Locally-Made, With Love

Joburgers pride themselves on getting things done quickly and efficiently. Time is precious, and schedules are meticulously calculated to accommodate the living of everyone's best life. So it may come as a surprise to find a place that doesn't adhere to this unspoken ethos, smack bang in the middle of Bryanston.

It's a Thursday morning, just before midday, and there's an unexpected air of leisureliness at the Bryanston Organic Market. Locals and expats alike expertly inspect fresh produce (no plastic, straight from the farm) and catch up in the cosy eating area, which serves a number of the small eateries dotted around. I took a walk around and met some of the stall-holders - some of whom have been there for 30 years.

I pop into Meera's where the team is assembling delicious-looking "Indian Thali" (meals), with all of it being made right there in the open-air kitchen. All food is gluten-free and contains no artificial colourants or preservatives. It's clearly a popular place to eat, as the kitchen is bustling as everyone works hard to keep up with the demand.

Next stop, Bettina's Cafe'. Bettina O'Grady started her cafe' 13 years ago, and her love for what she does, shows. It soon transpires that I might've stumbled upon Johannesburg's best Milk Tart - while I'm there, a few people ask for "the Milk Tart they heard about on the radio". If the almost-empty cake plate is anything to go by, it must be true...

I stop by Effie Perdikis' pastry store for a chat with Maria, who helps make pastries. She explains that the hard work starts the day before, and it takes her an entire day to prepare the pastries. Luckily, Maria's hard work isn't for nothing: the spanakopita is delicious.

A few stores down from Effie Perdikis' pastry store, is Graziella Marani's, with bowls of fresh antipasto, charcuterie and cheese. The smell of basil, artichokes and olives makes it hard to resist, but I'm thinking three lunches in one day is a little too much...

The inviting deli counter at Antonia's boasts a number of jewel-coloured salads - with not an iceberg lettuce in sight (the absence of which is my test for a good salad). Selling all things plant-based, this is the perfect place to get your greens - without feeling like some vital part of your meal is missing.

The Antonia behind Antonia's is also the creator of the Leafy Greens Cafe', a stone's throw from Johannesburg.

A few stalls down from Antonia's, Retang Phaahla tells me how her family got into the tea business. She's from the Sekhukhune district of Limpopo, where the local community use herbs found in that area to make drinks said to improve the health. Together with the community, Retang and her mom have established a locally-produced tea brand, Setsong Tea Merchants.

Bunches of spinach contrast with the tangerine coloured cordial bottles on the counter of Vintage Green, a smoothie store. In no time, my "Pink One" smoothie - beetroot, carrots, apple and ginger, is ready. For the doubters: it was good, and is arguably one of the best ways to consume vegetables.

I pass by the Health Nut, which sells (obviously) all kinds of nuts, but also a wide range of dried fruit, and also honey. Definitely a good place to stock up on supplies.

Across the way of the Health Nut, Sarah from Propa Products sets out a board of her French-style pate' so I can get a good look at what she's got on offer. I can tell these are properly made, as she's working hard at keeping them at exactly the right temperature.

Christa Medri has been running her fresh produce stall, Christa's Corner, for 30 years. I spot a photogenic-looking cabbage-like vegetable and ask if I can rearrange it for a picture. "Do you know what that is?", she asks me. Stumped, I mumble something under my breath. "It's kohlrabi," she says, "and this is the only place you can buy it". Who knew? After chatting for a while, I found out that Christa is originally from Brazil (a German-Brazilian, she says), and has been in South Africa for a number of years.

If you're anything like me, there will always be a sweet-shaped gap to fill. Thankfully, the Bryanston Organic Market won't leave you wanting. You'll find a sufficient supply of pastries, ice-cream and a variety of other home-made treats - perfect for a sneaky mid-morning coffee break.

Like I was saying earlier, it seems we value efficiency - I do, certainly, and that influences the way in which we do everything, including buying our food. But after visiting the market, I leave thinking that we may be shortchanging ourselves for the sake of efficiency and convenience.

So if you find yourself with a slightly longer lunch break than usual (and it happens to be a Thursday), head down to the market for lunch instead rushing in and out of the nearest convenience store.

The Bryanston Organic Market is open on Thursdays and Saturdays. To find out more, go here.