cape Town, where it was first crafted by Douglas Ankrah, leads a special revival, with participating bars putting their own spin on the legendary cocktail.

Festivalgoers can explore pop-ups, tasting tables and panel sessions across Joburg (March 7-10) and Cape Town (March 11-15), featuring acclaimed bars like Sin+Tax, Funky Monkey, Hero, Sip and Guzzle, and Revolver. Entry is free, with tickets available via the Ajabu website, and festival bracelets issued at welcome desks.

For a taste of Africa’s cocktail creativity, global mentorship and a few legendary tipples, Ajabu is the place to be. www.ajabufestival.com  

Fashion_The Image: African photography in focus

Fashion_The Image offers something refreshingly different on the Joburg exhibition front. Focused on fashion and photography, the show brings together striking imagery capturing the creativity, styling and personalities that have shaped South African fashion over the past five decades.

Presented across the Inside Out Centre for the Arts and the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography in Forest Town, the exhibition combines photography and installation, positioning fashion imagery as more than editorial gloss. Instead, it reads as a record of collaboration between photographers, designers, stylists and models. Designers featured include Thebe Magugu, Rich Mnisi, Gert-Johan Coetzee and Viviers, among others.

Curated by Sharon Armstrong with Aspasia Karras of Wanted Magazine, and developed in collaboration with the African Fashion Research Institute, the exhibition includes a special focus on photographer Koto Bolofo, born in Lesotho and now based in Paris.

A programme of talks, walkthroughs and workshops runs alongside the exhibition, including a conversation with Bolofo featuring a live performance element by the Black Coffee fashion label, industry panels, a curatorial walkabout and a fashion photography masterclass led by Paul Shiakallis. www.insideoutfoundation.co.za

ALSO READ:

• The really useful guide to the best places to eat, shop and explore in Linden
• Eight questions for the interested and interesting: Jean René Onyangunga
• Joburg, step by step

_{Top image: Kevin Mackintosh.}