We are what we eat. So, who are we? Bite by bite from Sandton to Soshanguve, Lenasia to Linden, Waterfall to Wonderboom, the food we consume offers insight into Gauteng’s deliciously diversity. Unlike the Cape’s quietly familiar, Eurocentric, wine-laden refinement, our area is an endlessly innovative, Afro-centric acquired taste. We are all heat and hustle. Cultures collide and fusion frequently flirts with confusion on our plates. But we love it that way.

A Heritage Day feast beyond the braai

In honour of Heritage Day, Hot 102.7FM is embarking on a joyful journey beyond the braai. Travel with us through Gauteng’s gourmet glories. From posh nosh to super simple street food what follows is an Egoli-specific feast of flavours.

Like your bread baked not steamed or fried? Die Kweekhuis in Centurion makes marvellous mielie bread. Cornbread too genteel? This is a province that named a street sandwich after an automatic weapon. The AK at That Food Place in Boksburg layers slaap tjips, masala steak, frikkadels, vibrant pink polony and a startlingly spicy sauce inside an long loaf.

Ancient grains, heritage farms and new flavours

If wheat flour doesn’t agree with your digestive system, seek out sorghum (aka amabele). South Africa’s indigenous ancient grain is gluten-free, low GI and very versatile. Prue Leith Restaurant, Centurion serves a superb sorghum ravioli with sage butter.

Chef Mpho Phalane’s Food I Love You at the ultimate heritage site, Constitution Hill, Braamfontein offers an achingly elegant sorghum salad topped with toasted marula nuts, morogo wild leaves and an amasi dressing. Mpho’s restaurant is usually inside what was once the late 19th century prison kitchen and time has taken its toll. While the main space is temporarily closed for repairs, resilience is Gauteng’s defining trait, so the chef has set up shop in a shipping container next to the Con Court.

You will probably need something saucey and/or meaty too. Mavis Nkosi’s street stall at the entrance to the Faraday Muti Market is the hot spot for inner city cool people. Customers call Mrs Nkosi ‘the liver lady’ but her cast iron pot actually contains a variety of internal organs – all are from a cow, but the combinations, tastes and textures vary. If elevated offal is more your style try Chef Wandile Mabaso’s Les Créatifs in Morningside where braised beef tongue comes with amadumbe atchar mousse, caramelized onions and an impepho-smoked beef jus. At Eziko in Midrand, Chef Andile Somdaka’s umleqwa, hardbody chicken is the talk of the town. HL culinary in Pretoria East offers a restorative Mogodu Monday special for all those suffering the ill effects of weekend overindulgence. Can’t wait for Monday? Friday night revellers recommend the babalaas be gone powers of early morning curried mince jaffles at Saturday’s Pretoria Boeremark.

Keen to cook for yourself rather than eat out? Visit Siphiwe Sithole’s African Marmalade Farm in Laezonia, Midrand for all your heritage ingredient needs. Whether you want magnificent millet, lovely lerotse (wild melon) leaves or okhova (bhanana ka Shaka), Siphiwe stocks it or can source it. She sells seeds too for those wanting to engage in gourmet gardening.

You will probably need something saucey and/or meaty too. Mavis Nkosi’s street stall at the entrance to the Faraday Muti Market is the hot spot for inner city cool people. Customers call Mrs Nkosi ‘the liver lady’ but her cast iron pot actually contains a variety of internal organs – all are from a cow, but the combinations, tastes and textures vary. If elevated offal is more your style try Chef Wandile Mabaso’s Les Créatifs in Morningside where braised beef tongue comes with amadumbe atchar mousse, caramelized onions and an impepho-smoked beef jus. At Eziko in Midrand, Chef Andile Somdaka’s umleqwa, hardbody chicken is the talk of the town.

Siphiwe Sithole with indigenous seeds

HL culinary in Pretoria East offers a restorative Mogodu Monday special for all those suffering the ill effects of weekend overindulgence. Can’t wait for Monday? Friday night revellers recommend the babalaas be gone powers of early morning curried mince jaffles at Saturday’s Pretoria Boeremark.

Sweet endings with a modern twist

Ours is a province that is endlessly reinventing itself – which is why sweet-toothed types adore the heritage bake gourmet glow ups at Geek House in Brooklyn, Pretoria. Fan favourites include a malva pudding gelato and a doughnut stuffed with Peppermint Crisp tart filling. Jackson’s Real Food Market in Bryanston sells superb soft, sweet, salty, fudgy xigugu. This Tsonga roasted peanut and maize praline paste can be consumed straight from the jar with a spoon but is also super-yummy folded into ice cream or as the filling that sticks two macarons together.

A province of evolving flavours

From epically ancient ancestral grains to fine dining amadumbe atchar and deconstructed doughnuts, this province plates up power. Other places preserve their heritage in aspic, but Gauteng’s gourmet glory lies in its ever-evolving taste for life.