The last thing anyone wants to be doing this December is having to worry about getting a decent Kota. Everything is on the fast move this time of the year and as much as a nice home-made meal would slap, nothing beats the fill-up of an amazing Kota.
If you NEVER tried a kota, grab this opportunity with both hands because we are about to sell you the most delicious Kasi takeaways to ever exist.
What is a Kota?
Kota (also called iKota, spathlo and skhambane) is a South African street food popular in all provinces of South Africa, especially Gauteng.
It is made from a hollowed out quarter loaf of bread and filled with a variety of ingredients, often potato chips, sausage, egg, beef patty, cheese, polony and atchar. The name kota, used in areas such as Soweto and Johannesburg, is derived from the English word quarter, referring to the size of the bread loaf. The name sphatlo, used in areas such as Pretoria, Soshanguve, Attredgeville and Mamelodi).
Spaza shops sell popular street food, including spatlo. Spaza shops are the backbone of township economy.
[The above info was sourced from Wikipedia]
Different townships sell or serve this amazing street food, but we tried a couple from Soweto and we fell instantly in love..
Check out which joints dished out the best kota for us below:
Dijong
The word ”Dijong” (food space) speaks for itself. It is a place where they’ll serve you the best of the best street foods. Their Kota is what stands out the most for us. While ordinary joints just serve you simple bread, this joint toasts their bread, adds a little bit of butter and has a variety of supporting ingredients that make their Kotas the best. They pride themselves with using quality patties and bacon to craft a uniquely different taste of street food one can ever taste.
2Selai
2Selai takes kota to a whole different level by adding beef, pork, chicken, hake and also adding a vegetarian option to the menu! You have the option to create your own kota starting with a base of bread and chips for R20*. Add just about anything – including prawns, bacon, cucumber and so much more! That sounds like a feast to us! And guess what? 2Selai is available on UberEats! Check them out on their Instagram page.
2Selai @ Diepkloof Zone 6 |Call 069 589 8271 | 28 Blackchain Shopping Centre, Diepkloof Zone 6, Soweto
2Selai @ Protea North | Call 067 112 5139 | 2262 Kunene Street, Protea North, Soweto
Kota King
The famous Kota King joint serves some of the best kotas you’ll ever indulge in. Kota King adds more than the basic kota ingredients. You can yours filled with rump steak, lettuce, beef patty, cucumber and garnished with their signature sauces. Some of their loved items on the menu include the Budget Kota for R50 and the King Feast for R80. Call 061 296 9684 for more. Kota King is open from 10am to 8pm.
10 Belhambra Street, Protea Glen Extension 13, Soweto
Mark’s Bunny Chow
The affordable but loaded kotas by Mark’s Bunny Chow in Orlando East are famous for being some of the cheapest but most delicious in Soweto. You can add an egg or “special”, which is fried polony.
2298 Jolobe Street, Orlando East, Soweto | 011 935 2107
Chilli Pepper Restaurant
Chilli Pepper not only serves delicious kotas, they also have wraps, platters, chicken rolls and much much more! The restaurant is open from 10am to 10pm.
Diepkloof Zone 6, Immick Drive, Soweto
Ntsitsi’s Fun Food
Ntsitsi’s Fun Food has one of the longest menus you’ll ever see at a kota spot. You can get almost any kind of kota from as little as R15 to a whopping R250! Options include adding ham, fish, burger patties, cold meat and other ingredients. You can also add just about any sauce, including Hawaiian chilli, sweet and sour sauce, Thousand Island and BBQ.
Eben Cyler Drive, Diepkloof Zone 4, Diepmeadow, Soweto | 072 150 9519
Main Image: Instant Visuals
