Dining at OR Tambo
From a quick flat white before your gate opens to a full sit-down meal before a long-haul flight — OR Tambo's 40+ food and beverage outlets cover every appetite, budget and timeline.
By Terminal
Dining by Location
What's available and where — before and after security at OR Tambo.
Caffe Milano
Full-service Italian café inside the InterContinental Hotel, Terminal A. Espresso, pastries, light meals. Popular for pre-flight dining in upscale surroundings.
Doppio Zero
A beloved South African restaurant brand known for wood-fired pizza, pastas and excellent coffee. A taste of local dining before you leave the country.
Ocean Basket
Popular South African seafood chain. Excellent value platters, calamari, hake and prawn options. Ideal for a proper sit-down meal before a long international flight.
Burger Republic
Craft burgers using locally-sourced South African beef. Multiple burger options including ostrich patties. Quick counter service for passengers in a hurry.
Seattle Coffee Co.
South Africa's premium coffee chain. Excellent single-origin espresso drinks, teas and light breakfasts. Multiple locations airside in the international terminal.
Nikos
Greek-inspired fast-casual with wraps, salads and grilled chicken options. A lighter alternative for passengers wanting something quick without fast food chains.
Vida e Caffè
South Africa's cult Portuguese-inspired espresso brand. The JNB domestic Vida is always busy — arrive early if you want to beat the queue before peak hour domestic departures.
Steers
South Africa's iconic flame-grilled burger chain. The best fast-food option at OR Tambo for a proper flame-grilled burger — a South African institution since 1966.
Mugg & Bean
South African breakfast and brunch specialist. Famous for enormous portions — the mega breakfast and pancake stacks are legendary. The best option for a leisurely pre-flight meal in the domestic terminal.
Primi Piatti
Italian-themed restaurant popular across South Africa. Wood-fired pizzas, classic pastas and a reliable wine list. Good for a sit-down pre-departure meal in Terminal C.
Kauai
South Africa's leading health food brand. Wraps, superfood salads, fresh juices and smoothies. The best healthy eating option airside in the domestic terminal.
Nando's
South Africa's globally famous flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken. If you're a first-time visitor to South Africa, this is the original — try the full chicken with garlic sauce and peri-peri chips.
Seattle Coffee Co. — Arrivals
Located in the international arrivals hall. Perfect for meeting arriving passengers over a coffee, or for a caffeine fix as you collect luggage after a long-haul flight.
Wimpy
A South African fast-food institution. Breakfast, burgers and coffee served from early morning. Reliable and affordable, located pre-security in the check-in zone. Good option for early arrivals before airline counters open.
Woolworths Food
South Africa's premium grocery chain with a strong food-to-go offering. Exceptional quality sandwiches, salads, sushi and grab-and-go meals. The best option for packing snacks for a domestic flight.
Aunt Sheila's
South African bakery chain serving koeksisters, vetkoek, rusks, and traditional baked goods. A great opportunity to try authentic South African baked treats before leaving the country.
Our Recommendations
Editor's Food Picks
If you only have time for one meal, here's where to spend it — by category.
Caffe Milano
The restaurant inside the InterContinental OR Tambo is the finest dining experience available in the airport. Proper espresso, fresh pasta and a calm atmosphere that feels nothing like an airport. Worth the premium if you have 90 minutes before your flight.
Vida e Caffè
South Africa's cult Portuguese espresso brand. The milk-based drinks are excellent, the pastries are addictive, and the baristas are consistently good. The domestic terminal Vida is the best quick coffee in the airport.
Nando's
Born in Johannesburg, now global — but this is the original. If you've never had PERi-PERi chicken, OR Tambo is a perfectly valid place to try it for the first time. The quarter chicken with hot sauce and chips is a solid departures ritual.
Kauai
Kauai's wraps, superfood bowls and cold-pressed juices are the best healthy eating choice in the terminal. If you're facing a long haul and want something that won't leave you feeling sluggish in the sky, this is the option.
Mugg & Bean
For a proper sit-down airport breakfast with enormous portions, generous coffee refills and relaxed service, Mugg & Bean delivers every time. The mega-stack pancakes with bacon and maple syrup are a domestic departures classic.
Woolworths Food
For a meal you can eat on the plane or at the gate, Woolworths Food is unmatched for quality. The sushi, ready-made salads, and artisan sandwiches are significantly better than any fast-food option in the terminal.
Practical Advice
Dining Tips
Allow Time Before Your Gate
Airport restaurants at OR Tambo often have waits of 15–30 minutes during peak times (06:00–09:00 and 17:00–20:00). Budget enough time to eat before you need to be at your gate, particularly for sit-down restaurants in the international terminal.
Card Payment is Universal
All restaurants and cafes at OR Tambo accept major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard). Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted at most outlets. Some smaller kiosks accept cash only — keep R50–R100 in South African Rand for these situations.
Last Chance for South African Wine
If you haven't tried South African wine during your trip, the sit-down restaurants at OR Tambo stock excellent local wines. The Waterkloof, Tokara and Ken Forrester labels are widely available and make excellent choices before departure.
Late-Night Options
Most restaurants close at 22:00. For very late-night or early-morning flights, your options are limited to 24-hour fast-food options (Wimpy, Steers) and vending machines. If arriving on a red-eye, Woolworths and Seattle Coffee are usually the first to open from 05:30.
Questions