February Restaurant of the Month: Impi Brewing Co. in Lorentzville
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.
Lunch at Impi Brewing Co.
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.
Thanks for the mention. The pizzas are great and such an awesome setting to just hangout with friends.
Exactly! Such a nice vibe.
Thank you for your love and support. We are over the moon. We will work on our roll out pace of the pizza’s and do apologize in this regard. Thank you for the feature and kind words.
Beer greetings
www.impibrewingco.com
Thanks Nico, you guys are awesome.
I had to google peppadews, but am left with a question. Are they sweet or spicy? Do they only come pickled?
Okay, two questions.
I actually should write a dedicated post about peppadews - I forgot they’re not known outside SA! They’re freaking delicious - sweet AND spicy at the same time. And you can find them fresh but they’re way more common pickled.
I want pizza and beer now. Thank you.
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