The Best Places to Drink in Johannesburg

The bar inside Marble, Johannesburg's wood-fired temple to South African meat, turns out to be serious about drinking. The cocktail list leans local in a low-key way, rooibos finding its way into the tequila, lemon verbena turning up where you might not expect it. A deep cellar covers both local and international wines, and the non-alcoholic options are genuinely thought through rather than an apology. Marble holds a spot on The 50 Discovery list.

The private Dali Room, with its animal-print banquettes and wall-to-wall Surrealist imagery, tells you exactly what kind of place this is before you've ordered a thing. Obscura is a cocktail bar in Rosebank with bold, maximalist design throughout and a drinks list built around complex, visually arresting cocktails. George Hunter is behind the bar program, and the menu reads like it was written to be stared at before you drink it.

Old cartoons flicker on a single TV while graffiti covers every surface, which tells you most of what you need to know about this Melville dive bar. Rum anchors the drinks list, from a broad back-bar selection to a short cocktail menu running things like a Peanut Colada or a Marsala Rum Sour. The punk and grunge decor is commitment, not concept, and the weekly specials keep the crowd honest.