The tree-lined avenues of Melrose make a ring around Birdhaven, one of Johannesburg's most walkable and quietly charming neighbourhoods. Bordered by streets like St Andrew, Wrenrose, and North, this leafy enclave is laidback with a sporty edge. It’s right next to the popular James and Ethel Gray Park, a short wander from Melrose Arch, and neighbours the Wanderers Club, golf course, and cricket stadium. Park at James and Ethel Gray and explore on foot like a local. Here’s our guide to what you can get up to with some of our favourite spots in Birdhaven.
1. Arbour Café
Don’t be deceived by Arbour Café’s petite street frontage: this café opens up into a spacious courtyard strung with fairy lights and framed by lush greenery. It’s the perfect hideaway for lingering breakfasts and lazy lunches, with a menu that leans deliciously French: towering omelettes packed with flavour, savoury buckwheat galettes from spinach-leek-feta to chorizo-mozzarella-tomato combos, and delicate crêpes. Add a slice of the day’s fresh cake, and you may never want to leave.
6 Wrenrose Court, 64 St Andrew St, Birdhaven
2. Get Bird
Get Bird is Birdhaven’s beloved coffee-and-bagel kiosk parked right by James and Ethel Gray Park. Open bright and early (because Joburg joggers don’t sleep in), this charming caravan kiosk serves top-notch coffee, fantastic bagels, and the occasional buttery croissant to kick-start your morning. Grab it to-go or snag a sunny pavement table and people-watch the parade of runners, dog walkers, and pooches in bandanas.
74 St Andrew St, Birdhaven
3. James and Ethel Gray Park
Perched on 36 hectares of green hills with knockout Joburg skyline views, James and Ethel Gray Park is where city life meets a breath of fresh air. Popular with dog walkers, weekend strollers, and birdwatchers (bring those binoculars), the park’s winding paths lead you past the Sandspruit River and into pockets of playgrounds, picnic spots, and nature. History buffs will appreciate its namesake – historian, scientist, and former mayor James Gray and his wife Ethel – while thrill-seekers can head straight for Acrobranch, where ziplines and Tarzan swings await. Best of all, a passionate community keeps this park safe, and as welcoming as the view is spectacular.
Edgewood Ave and Melrose St, Melrose
4. Kleinsky’s
Cape Town’s cult-favourite deli Kleinsky’s has brought its legendary New York-style bagels to Birdhaven and the weekend queues say it all. This cosy spot with an interior we think Larry David would love dishes up Big Apple-inspired breakfasts and lunches, from the unmissable pastrami bagel with pickles to chocolate babka worth smuggling home. Just up the road from James and Ethel Gray Park, it’s the perfect post-walk pitstop.
64 St Andrew St, Birdhaven
5. Northern Meat Butchery & Biltong Bar
Since 1979, Northern Meat Butchery & Biltong Bar has been keeping Birdhaven stocked with some of Joburg’s finest cuts and arguably the city’s best biltong. Famous for their juicy rump steak and legendary dried meat, this neighbourhood favourite also offers a tempting selection of snacks and wines – perfect for stocking up before a braai or picnic in the park.
68 St Andrews Street, Birdhaven
6. Padel and Social Club
Itching for some action, the Padel and Social Club at James and Ethel Gray Park serves up all the right moves. There’s top-notch courts, a lively crowd, and sunny patios perfect for post-match pizzas, smoothie bowls, or a celebratory frittata. Open daily until 22:00, it’s as good for a competitive rally under the lights as it is for a lazy afternoon with friends and a drink in hand. With coaching, social clubs and birthday or team-building events on offer, this is where sport meets social in style. It's a fun outdoor family attraction with people of all ages sporting padel racquets hanging out, relaxing after a walk in the park, playing a game, or watching the action on the courts.
69 North Street, Melrose
7. The Library Food Club
Tap the secret bookshelf door at 64 Wrenrose Avenue and find yourself led like Alice down the rabbit hole to The Library Food Club, one of Joburg’s best-kept secrets. Since 2024, this intimate speakeasy reinvents itself yearly with fresh culinary adventures, currently exploring Mexican flavours. Reservations are online only, so don’t lose your way in this delicious rabbit hole.
64 Wrenrose Ave, Birdhaven
8. The Peech Hotel
The Peech Hotel is your go-to for R&R with a side of Joburg charm. Set in just under a hectare of lush gardens and boasting 32 beautifully designed rooms, this eco-friendly boutique hotel feels more like a chic private retreat than a hotel. Whether you're lounging by the pool or sipping something refreshing on your private patio, it's all about laidback luxury. Aesthetes will swoon over the local design touches and, if you must take a meeting, the peaceful garden-facing boardroom is as stylish as it is serene.
61 North St, Melrose North
9. The Pot Luck Club Johannesburg
Book a table at The Pot Luck Club Johannesburg – now neatly nestled at the entrance to The Peech Hotel. Started by Cape Town Chef Luke Dale Roberts, this casual fine dining spot boasts a sunny terrace, while the dreamy hanging paper sculptures of Maia Lehr-Sacks indoors make for an artful food experience. Some of our favourite dishes from the menu include salmon sashimi with mango atchar and a Pot Luck Club staple of smoked beef fillet in black pepper truffle café au lait. And don’t skip the Thai green curry cocktail – it’s as wild (and delicious) as it sounds.
61 North St, Melrose North
10. Birdhaven Centre
We asked Vicky Peech, co-owner of The Peech Hotel and a true Birdhaven insider, to share her favourite local spots, and it turns out they’re all at Birdhaven Centre. Here, you can treat yourself from head to tail – literally. Start with some self-care at Toast & co., where skilled therapists work their magic with manicures, lush lash extensions, rejuvenating facials, massages, and waxing. Then spoil your four-legged friends at Canine & Co, a one-stop shop for premium pet food, treats, toys, and wellness essentials, plus goodies for birds and fish. For something extra-special, Badoodoo offers indulgent pet lifestyle luxuries, from plush dog beds and soothing balms to bone broths and CBD meal toppers. Finally, satisfy your cravings at Asian Twist with fresh sushi, delicate dim sum, and Chinese, Japanese, and Thai favourites.
You can find Birdhaven Centre at the corner of St Andrew Str and Wrenrose Ave
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