Sunday Morning at 44 Stanley Avenue

2Summers | 2 December 2024
johannesburg architecture food shopping restaurants

How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?

44 Stanley sign surrounded by trees
The entrance to 44 Stanley Avenue.

I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.

Looking down on a man walking under the trees in 44 Stanley
Walking the leafy green pathways of 44 Stanley.

What is 44 Stanley Avenue?

44 Stanley is a cluster of former industrial buildings, erected in the 1930s, which property developer Brian Green turned into a dining and shopping complex about 20 years ago. There are shops, restaurants, art galleries, artist studios, apartments, and even a small movie theatre at 44 Stanley, all independently owned and incredibly hip and cool. The spaces turn over frequently but are never empty for long. There are a few mainstays, like the Salvation Café and Bean There Coffee Roastery, that have been at 44 Stanley for well over a decade.

A complex like 44 Stanley works particularly well in Joburg because of all the trees and plantings that grow prolifically in every corner of the center. It’s an exceedingly pleasant place to walk around and there’s always something new to see. It’s centrally located and feels safe and contained, while also feeling nothing like a shopping mall. There is always a diverse crowd of people hanging out there.

A sketch of the 44 Stanley complex by @TheThinking_Hand.

44 Stanley Avenue has stood the test of time – I remember going for lunch there on my very first visit to Joburg in 2009. I recommend it to practically every tourist I meet but I still feel like not enough people know about it.

A Morning at 44 Stanley, in Pictures

Thorsten and I recently spent a Sunday morning at 44 Stanley, eating at Salvation Café and browsing through a few shops. This is just a small slice of what’s on offer – I’m leaving out a ton of places. But here’s what we saw and did on that particular morning.

On the balcony at 44 Stanley
First stop: Breakfast at Salvation Café. The restaurant was already filling up when we arrived a bit after 9. Thorsten is sketching away on the right.
Thorsten’s sketch
The sketch.
Eggs benedict
Salvation is famous for its eggs benedict. I had another delicious Salvation classic, the breakfast burrito.
Nelson at Vinosity
After breakfast we wandered into the wine shop, Vinosity, where Nelson helped me pick out the perfect bottle of Chenin Blanc for a party I had coming up. Vinosity features a great selection of boutique winemakers and hosts weekly wine tastings on Saturdays.
Birkenstock exhibition the stairway at 44 Stanley
We wandered up a flight of stairs and discovered a hidden Birkenstock pop-up shop with a fun visual history of Birkenstocks on the way up. This shop will only be around for another couple of weeks, so go check it out now if you’re keen to pick up a pair of beautiful but pricey Birkenstocks.
Entrance to the Atelier
We popped into the Atelier, one of my favorite Joburg art shops, admiring all the beautiful prints and a stunning work by John Phalane.
The Sealand shop
We discovered a brand-new shop called Sealand – a Cape Town brand selling clothing, bags, and other accessories made with recycled materials. Thorsten and I both loved the bags.
Outside the Storm in a Teacup shop
Storm in a Teacup – which, despite the website advertised on their sign, seems to have no online presence – is one of my favorite places to buy gifts for friends and relatives back in the U.S. The shop has a great selection of locally made jewelry, ceramics, baskets, scarves, and other accessories. It’s a bit hidden so you’ll have to poke around to find it.
Lobby and giftshop at the Bioscope
The Bioscope used to be in Maboneng but moved to 44 Stanley a few years ago. In addition to a small theatre that screens mostly arthouse films with the occasional blockbuster (like Wicked, which was playing last week) mixed in, the Bioscope has a fun gift shop selling hip t-shirts, posters, and books.

To all the 44 Stanley restaurants and shops that I haven’t mentioned in this post – Bean There, La Pergola, Forest Gelato, Little Addis, JFF Plant Shop, the Drum Magazine shop, all the incredible clothing boutiques, and so many others – I love you all, too! I also have a ton of places still to discover at 44 Stanley.

If you live in Joburg and haven’t been to 44 Stanley in a while, or haven’t ever been before, do yourself a favor and go this December.

Family walking in 44 Stanley

44 Stanley is at 44 Stanley Avenue (duh) in Braamfontein Werf – just down the road from Melville and Brixton. There is plenty of safe street parking there, as well as an overflow parking lot across the road. Note that Salvation Café, Bean There, and many 44 Stanley shops are closed in the evening.