The Salt Road Opens in Johannesburg: A Culinary Sanctuary for Food Lovers Who Live Well

It was an elegant, slow-burning kind of launch, the kind that doesn’t just introduce a restaurant, but a philosophy. A reinvention of what it means to dine and dwell well in Johannesburg. Set on the lush grounds of 10 2nd Avenue Boutique Hotel in Houghton, The Salt Road opened its doors not just as a restaurant or a hotel eatery, but as a collaborative expression of obsession, heritage, and fine taste.

For Nick Dixon, CEO of the boutique hospitality collective GMO Hotels and Resorts, this new chapter is less about being a corporate executive and more about custodianship—an intentional weaving together of people, space, and experience.

“Hotel restaurants often serve a purpose,” says Nick, “but to create something remarkable, you must treat it like a restaurant first and not just a hotel’s food offering. We wanted something that could stand on its own, something soulful.”

Enter Craig Cormack, a culinary renegade obsessed with one thing—salt. Not just the kind we sprinkle on chips, but the kind that has preserved empires, carried ships across oceans, and built ancient economies. Craig has spent the last 16 years collecting over 200 types of naturally occurring salts, researching ancient curing methods, and designing entire menus around the mineral’s cultural and gastronomical power.

Where Gardens Replace Skylines

While most city restaurants trade in high-rise views, The Salt Road is an ode to Johannesburg’s greatest, and often underrated, asset—its gardens.

“The first thing that captured me wasn’t the building,” Nick explains, “it was the garden. Jo’burg has these oases, you’re not looking at mountains like in Cape Town or bushvelds like in Lowveld. You’re surrounded by trees, by the quiet elegance of jacarandas in bloom. It grounds you.”

This tranquil setting is what sets The Salt Road apart. Breakfasts linger into late lunches. Mornings stretch into hours over harvest tables and curated wine pairings. It’s slow luxury in a fast world, an experience built for reflection, connection, and presence.

The Food: Ancient Salt, Modern Stories

There is no "Italian," "French," or "Asian fusion" label that can quite define what The Salt Road serves. It’s culinary anthropology—a journey through salt-laced history on every plate.

"Salt is cultural currency," says Craig. "Every civilization has used it, and that’s what makes our menu global in the truest sense. You’ll taste history, from preserved meats to 3,000-year-old Peruvian salt techniques, to South African tribal harvesting from the Baleni salt pans."

The menu is generous and designed for sharing: tender lamb tataki, beautifully seared steaks paired with Waterford Cabernet Sauvignon, and an array of dishes where flavor is layered through artisanal salt blends—from pink Australian crystals to delicate South African brines. Think snack-style starters meant to be passed around, compared, savored. It's food made for stories.

Wine, Salt, and Soul

Salt, for Craig Cormack, is no longer just a seasoning—it’s an experience. He's even looking into introducing "Salt Sommeliers", echoing wine culture with tasting notes, terroirs, and pairing philosophies. And just like a great wine can anchor a memory, so too can a properly finished dish, delicate yet profound, salty yet balanced.

"The best salt doesn’t slap you, it whispers, then lingers," Craig notes. "You taste it differently, and you feel it differently. Just like a great vintage."

But this isn’t just about dining. It’s about the blurring of boundaries, between the hotel and the city, between guests and locals, between cuisine and culture. The Salt Road aims to become a destination, not just a place to eat.

Nick Dixon envisions a community haven, one that welcomes both travelers and Joburgers who crave somewhere elegant yet unfussy. Think breakfast under the trees, or slow wine-filled afternoons.

"It’s not about exclusivity," Nick clarifies. "It’s about comfort and elegance. It’s for Jozi locals, international travelers, and anyone who values something deeper than just another meal."

Salt as Legacy

For Craig Cormack, this restaurant is a culmination of decades of culinary exploration, cultural excavation, and a lifelong love affair with salt. It’s also just the beginning.

He’s already dreaming up a documentary series: Salt Pans of the World, where he visits salt-harvesting tribes, Incan salt mines, and ancient preservation communities. From Limpopo to Peru, these stories will fold into the ethos of The Salt Road, a global narrative served on South African plates. "We don’t cook food," Craig says. "We tell stories. Salt is just the medium."

The Salt Road is now open at 10 2nd Avenue, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg. This isn’t just a new restaurant, it’s a chapter in Joburg’s cultural awakening. And it’s written in salt.