It’s time for the second installment of my 2018 Restaurant of the Month series. This month I’m featuring the Impi Brewing Co. in Lorentzville.
I almost hesitate to call Impi a restaurant, as it’s really more of a hangout. But Impi has such a cool atmosphere, in such an interesting Joburg location, that I feel compelled to include it in this series.
Impi is in the new Victoria Yards complex, in the tiny suburb of Lorentzville, which is between Bertrams and Troyeville. My friend Gail just wrote an interesting post about Lorentzville, which I recommend. Lorentzville is also home to the legendary Fama Deli.
The first cool thing about Impi is it’s in Victoria Yards, this sprawling warren of artists’ studios and gardens and galleries and workshops that just opened a few months ago. (I briefly mentioned Victoria Yards in a post last month.) The second cool thing is the decor: It’s a tiny place filled with an eclectic mix of Zulu art/artifacts, modern industrial furnishings, and quirky antiques.
The third cool thing about Impi is its simplicity: It serves pizza, beer, and a selection of drinks.
The pleasantly simple menu.
I had lunch at Impi on a Friday afternoon. I ordered my drink: an Impi Homestead lager. (Impi also produces a pilsner.) I chose my pizza toppings: pepperoni, peppadews, and chili. (Choosing your own pizza toppings is a novelty in South Africa, as most pizza places sell ready-designed combos.) That was it – simple and delicious.
I’m definitely no beer critic but I found the Impi lager smooth and tasty. I really liked the pizza too – just the right thickness and distribution of cheese, and choosing my own toppings was a fun change of pace.
My only complaint was the slightly long wait for food. My pizza and Fiver’s came quickly, but then another friend showed up a few minutes later and waited well over 30 minutes for her pizza. I’ll chalk this up to growing pains.
I love the vibe at Impi and I’m sure I’ll return again and again – every time I find an excuse to go to Victoria Yards.
Impi Brewing Company is on Viljoen Street in Victoria Yards (secure parking on the premises). Open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Call +27-66-207-1895.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.