This afternoon, Thorsten and I went for lunch at the Kentucky Milk Bar. Don’t be deceived; the Kentucky Milk Bar is nowhere near Kentucky and it doesn’t serve milk (although it used to — more on that later). The Kentucky Milk Bar is a Fordsburg takeaway joint, known especially for its overstuffed steak sandwiches, and is said to be the oldest restaurant in Fordsburg.

The Kentucky Milk Bar is next to the historic Avalon Theatre building. 

Thorsten drew this cool sketch of the Avalon Theatre.

The Milk Bar menu.

I live around the corner from Fordsburg, Joburg’s historically Indian neighborhood, and the Milk Bar is around the corner from the Oriental Plaza, where I go all the time. But somehow I never knew about the Milk Bar until about a year ago, when I saw a post about it by food explorer Nick Hamman. I’ve been wondering about the story behind the Milk Bar ever since. Today, that story was finally revealed.

The Story Behind the Kentucky Milk Bar

Mohammed Adam, owner of the Milk Bar, filled us in on the restaurant’s colorful history. Mohammed’s family bought the place in 1968, when it was not yet a restaurant but a shop selling bread and milk. The shop was already named Kentucky and Mohammed doesn’t know why…It was long before KFC existed in South Africa. But the name stuck.

The branding might be new, but the interior of this place oozes history.

Living up to the Milk Bar’s name, the Adam family served milkshakes — served in famous yellow cups — for decades. But the milkshake machine, which was apparently very old and very special, broke down and despite an exhaustive search, the parts to repair it no longer exist. Mohammed said they tried to continue serving milkshakes with another machine but they weren’t the same. So right now there are no milkshakes on the menu. Mohammed says he’s investigating other options and hopes to bring the Kentucky Milk Bar milkshakes back soon.

While I was waiting for our food I met Ibrahim (left) and Yaseen (right, a member of the Adam clan), who were catching up over lunch. They offered me a seat, a whole bunch of stories, and one of their tasty masala chips. The Milk Bar is that kind of place.

Mohammed’s uncle, Junior Adam, was a prominent community leader and renowned Fordsburg mobster. (Thorsten and I tried to convince Mohammed to spill the tea on what Uncle Junior’s specific line of business was. Mohammed smiled and pled the 5th.) Uncle Junior and his colleagues would often meet at the Milk Bar to discuss their business, which is where the “Home of Legends” tagline comes from.

Mohammed behind the counter at the Milk Bar.

There is an iconic photograph of Uncle Junior and his colleagues leaving a Johannesburg courthouse after being acquitted of what Mohammed described as a “Chicago-style shooting”. (We asked for details on the shooting. Mohammed pled the 5th.) The current Milk Bar logo is inspired by that photograph.

I love this.

The front door of the restaurant is superimposed with an image of Junior Adam (right) and his colleague Sheriff Khan.

Mohammed showing photos to Thorsten and Fiver, who stopped by for a toasted cheese.

Mohammed told us all of this as we inhaled our steak sandwiches. Let me tell you about those.

The Steak Sandwiches

South Africa, as you may know, is famous for huge sandwiches and sandwich-like creations (like kotas, bunny chows, and Gatsbys, which are NOT sandwiches). The Milk Bar steak sandwiches are part of that tradition. Thorsten and I decided to be healthy (lol) and forego the “Kentucky Special” — a toasted steak sandwich with cheese, chips, fried egg, burger patty, polony (South African bologna), and salad. Instead we went for the slightly more conservative toasted steak with cheese and chips, which cost R75 (about $4.50).

The sandwich. It looks fairly modest in its unopened state.

The sandwich cross-section is more revealing. The shredded steak and chips are cooked with masala spices. There is also tomato sauce (ketchup), cheese, and possibly some lettuce.

We loved it and we ate it all. The end. (Photo: Fiver Löcker)

Nick Hamman made a nice YouTube video about the Milk Bar — watch it here.

The Kentucky Milk Bar is at 95 Central Road, Fordsburg. It’s open every day until late. Call 011-834-1159.