When judging the quality of food at a Portuguese or Mozambican restaurant in Joburg, we take the standard of peri-peri chicken as a barometer. At +258 (the dialling code for Maputo) A Taste of Mozambique, the peri-peri chicken is excellent. It’s enormous and served with lashings of sauce and crispy fries.

The restaurant is unique. Opened in mid-2023, and located at Design Quarter in Fourways, it’s a food hall, deli, frozen fish store and indoor and outdoor restaurant all wrapped in one. The space is vast but highly attractive and opens to a patio with couches and other seating options. Woven grass light fittings resembling fish traps swing across the tables, and there is a flurry of activity at different food stations, plus plenty of colourful décor touches.

+258 A Taste of Mozambique is authentically Mozambican, owned by a family that has restaurants in that part of the world. Bringing the culture of Maputo to Joburg, its focus is on fresh seafood, authentic produce and products (you can even buy six different Mozambican coffee brands to take home – we wished we could taste them there, but they are not on the menu as yet), offering Mozambican beers and a universe of options when it comes to the menu.

It can be a little confusing, but it’s worth taking the time to read through all the menus offered – five in total, that include vegan, tapas, meat, seafood and a casual Café de Mozambique menu. There is also an innovative sharing concept for two or four – which brings together tastes of the different menus with either a bottle of wine or beers.

Start with traditional prawn and tuna rissoles and feast on a giant grilled prawn, served with what rates as the best garlic butter sauce we have tasted. The beef espetada here is excellent, as is the savoury rice. There's a wide range of sides from which to choose, and each menu offers up exciting options for mains. Main course portions are super generous, and the dessert menu, while simple, is worth exploring. If they have it, go for the lemon-flavoured tart, moist and dense, and highly satisfying with a coffee. It's part of the chef's creation of the day on the menu. 

The main courses here are huge, and we only managed to taste as much as we did by getting half portions (a reviewer’s privilege). We shared a dessert – the chef’s creation of the day.

+258 A Taste of Mozambique is a relaxed spot. An easy, casual dining experience with enough tasty options and space to keep busy youngsters and just about any fussy eater happy. Inside a particular section of the restaurant, there is also a long table that is ideal for a more private group experience. Recommended as a weekend hangout.