Hangouts

Just hanging!

Humans are social and incredibly inquisitive creatures. Generally, we love to be around other people, exploring unknown places and experiences and feeling a sense of belonging. That’s the reason humankind is so successful. In today’s reality we live a lot of our lives on social media. It teleports us into amazing places and encourages sociability. By doing something as simple as commenting on social media posts and getting replies to our comments, we feel included in the experience.

While online-interactions can be engaging and stimulating, they don’t provide the same health benefits we get from being physically with other people.

This blog post highlights some of the best places to hang out near The Fields. They all have a great atmosphere, food and drinks.

There are literally hundreds of places in and around Pretoria. We can’t write about them all, so we chose 2 special ones. These are the criteria for the places we picked to tell you about.

1. They must be safe places for everyone
2. They must be only 2km away and take between 15 and 20 minutes to walk there from The Fields
3. They provide a chilled atmosphere, outstanding food and drinks

The hidden gem

What is our definition of a hidden gem?

1. If someone didn’t point it out to you, you would never know it’s there
2. You can go on your own or with a small group of friends and feel comfortable either way
3. The cappuccinos, food and service are great
4. You can spend hours there on your laptop.
5. They have both inside and outside spaces that are equally enticing and comfortable

 The Pizzeria

Know anyone who doesn’t love pizza? Yeah, us neither. It’s delicious, especially when made the real Italian way with smooth mozzarella and the freshest toppings. We simply could not leave one of the best pizzerias in the city off this list.

Bravo Pizzeria is what I’m talking about. A 12-minute walk from The Fields. This is an exceptional space, it’s a student’s dream. Comfortable couches where you can kick back while feasting on the most incredible tasting pizza and pasta. You can even have a game of foosball while you’re at it. If your friends want to go there, but you don’t feel like pizza, you can get a great burger, ribs and chips. They are closed Mondays but open 11am-8:45pm Tuesday to Saturday. After the lunch rush hour, there is a quiet period where you can get some varsity work done or get lost in a text marathon with your crush.

Let’s hear from some reviewers on Trip advisor

• THE best experience ever! We were so impressed; we came back for lunch the next day. Pizza and burger were both sublime. Amazing vibe, friendly, helpful, amazing owners and staff. It’s the kind of place we could visit every day!
• Love the decor inside. Service with a smile and the pizza is so delicious. The lounges inside, so comfortable. Love the music.

View the Bravo Pizzeria menu here.

The Diner

There are less than a handful of places in the country that capture the true American diner experience. The cherry on top. Very few diners have food as good. We are talking about Mustang Sally’s pub and diner. It only 2km away and takes 20 minutes of leisurely walking to get there. A blessing in disguise after stuffing your face with their incredible food and out of this world shakes.

This place makes you feel like Danny or Sandy in the movie Grease. The décor is pure 1950s Americana. The food comprises huge burgers, steaks, the best fries in P-Town and so much more. They even have vegetarian options, so everyone’s taken care of. Enjoy the food with a nice cold one or a glass of wine. The star of the show though, are their shakes. Besides how good they taste, they are served looking so awesome it’s almost as if they aren’t real. It all adds up to an unforgettable experience.

Let’s hear from some reviewers on Trip advisor

• Service for me it’s everything in a restaurant and they nailed it. Our waiter was patient, informative, helpful and our food was delicious and their cocktails are just addictive.
• This unique place has really impressed me. I enjoyed their various milkshakes, cocktails and burger options. It made me feel as if I was in a diner in the US of A! I love the American-style decor and all the old tunes.

View the Mustang Sally’s menu here.

This blog proves 2 things. First, The Fields is a brilliantly positioned student accommodation in P-Town and secondly that some of the best places for you to hang out, get great food and drinks are just a short walk away. Being a student is stressful in the best of times, the pandemic has turned the pressure up to 11. Be kind to yourself, relax, treat yourself and laugh (it’s the best medicine). Wherever and however you choose to do it – be safe.