Capital Craft Beer Academy is a much welcomed new option for a relaxed meal and a few drinks in Pretoria. While South Africa, especially Pretoria, has been pretty slow to get on board the craft beer bandwagon, Capital Craft does a great job of filling the void in Pretoria for beer lovers. They’ve got about 12 local beers on tap and a dizzying selection of bottled craft beers from local producers and breweries worldwide.

The food is really excellent compared to the typical pub fare offered at other establishments. The menu does focus on pub favorites such as burgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs, but the effort is there to take things up a notch. For example, I tried the blue marrow burger, which tops off a delicious burger patty with blue cheese and bone marrow. What else could you want? Burgers are served with a choice of potato wedges or beer battered onion rings. There are also salads available including smoky pork loin and orange, rooibos smoked chicken and apple, or grilled artichoke, shitake mushroom, and sun-dried tomato—clearly a cut above typical pub grub. Next time I’ll try the panko crusted chicken livers off the snack menu.

The location in Greenlyn Village in leafy Menlo Park is a great place to unwind in the afternoon and is a quiet place for an evening out. The restaurant itself is interestingly decorated in an industrial style and there is seating for a large number of people both inside at long tables and on the nice patio outside. The only downside to Capital Craft is that because it’s so popular, it can be difficult to get a nice table and the service can be a bit lacking. Tables inside are less comfortable and a bit loud. All said though, it’s a definite local favorite for meeting up with friends over interesting beers and a great meal.