Pappas On The Square — Restaurant in Gauteng

Experience a taste of Greek hospitality at Pappas.

What was meant to be a quick bite turned into a leisurely lunch at Pappas On The Square. I didn't have much time for a sitdown meal but the grim prospect of eating a drive-thru burger in my car was too much to bear. I like Pappas. The food is always fresh and flavourful- and I love their tapas-style selections that can be ordered according to appetite and mood. I also knew that I wanted a schwarma, so Pappas it was.

I was distracted by the calamari starter so I decided to order that as a starter before having a yiro for lunch. I'm so glad that I did because the calamari stole the show: delicate calamari heads and tubes seared to achieve a perfect caramelized crust while still being tender. So generously flavoured with garlic and lemon that you're going to wish that you'd ordered a bigger portion.

The yiro was also a hero with crispy shavings of beef on a bed of tzatziki wrapped up in a flatbread. It was generously packed with fillings and served with chips. It's messy and delicious so roll up your sleeves - or use cutlery if you must!

What really impressed me the most were the complimentary tapas served before my meal- creamy taramasalata and an earthy hummus served with hot Greek flatbread. Restaurants are under so much strain during COVID- just like their customers, so anything complimentary is great added value. Especially when it tastes delicious.

My meals were served in rapid succession without feeling rushed which made Pappas a perfect restaurant to grab a quick bite during my lunch...

We went for supper on Saturday night, and the restaurant was fairly busy, so I'd recommend making a booking.

Upon arrival, we had to wait to be seated as there was no one at the front, and after a while, a hostess came and showed us to our seat. I requested if there was a seat that overlooks the square and was unfortunately none, but the hostess noted that they will move us once one was available. However, when one was available, another table (that arrived after us and were seated further away was moved). Our waitor then readied the next table for us to move. I would recommend overlooking the square as the view was amazing.

For starters, there were halloumi strips, spanakopita (spinach and feta in a phyllo pastry), and fried calamari. The halloumi was unfortunately mediocre. The spanakopita was unique, and I enjoyed it. The fried calamari was crispy, and with a dash of lemon, it was amazing.

For the main course, I had chicken souvlaki which a side of veg. The chicken was served on wooden skewers and was a bit difficult to remove from the skewers. They did taste really nice.

For dessert, there was a baklava and malva pudding. The ice cream was actually nice, but the other elements...

20.02.2018 Nothing beats a team lunch where you get to learn more about your colleagues and their likes and dislikes. You either bond over food or you don't, luckily for us we did.

Had such a great lunch here. It was quiet on arrival but soon filled up pretty quick during the lunchtime rush. Like the look and feel of the restaurant and the musical corner of instruments which added a certain vibe. I'm sure night time is just as great.

They have a rather extensive menu offering, and yes some will say it's on the pricy side, however when the quality and taste of the food is as good you don't mind paying.

Something that caught my eye was the Soft Shell Crab in Pita, I've hardly ever seen this on restaurant menus so I had to give it a go. My colleagues ordered a variety of meals from Oxtail, Calamari, Fish and Chips, Lamb chops and T-bone Steaks.

Everything was so good. My soft shell crab had a bit more Chilli kick than I anticipated but the flavours were great and the portions were reasonable.

We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals along with great laughter. Looking forward to...