"Pretoria's most complete dinner-and-a-night-out: Forti Mazzone's five-course Gastronomique menu, a serious wine cellar, live music from Wednesday and a cigar lounge over Waterkloof Ridge."
About Priva
Priva was created in 2014 by Pretoria chef Forti Mazzone, who was joined a year later by the internationally trained sommelier Marko Jovancic, now the partner who runs the room. It sits at 103 Club Avenue in Waterkloof Heights, with a terrace looking over Waterkloof Ridge, an internationally stocked bar, a wine cellar and a cigar lounge.
The format pairs a kitchen that takes itself seriously with a long, sociable evening of music and wine. For the wider field see the Pretoria dining guide.
The Kitchen
The kitchen offers a carefully composed five-course Gastronomique menu alongside an extensive a-la-carte list. The pork belly and the grilled sole are the dishes regulars come back for, and the cooking is backed by a multi-award-winning wine cellar and a humidor of cigars. It is contemporary cooking built around produce and the cellar rather than spectacle.
See more of the city's fine-dining tables in the Pretoria guide.
The Room
The dining room opens onto a terrace over Waterkloof Ridge, with a warm cigar lounge and a function space alongside. The 3Gees live band plays Wednesday to Saturday from about 6:30pm, with a vocalist on weekends, so the mood is convivial rather than hushed. It seats a couple at dinner as readily as a long table for a celebration, and weekend evenings fill, so book ahead.
What to Order
Take the five-course Gastronomique menu if you want the kitchen to lead, or build from the a-la-carte list around the pork belly and the grilled sole. For a group of ten or more the set menus run from about 475 rand per person for the platter option up to 560 rand for the deluxe, and the cellar is worth letting Marko Jovancic navigate. For other options, see the fine-dining picks across Pretoria.
Best for a Team Dinner or a Celebration
Priva suits a team dinner or a birthday: a Waterkloof room with live music, a deep cellar and set menus built for a long table. See more team-dinner tables and the Pretoria dining guide.
Not for
Not for a quiet, early or budget dinner: Priva is built around live music from Wednesday to Saturday and a long evening with the cellar, so a hushed table for two or a quick casual bite is not what the room is for.
Frequently Asked
Who is the chef at Priva in Pretoria?
Priva was created in 2014 by Pretoria chef Forti Mazzone, who was joined a year later by sommelier Marko Jovancic, now the partner running the restaurant. The kitchen offers a five-course Gastronomique menu and an extensive a-la-carte list, with pork belly and grilled sole as the dishes regulars return for. The restaurant pairs the cooking with a wine cellar, a cigar lounge and live music.
Where is Priva located?
Priva is at 103 Club Avenue in Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria, with a terrace looking over Waterkloof Ridge. The setting includes an internationally stocked bar, a wine cellar, a cigar lounge with a humidor and a function venue. It serves Tuesday to Thursday from 4pm and Friday to Saturday from noon, both until 11pm, and weekend evenings with live music fill quickly, so book ahead.
What should I order at Priva?
Take the five-course Gastronomique menu if you want the kitchen to lead, or order from the a-la-carte list around the pork belly and the grilled sole, the two long-running favourites. For groups of ten or more there are set menus from about 475 rand per person up to 560 rand for the deluxe option. Let sommelier Marko Jovancic guide the pairing from the cellar.
Does Priva have live music?
Yes. The 3Gees live band plays at Priva from Wednesday to Saturday, roughly 6:30pm to 11pm, with a vocalist joining on weekends. The restaurant is built as a dinner-and-a-night-out rather than a silent tasting room, pairing the five-course Gastronomique menu and a-la-carte cooking with the cellar and a cigar lounge. It suits a celebration or a team dinner more than a quiet, early evening for two.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Priva
Via priva.co.za - Waterkloof Heights
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Practical Information
Address103 Club Avenue, Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria
NeighbourhoodWaterkloof Heights
CuisineContemporary
SignaturePork belly; grilled sole
PriceSet menus from about R475pp; five-course Gastronomique
Created byChef Forti Mazzone; sommelier Marko Jovancic
Opened2014
