October Restaurant of the Month: Die Kneipe in Kensington

by | Oct 26, 2018 | Food and Drink, Johannesburg, Restaurant of the Month | 12 comments

Thursday is Schnitzel Day at Die Kneipe.

Die Kneipe, which means “the pub” in German, is — you guessed it — a German pub in Kensington. (I think I’ve said this before but I don’t blog enough about Kensington. It’s the Melville of Joburg East.) My friend Tecla suggested we meet there for lunch yesterday because Die Kniepe has the best schnitzels.

Outside Die KneipeDie Kneipe.

Tecla didn’t even realize Thursday is Schnitzel Day, when the pork and chicken schnitzels are R77 instead of R99.

I like this place because it’s exactly what it advertises itself to be. I went to Germany recently and had dinner at a pub that was pretty much identical to this, just in Berlin and not Joburg. Die Kneipe has everything a German pub should have: dark wood furniture, soccer memorabilia, schnitzel, eisbein, sauerkraut, German beer, and a million kinds of sausage.

All of this plus Die Kneipe has fantastic service — one thing I personally did not experience when I was in actual Germany.

Lunch at Die Kneipe

We both ordered schnitzels — one chicken and one pork, with pepper sauce. (Unfortunately there was no spaetzle in stock yesterday.) The schnitzel was delicious and huge — I ate it for both lunch and dinner yesterday — and I especially enjoyed my potato roesti side.

Schnitzels at Die KneipeChicken schnitzel (top) and pork schnitzel, one with chips and one with potato roesti, with pepper sauce on the side. A schnitzel is a thin, breaded-and-fried cut of meat — usually chicken, pork, or veal.

It was a beautiful day so Tecla and I sat outside. But the interior has a classic sports-pub vibe that’s perfect for hanging out and watching soccer or rugby or cricket. Die Kneipe also hosts live music events.

Inside Die KneipeInside Die Kneipe.

Die Kneipe outsideThe outdoor seating area, which has a great view of Kensington’s iconic Queen Street.

By the way, Joburg has several other great places for German food. Check out my posts on the Black Forest Bakery and the Schwaben Butchery, and there are some others I haven’t blogged about yet.

Go get your schnitzel on.

Die Kneipe is at Queen’s Place, 139 Queen Street, Kensington. (Parking is a bit tricky: You have to turn into a funny little alley to get to the parking area.) Call +27-11-616-8760.

Read the rest of my 2018 Restaurant of the Month series.

12 Comments

  1. dizzylexa

    In my hood, I love their potato rosti and eisbein.

    Reply
    • 2summers

      I need to go back to try the sausages.

      Reply
      • dizzylexa

        Give me a shout I’ll join you.

        Reply
        • 2summers

          Will do for sure!

          Reply
          • Fiver

            Can I come too?

          • 2summers

            Of course!

  2. libarah

    Nice place and delicious food????

    Reply
  3. jean2371

    I am fascinated to read your interesting stories about unusual places in Johannesburg. I live just up the road from this restaurant.

    Reply
    • 2summers

      Thank you, I’m so pleased to hear that!

      Reply
  4. autumnashbough

    Wow. It really does look like all the pubs in Germany!

    Reply
  5. Eva Melusine Thieme

    I love that Joburg has so many things German. Schnitzel is to my kids what hamburgers and pizza are for American kids. They would eat it every day if they could, and when we travel in Germany that is what they order when we eat out. Interestingly, some of the best Schnitzel we’ve ever had we had in Namibia!

    Reply
    • 2summers

      Schnitzel is weird…There doesn’t seem to be much to it and yet it’s delicious.

      Reply

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