It is early evening in Soweto and the streets are still warm from the day. Taxis run late, kitchens fire up, and the first people drift towards the places where the township eats, drinks and talks into the night.
Soweto's nightlife is social rather than polished. It is built around shebeens, eateries and community venues rather than a single strip of clubs, and it suits visitors who want to spend an evening among locals rather than watch one. Come with time to sit, eat and talk.
Where to go out in Soweto
1. Shebeens
A shebeen is a local drinking place, and it is the traditional centre of an evening out in Soweto. The atmosphere is conversational and unhurried; you go to sit with people rather than to move between venues.
If you want the real thing rather than a staged version, seek out a working shebeen rather than only the places set up for visitors. The Back Room, at Pimville Square Shopping Centre on Modjadji Street, is one named drinking spot in the area.
2. Baragwanath taxi rank area
The streets around the taxi rank are a place to eat standing up, among people going about their evening. Vendors sell runaways (chicken feet) and smilies (grilled sheep's head), and eating here is as much about the crowd as the food.
This suits a casual, early-evening stop rather than a long sit-down. It is a busy working transport area, so keep your bearings and your belongings close.
3. Pimville
Pimville is one of the older parts of Soweto, and its commercial centre gives an evening a straightforward, local shape: shopping-centre surroundings, a drink, and company. It suits a low-key night rather than a big one.
The Back Room sits in the Pimville Square Shopping Centre, which makes Pimville a practical base if you want a named venue and a known address to aim for.
4. The Soweto Theatre precinct
The Soweto Theatre, on the corner of Bolani Road and Bolani Link, is the area's main performance venue and gives an evening a scheduled, seated shape. It suits a night that starts with a show and continues afterwards.
Check what is on before you build an evening around it, and treat the surrounding streets as a place to eat and drink before or after rather than a strip of venues.
5. Kliptown
Kliptown is the oldest Black residential district of Johannesburg, and its character is historic and residential rather than commercial. An evening here is about the place itself and the people who live in it.
There is no named nightlife venue in the sources for Kliptown, so treat it as a district to walk and eat in rather than a destination with a fixed address.
6. Orlando and Orlando West
Orlando is the part of Soweto most associated with its public life, and Orlando West in particular is where people gather. The feel is busy and sociable, with food, drink and conversation spilling into the streets.
This suits a first evening in Soweto if you want to be among people rather than in a quiet corner. Go with someone who knows the area if you can.
How a night out unfolds
Evenings in Soweto tend to start with food and company rather than with a venue. People eat at shebeens and street stalls, and the taxi rank area is busy with people buying runaways and smilies on their way through. The sources do not give specific opening hours or closing times, so plan around the fact that transport and kitchens run late rather than around a fixed schedule.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Soweto Wine Festival — an annual lifestyle event held in Soweto; the sources describe it as the most successful trend-setting annual event of its kind in the area, but give no month.
Frequently asked questions
What is a shebeen?
A shebeen is a local drinking place. The sources describe them as the real thing as opposed to the touristy places, and recommend visiting one.
What local food should I try in the evening?
Runaways (chicken feet) and smilies (grilled sheep's head), both sold around the Baragwanath taxi rank area.
Is there a theatre in Soweto?
Yes. The Soweto Theatre is on the corner of Bolani Road and Bolani Link.
When is the Soweto Wine Festival held?
The sources name it as an annual event but do not give a month or season, so check dates before you plan a trip around it.
Decide where you want to eat, pick one area to settle into, and let the evening take its time.