I haven’t been this taken by surprise in a while: mostly because it was not what I was expecting at all. You need to try Meeting Point. The only negative part of the experience: I could have kicked myself for not supporting it sooner.
Address: 67 Strand Street, City Centre
Hours: 9am-10:30pm Mon-Sun
If you blink, you could potentially miss it. Meeting Point is between Loop St and Bree St on Strand St opposite Alexander Bar Café & Theatre. Its unassuming interior and laid-back vibe had me visiting with zero expectations which quickly turned to surprise when I met owners and partners, George and Rita (who is also the head chef). It is clear that they have a passion for what they do and this filtered right down to the attentive and charming waitrons.
As always I’m going to cut straight to the chase: the food!
It is rare that I find vegetables THIS freshly prepared bursting with flavour – and Meeting Point had us literally “mmmm”-ing with every mouthful. What Chef Rita has done is simple, yet utterly delicious and it reminded me of what good vegan food really SHOULD be. The meals are essentially whole-foods, plant-based: the way we were intended to eat!
Meeting Point is 100% onto EXACTLY what the ethos is behind veganism, and hosts Meat-Free Mondays every week from 6pm, adding seasonal dishes to their menu for the day.
Dishes are priced at an incredibly reasonable R60-80 and the portion sizes are fantastic! This is not somewhere you are likely to feel ripped off.
Take a look at their photo board: filled with happy patrons who have clearly bought into the Meeting Point ethos of connecting people through traditional Tanzanian cuisine (and great music!). Which brings me to my next point: The venue offers live events: from markets to story clubs, to comedians to musicians.
Ultimately, this is good, wholesome and affordable food, far removed from some of the “trendier” establishments which makes it a refreshing experience.
You can follow Meeting Point Tanzanian Cuisine on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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