Few foods evoke South African nostalgia quite like the humble boerie roll. It’s the unmistakable scent of boerewors sizzling over hot coals, the soft white roll waiting patiently on the side, sweet fried onions, smoky smoor and that inevitable first, gloriously messy bite. It’s a meal woven into the fabric of weekends, from rugby matches and roadside farm stalls to market mornings and backyard braais. Familiar, comforting and unmistakably local.
Now, that much-loved classic has been given a thoughtful new lease on life.
Tucked into Cape Town’s vibrant East City precinct at 99 Harrington Street, Buri is the latest concept from Neil Swart and Anouchka Horn, the duo behind Belly Restaurant Group (BRG). Responsible for acclaimed restaurants including Belly of the Beast, Galjoen and Seebamboes, the pair have built a reputation for creating dining experiences that are quietly confident, deeply considered and refreshingly unpretentious. With Buri, they’ve turned their attention to one of South Africa’s most iconic street foods.
Rather than reinventing the boerie roll, Buri celebrates it. Every component has been refined with the same attention to detail that has become synonymous with BRG.
The pillowy white bun has been developed exclusively for the restaurant, while the boerewors is crafted to a bespoke recipe by Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants, resulting in a sausage that’s unmistakably Buri while remaining true to the flavours generations of South Africans have grown up with.
The menu is concise but full of personality. The Classic lets the quality of the boerewors shine alongside perfectly cooked onions, while The Farmer embraces nostalgia with rich tomato-and-onion smoor.
Those looking for something bolder will find it in The O.G., layered with garlic mayonnaise, chilli chutney and peppery rocket.
I opted for the Special, which changes weekly. Encased in the bun was a Frankfurter topped with a secret sauce, gherkins and fried onion rings and curry leaves.
A dedicated sauce station encourages diners to personalise each roll with everything from homemade barbecue sauce and peri-peri to Buri’s signature house sauce.
There’s every reason to become a regular, too. Each month brings a limited-edition Buri of the Month, where the kitchen experiments with seasonal toppings and speciality sausages, from venison wors and bushpig knackwurst to sosatie and even skilpadjie wors.
I love the outdoor courtyard that going to be such a hit come summer!
The playful approach extends beyond the food. The Adults Soda Fountain offers an unapologetically South African line-up of drinks, including brandy and Coke, gin and tonic, beer and cider on tap – all designed to be enjoyed without ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Loaded Fries (above), crowned with slices of boerewors, garlic mayonnaise, chilli chutney and rocket, are impossible to ignore.
Then come the mini doughnuts, served warm with rotating toppings ranging from caramelised white chocolate and pecan to a nostalgic Peppermint Crisp-inspired combination, ensuring the meal ends on a suitably indulgent note.
Casual yet considered, Buri captures something that’s often difficult to achieve: elevating a national favourite without stripping away its soul. In a city celebrated for its culinary creativity, it proves that sometimes the most exciting ideas begin with the dishes we already know by heart.
Buri is open Monday to Saturday from 10am until 9pm, with happy hour running daily from 4pm to 6pm, when everything on tap is half price.
