Casa Minha Portuguese Restaurant — Restaurant in Gauteng

Casa Minha: The Return of a Hidden Gem Casa Minha was once the hidden gem of the South, cherished for its authentic Portuguese flavors and warm, inviting ambiance. After COVID-19, the restaurant changed hands multiple times but lacked the hands-on management needed to preserve its traditional charm. For a while, we thought it was still closed—until we noticed activity and Facebook posts showcasing magnificent daily specials.

In the mood to revive our date nights, we decided to take a chance and visit Casa Minha, even without calling ahead, as we didn’t have contact details for the new management. To our delight, we were met at the reception by a familiar face—Marco. After a warm welcome and a brief introduction to the restaurant’s new beginnings, we chose a table on the terrace overlooking the garden nursery, setting the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed and intimate evening.

Marco personally recommended the day’s special—Beef Trinchado with chips in a creamy sauce, priced at an incredible R80. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try, eager to experience the flavors that once made Casa Minha a favorite. The dish did not disappoint. Tender cubes of beef, perfectly cooked, were bathed in a rich, creamy sauce that paired beautifully with the crispy chips. It was a nostalgic taste of true Portuguese comfort food.

My date opted for the prawn pasta, priced at R130—a generous portion of fettuccine coated in a luscious, creamy sauce, packed with plump, perfectly cooked prawns. The dish was rich, flavorful, and an absolute delight, proving that Casa Minha’s revival was more than just a reopening—it was a return to excellence.

Maggie, our waitress, provided attentive service throughout the evening, frequently checking in to ensure everything was to our satisfaction. However, given the restaurant's growing popularity, we could see that on busier nights, she might be stretched a bit too thin if more tables were added to her section.

To complement our meal, we were pleased to see that Casa Minha is fully licensed, offering a well-priced selection of drinks. A cold Castle Light bottle at just R30 was the perfect refreshment, and for those who prefer wine, a bottle of Graca Rosé is available for a reasonable R130—a fantastic pairing for the delicious seafood dishes.

Now, under new ownership and Marco’s expert guidance, Casa Minha is once again a must-visit destination for those craving an authentic Portuguese dining experience—delicious food, great drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere all at...

It is safe to say that I won't be ordering food here again! I ordered once before and the food was so good that I decided to order again today. The very first impression should have been enough for me to just forget about ordering. Since it was a takeaway order, I phoned and the manager or owner answers, to be polite I ask how he is doing - "Good", then silence, so I asked if I could place an order - "Ok". Friendliest service ever! I then proceed to talk to a waitress in regards to what I would like to order, I asked a question, silence for 30 seconds - "Sorry?" She asked. So I patiently place my order - 3 full chickens - peri peri, well done, extra, extra, extra sauce!!! Cut up please. The sides - chips, spinach and butternut and mixed veggies. Upon opening the containers at home, the food is on par with the disgusting 'service'. The chicken has absolutely NO sauce, there is just a teaspoon of oil, one of the chickens was well done, the other two are ready to run away, the chips seem like they were just heated up again - oily and soggy, the veggies are raw are flavorless, the butternut was MIA and we received a tablespoon of spinach at the most. This restaurant is apparently under new management. Clearly the management term should be used...

Local Portuguese restaurant, has a variety of seafood, grills, pregos and some really cool sides.

The staff could be more friendly and knowledgeable but all in all it was an okay experience.

The barman didn’t seem to have the greatst knowhow in terms of the variety of drinks. I had to convince them that there really is something called a “shaken margarita” because they kept bringing me frozen ones. Eventually he (the barman) ended up melting the frozen margarita and gave me the most diluted margarita ever. honestly i could barely taste tequila.

Moving on to food, it took exceptionally long for our starters to arrive but then literally 40 minutes later we’re told they don’t actually have any oysters in stock. Imagine that!!! We eventually had them cancel our entire food order because I had an idea of what I wanted to eat and oysters were a big part of it. So we left and the whole staff was really rude about it.

What’s worse is that all of this was happening late at night, creeping up to curfew so we don’t have many options for dinner now.

I doubt I’d go back and I wouldn’t refer...