OUS FIFI'S KITCHEN

I’m Nick Hamman from Hammy Eats and I think I might have just found the best beef stew in South Africa and I’m about to use a word that I know makes you cringe when influencers use it, and for good reason, but this has to be one of the best hidden gems I’ve found in a long time. But before you scoff at me, I agree that the latest Seapoint mocha and Sandton steak are hidden to no one. Let me introduce you to a place where the streets have no name, Ndofaya, 1852, Meadowlands Zone 9 in Soweto Gauteng, to a spot in the same road as the local Methodist Church called Ous Fifi’s Kitchen.

Well known to locals and for bloody good reason, this place is clean, has a simple local menu that changes with the days and on the day I was there I was able to order beef stew served with pap or rice and two sides or chips for R70. Opting for a takeaway, even though I ended up sitting there anyway because of how welcoming the vibe was, with friends and colleagues mid shift, taking some respite from the working day and refueling for part 2 of the afternoon, cracking jokes, sharing stories and eating honestly unbelievably delicious food.

I can’t fault anything. The pap was piping hot, the kind that said “welcome home” with every scoop. The Morogo with potato was earthy, hearty, and full of soul. The bean and chakalaka salsa was a punchy, crunchy bean mix with onion, cucumber, and just the right kick. And the beef stew, thick, tender, slow-cooked magic. Rich in flavour with fall-apart chunks of meat and that deep red gravy.

This was an all-round Mzansi masterpiece – bold, balanced, and absolutely banging. You can taste the love in every bite and I can’t wait to come back. I would highly recommend trying out Ous Fifi’s for yourself and have left the details in the caption, but if this isn’t the best beef stew in South Africa, you need to let me know in the comments where I’m going next?