Discover the fantastic flavours of Fordsburg on a Spice Route tour

As a foodie, I feel there is very little not to love about Fordsburg. A short drive from Joburg’s leafy suburbs, walking its streets feels like stepping into a different culinary world, packed to the brim with flavour.

If it’s your first time visiting, or you aren’t very familiar with the area, it can feel a little overwhelming: not only deciding where to start but knowing where to find what you’re looking for in the myriad shops specialising in different products.

That’s where the African Secrets Spice Route tour run by Ishvara Dhyan comes in.

Dhyan has travelled extensively around North Africa, the Middle East and India and spent some time lecturing on the subject of World Cuisine at Prue Leith Academy. He first started running these tours 15 years ago when he started taking students to explore different cuisines in Johannesburg’s inner city.

My husband and I met up with one of Dhyan’s tour groups on Central Road where he spent some time explaining the history of the area and what you can expect on a visit before we stepped into HK Spice World, the first of a number of stops over the course of three hours.

There isn’t always enough time on the tour to browse and buy what you like so it’s best to make a note of the shops you want to visit afterwards.

HK Spice World was one of the shops we returned to for basmati rice, mini popadums and spices — all excellently priced. Many shops accept cards but smaller ones — like the ice cream shop Lahore Falooda House — only take cash.

We passed roadside fruit and veg vendors, a halaal butcher and grocer, spice shops, a date shop, Islamic clothing shops, a shisha shop and — one of my favourites — a baklava shop where I stocked up on delicious, buttery layers of the nutty delicacy.

Along the way I also bought bulgur wheat and beautiful cookies from a Pakistani sweet shop.

We enjoyed a food tasting at the street food stalls in the market just off of Central Road and marvelled at the techniques used to bake naan bread and laffa, a wide, thin flatbread.

Lunch at the end of the tour is at your own expense but should not be missed. Dhyan can offer advice and directions, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

We settled for Istanbul Turkish Restaurant, the second stop on the tour, where my husband wanted to try the traditional kebabs. They serve a variety of kebab dishes and large platters that will delight meat eaters. We settled for the wraps — one kebab and one falafel — served with chips.

As my supply of mini popadums is dwindling, I think another visit to Fordsburg is on the cards soon. I’ll definitely make a point of eating at a different establishment and look forward to discovering new delights. Now that I have a better understanding of the area, it’s a culinary corner I’ll keep going back to.  

• The African Secrets Spice Route tour costs R350 per person and runs over weekends; private tours cost R4,259 per group and run during the week. For more information, e-mail ishvara@africansecrets.co.za or join the public group African Secrets: Cultural Walks & Events in Johannesburg on Facebook.

• Oberholzer was a guest of African Secrets.