Dunkeld West, Johannesburg

The upmarket suburb of Dunkeld West lies just north of Rosebank, sandwiched between Melrose and Hyde Park in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, a lovely part of the city. This is really the heart of older Jo’burg - streets are wide and treelined, homes in essentially quiet neighbourhoods and houses are large and gardens tranquil and well established.

Dunkeld West lies just off Jan Smuts Avenue, one of the major arteries of Johannesburg’s traffic that sweeps through the northern suburbs from the city centre, via Rosebank and onwards. It’s on this road that you’ll find the Dunkeld West Centre, famous for Fournos Bakery, particularly on weekends when their celebrated breads, pastries and deli food are high on locals’ agendas, and usually teeming with those out to brunch.

Johannesburg’s zoo is not far from Dunkeld West - just a little further down Jan Smuts Avenue towards the city centre. It’s a great escape from the noise and crowds and provides a beautifully relaxing environment in which to explore a venue that’s now over 100 years old. It’s an especially great escape for kids, includes an awesome reptile enclosure and night safaris where one can see owls, bats and cats.

Rosebank Mall and Hyde Park shopping centre are both easily accessible from Dunkeld West. Both provide numerous shops, boutiques, movies and restaurants in a more sedate fashion than the sometimes teeming world of Sandton City.