Avant-garde Cocktails at Melville's Mooteebar

UPDATE: Mooteebar is closed as of the middle of 2019. I’m devastated.

My mom came to South Africa and we spent two weeks traveling around the country doing fabulous things and it was amazing and I didn’t blog the whole time she was here. I think this is the first time in eight years that I’ve gone two weeks without posting, and now I have a huge backlog and I feel totally overwhelmed and I’m finding it hard to start. So before I dive into all the mother-daughter activities here is a quick post about Mooteebar.

Mooteebar needs a place in this blog because: a) It’s in Melville; and b) It’s the most unique and innovative bar in Johannesburg. If you are remotely interested cocktails, no matter where you live in this city, you need to give Mooteebar a try. You will either love it or you will hate it – there are few in-betweens when it comes to opinions on this place. But Mooteebar is worth a trip either way.

Cocktails at Mooteebar

Mootee is a play on the word muti, or muthi, which has many meanings and interpretations but can be broadly described as South African traditional medicine. Muti is a complicated subject, as many people associate it – sometimes legitimately – with witch doctors and black magic and human sacrifice. But muti also encompasses herbal remedies and spirituality and traditional South African culture.

Muti is controversial and I think that’s why Mooteebar’s owners – all of whom are internationally acclaimed bartenders – chose it for their name.

I don’t want to spend too much time describing the Mooteebar menu, as it makes a lot more sense if you experience it yourself. But in short: a) The menu is hand-drawn, with beautiful illustrations conveying the feelings that each cocktail is meant to evoke; b) The actual ingredients of each cocktail are not listed in the descriptions – just the flavor notes and the “intentions” of the drink.

Not everyone likes this menu setup. Some people find it pretentious and weird and just want to order a martini and be done with it. I personally think the menu is fun and adventurous and cool.

Cocktails all cost R85 (about $6.50), which is expensive by Joburg standards but reasonable when you consider each drink is a work of art.

Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of the Mashonza, which is served a vessel shaped like a mopani worm and has an actual dried worm on top. But I’ve had it before and definitely recommend it.

Mooteebar also offers a great food menu – I can personally recommend the springbok rolls, the onion rings, and the chocolate milk tarts – excellent service, and the perfect decor and atmosphere for savoring avant-garde cocktails. It’s a huge step up from the sticky, tequila-soaked vibes of Café Mexicho, which used to occupy this space.

Mooteebar is at 78A 4th Avenue, Melville. Call +27-10-900-1399. Note the bar is closed on Mondays and only opens at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday.

Read another review of Mooteebar in Wanted magazine.