I’m a big fan of road trips. When I lived in Cape Town we did the Garden Route at least once or twice a year. That’s an 5 to 8 hour trip depending on whether you’re ending in Knysna or Tsitsikamma. Since moving to Johannesburg I have done the road trip between Cape Town and Jozi about 5 times. It’s a 15 hour trip, but as long as the Tupperware is full of padkos and we have some good tunes, I’m there like a bear!

Despite the 15 hours drive time and the need to overnight somewhere, I thoroughly enjoy it. And I get to hone my long distance driving skills. If you’ve taken the wheel on the long road, you’ll know it’s a whole different ball game compared to city driving. I love stopping at “padstalle” farm stalls along the way and exploring the local crafts and preserves. Halaal food is not abundant, therefore the necessary loaded Tupperware, but there have been a few new arrivals lately. Here are the spots we encountered on our recent trip this month.

Kroonstad
Shell Ultra City on the N1 and R34 in Kroonstad – Doesn’t look like much from outside but it has nice clean toilets and a halaal Mochachos with a communal dining area. There is also a VidaE and a Steers which are not halaal.

Bloemfontein
We stayed overnight at the Southern Sun on our way back from Cape Town. It’s an old dame of a hotel and in need of a revamp but great service with direct access to the Mall. They are not halaal but will prepare your eggs separately on request. Our stay had breakfast included. They can also cater halaal meals if you notify them before the time at an additional cost of R310 per person as they outsource their halaal meals. There are several more spots in Bloemfontein which we covered in more detail on a previous blog post here.

Colesburg
The Caltex/Astron Fresh Stop Diner Colesburg on the Johannesburg side of Colesburg is halaal certified with a @seattlecoffeeco and @crispychickenfreshstop inside. The Pitt Stop dining area is a cool respite from the heat and they have a multi faith prayer room. Just ask for the keys inside.

Beaufort West
Steers at the Total Garage on Donkin Street.
There are also several halaal Indian/Pakistani takeaways we spotted on the main road as you drive through Beaufort West. We did not stop to try any though.

Worcester
Spur Grill & Go at the Ultra City Breede Valley.

Know of more halaal stops on this route. Please mention them in the comments or email us at info@hungryforhalaal.co.za to be added.

Related:
Halaal food in Bloemfontein
Halaal Roadtrip to the Drakensberg
Halaal places to eat on the Garden Route
Halaal food on the West Coast
Halaal Food in Hermanus