The Salt Road Houghton: Where the Ancient Art of Salt Cooking Meets Modern Sophistication

In the leafy heart of Houghton, there’s a restaurant where every dish begins with salt and ends in something unforgettable. Salt Road is not just a place to eat; it’s a love letter to one of the most essential ingredients in the world, reimagined through years of research, culinary expertise, and pure passion.

Helmed by renowned chefs Craig Cormack and Beau Du Toit, Salt Road draws on more than four decades of combined experience and nearly 20 years of exploring the ancient and modern techniques of salt-based cooking. From delicate curing to slow fermentation and dramatic salt-baked creations, the menu is a celebration of both heritage and innovation.

At the heart of it all is Cormack’s personal collection of over 220 salts, sourced from distant corners like Peru, Denmark, and beyond. Each one brings a distinct personality—be it mineral-rich, oceanic, or subtly smoked and is woven into dishes designed to make you slow down and truly taste.

The restaurant’s interiors mirror its culinary vision: modern, sophisticated, and quietly luxurious. Think plush contemporary furnishings, warm lighting, and windows that open to tranquil gardens, creating a space that feels more like a private estate than a city address. Whether it’s a long, lingering lunch or an intimate dinner, Salt Road invites you to savour the moment.

For those who want to take the journey further, the whiskey and wine lounge offers curated pairing experiences where salt doesn’t just season, it transforms. The menus shift with the seasons, herbs are grown on-site, and waste is reduced through thoughtful composting. Every detail speaks to the restaurant’s guiding philosophy: quality is never negotiable.

Perfectly positioned minutes from Johannesburg’s business hubs, Salt Road Houghton is as suited to weekday power lunches as it is to destination dining. Upcoming seasonal pop-ups and chef’s table events promise to keep things fresh, but the essence will remain: an experience that begins with salt and lingers in memory.

Salt Road Houghton is more than a meal, it’s an exploration of how one simple ingredient can unlock an entire world of flavour. For diners who believe food should tell a story, this is where it begins.