Pictures: Lucia Xypteras
Parents know how difficult it is to find a restaurant with great food and amazing activities to keep their kids entertained while they catch up with their friends.
While cold, left-over chicken strips and bites of cheese burgers are most parents’ staple foods at home, sometimes they want to enjoy a plate of their own food and a cocktail without the Paw Patrol jingle in the background.
There’s no denying that there are scores of family-friendly restaurants all around Johannesburg, but not all of them cater equally as well for kids, teens, and parents alike, which is what sets Joy Jozi apart from other family friendly eateries.
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At an intimate event to celebrate the opening of the restaurant earlier this week, co-founder and a parent himself, Brad Cilliers said Joy Jozi is a space where parents and kids can be relieved of their obsession with future goals and past events.
“It is a space for exploration, family time, exquisite food and spontaneity. It is space for being rather than doing,” he said.
With the rise of kidnappings in South Africa, parents also often find it hard to relax when they are out and about with their kids, constantly keeping an eye on them to see if they are still safe.
At Joy Jozi, you can let your hair down and enjoy some down time with your friends as the restaurant has very strict security measures in place to keep kids safe.
PlayOn Founder and free play fanatic, Colin Levin is the mastermind behind the state-of-the-art play equipment on the premises.
“PlayOn was created from a belief in the immense power of play, something I see every day in the work I do,” he said.
All the equipment has been tastefully integrated into the expansive gardens of Joy Jozi under the direction of renowned South African landscaper, J.P Watson.
Levin added that his idea is to consistently update the space as global play trends filter through.
On offer is an action court, tree house, bicycle track, mini splash park and a dedicated space for toddlers adjacent to the Joy Jozi vegetable garden.
The entire second story of the house is a spacious indoor play centre full of mazes, slides and games as well as a vintage arcade room and media room.
Creative crafts will be available, and for book lovers, there’s a well-stocked reading room overlooking the garden.
At the end of the garden, you’ll find a 70-seater amphitheatre and stage. Here, children (and their adults) will be able to watch, join, and even perform their own shows in a beautiful, serene setting. Joy Jozi has partnered with the National Children’s Theater and Story Cafe to deliver enriching, memorable experiences.
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Culinary virtuoso, Luke Dale Roberts developed the restaurants’ menu, and we can say without a doubt that you will not be disappointed by your culinary experience at Joy Jozi.
The menu is a fusion of playful combinations and standard classics that appeal to the younger and the more adventurous eater.
Luke said his focus for this restaurant is extraordinary every-day eating with health and sustainability as the building blocks of each menu item.
“This menu is a perfect balance; creating opportunities for families to connect while children learn the most important skill of all – how to play!” he concluded.
The restaurant is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 11am until 9pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am until 9pm.
Adults enter for free, but there is a R60 entrance fee for kids.
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