"Four Seasons braai on the Westcliff ridge, Wesli Jacobs at the grill — book the terrace at sunset for clients."
The terrace runs along the edge of the Westcliff ridge, and from a table at the rail you look out over the treetops of Johannesburg's old northern suburbs to the skyline beyond. Flames is the signature restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff at 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, and its kitchen cooks over an outdoor braai, the South African open fire. Executive chef Wesli Jacobs, who took the kitchens in 2024, leans on umami and live flame in equal measure. The carved Angus fillet with morel risotto is the plate to build a dinner around. Come at six for the sunset; the city does the rest.
The Kitchen
Wesli Jacobs took over the Four Seasons Westcliff kitchens in 2024, brought in with executive sous chef Katlego Mlambo and head mixologist Brent Davids as a new leadership line. Jacobs cooks around umami and simplicity, with a stated love of Asian technique laid over South African product and the braai. The fire is the centre of the menu: meats and seafood grilled over open flame in the outdoor braai kitchen, with reinterpreted local classics alongside. The carved Angus beef fillet with morel mushroom risotto, confit white onion and béarnaise is the signature, plated to share or solo. Around it sit Saldanha Bay oysters, Dullstroom smoked-trout carpaccio, deep-fried Patagonian squid, a seared tuna taco, and a beef tartare with bone marrow. The wine list runs deep on Cape and Stellenbosch labels with international depth behind them. Budget roughly R800 to R1,600 per person for three courses with wine, more if you push into the aged cuts. Afternoon tea runs Thursday to Sunday, with beef short-rib vetkoek among the savouries. Order the fillet, start with the oysters, and save the tea for another day.
The Room
The draw is the terrace and the view it commands. Tables along the rail look out over the jacaranda-heavy treetops of the northern suburbs to the Johannesburg skyline, and at sunset the light does the work. Inside, the dining room is calm and contemporary, lit low and warm, with generous spacing between tables and a volume quiet enough to hold a conversation across one. The braai kitchen sits open to the room. Dress is smart-casual, the Four Seasons register: collared shirts, good dresses, jackets optional. Lunch runs daily noon to three, dinner six to ten. Ask for a rail table on the terrace at the early dinner sitting if you want the sunset, and take the inner room if the highveld wind is up.
Best for Impressing Clients in Johannesburg
Bring a client here because the Four Seasons name, the ridge view and the fire all read as effortless rather than showy. First, the address signals seriousness without the stiffness of a hotel boardroom; the terrace is relaxed but unmistakably premium. Second, the sunset over the northern suburbs gives the evening a natural high point you did not have to engineer. Third, the open braai turns the meal into something to watch and talk about, which keeps a first dinner from stalling. The scene to picture: a rail table at six, oysters and a Cape Chardonnay to open, the Angus fillet carved between you as the skyline lights up. Reserve the terrace and time it to the sunset.
Not for
Skip Flames if you want a buzzy late scene or a quick bite: it is a calm hotel dining room on a quiet ridge, and the kitchen closes at ten.
Frequently Asked
Is Flames worth it?
Yes, particularly for a client dinner or a special night. Flames pairs the Four Seasons Westcliff's ridge-top view with a serious open-fire kitchen under Wesli Jacobs, who took over in 2024. The Angus fillet and the Saldanha Bay oysters are standouts, and the terrace at sunset is among the best dinner settings in Johannesburg. See the Johannesburg dining guide for how it compares.
How hard is it to book Flames?
Manageable with a little notice. Flames takes reservations through Dineplan and the hotel, and weekday lunches and early dinners open up readily. The hard slot is a terrace rail table at sunset on a Friday or Saturday, which books a week or two ahead in the warmer months. Request a rail table specifically, since the inner room misses the view that makes the place.
What is the dress code at Flames?
Smart-casual in the Four Seasons sense. Collared shirts and tailored dresses are the norm; jackets are common at dinner but not required. No athletic wear, branded sportswear or flip-flops. The terrace can cool quickly when the highveld wind picks up after dark, so bring a layer if you are seated outside.
What is the average meal price at Flames?
Budget roughly R800 to R1,600 per person for three courses with a glass of South African wine, and more if you order the aged cuts or a serious bottle. Afternoon tea, served Thursday to Sunday, is a cheaper way in. The wine list is strong on Cape and Stellenbosch labels and fair by five-star standards, but this is hotel fine-dining pricing.
Is Flames good for impressing clients?
Yes, it is one of the strongest client rooms in Johannesburg. The Four Seasons address signals seriousness, the ridge-top terrace gives the evening a built-in highlight at sunset, and the open braai gives the table something to watch. Reserve a terrace rail table at the early sitting and order the Angus fillet to share. It is a regular pick for impressing clients.