Vivat Bacchus: The South African Soul Food Experience Reinventing London Dining
- James Massoud
- Sep 4
- 4 min read
Rolling biltong, braai boards, and beef-dripping candles: The Knife visits Vivat Bacchus to find out how this South African city staple is breathing fire – and Ubuntu – into the capital’s culinary scene.
If there’s a single sound that captures the essence of South African hospitality, it’s the gentle crackle of firewood. At Vivat Bacchus, the cult-favourite steakhouse with outposts in London Bridge and Farringdon, that sound has become the heartbeat of a bold new chapter – one fuelled by open flames, storytelling, and an infectious sense of community. Welcome to VB Moments: a fire-led dining series where South African soul meets London swagger.
More than just a theme, VB Moments is a theatrical, sensory-rich tribute to the braai – South Africa’s beloved barbecue ritual. But it’s not a nostalgic nod to the homeland. It’s something braver, bolder, and far more immersive. This is experiential dining with purpose and personality, built around the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu, which translates loosely as: I am because we are.
A Moveable Feast
Dinner at Vivat Bacchus doesn’t begin — it arrives. The first act? An aproned Biltong Curator wheels over the Rolling Biltong Bar, a roving trolley stacked with whole hunks of house-cured biltong, air-dried in-house and sliced theatrically tableside. It’s a deliciously indulgent moment that doubles as a masterclass in meat.
You learn, as you chew, that biltong is a sacred staple in South African kitchens, and here, it’s celebrated with reverence and flair. The cuts range from lean, chilli-rubbed slivers to thick, marbled Wagyu strips that melt on the tongue. The stokkies are a favourite (not just with adults, but with teething toddlers thanks to the heads up from the friendly, informative team!). The personal favourite of mine, however, was the zebra. A first for me, the meat was tender, gamey, rich, and absolutely delicious.
Paired with a glass of Pinotage (the team, again, are experts here in wine pairing), it’s a powerful opener, and a reminder that food, when done right, can be both primal and poetic.
Fire, Fat & Flavour
The centrepiece of the experience is the VB Braai Board — a sharing platter piled high with flame-grilled cuts of ostrich, boerewors, rump steak and peri-peri chicken. It’s messy, meaty, glorious stuff – the kind of plate you huddle around, elbows in, stories flowing.
But it’s the arrival that really stirs something deeper. The board is flanked by the Smoking Braai Candle – a slow-burning pillar of beef dripping that perfumes the table with warming spices and smoky richness. It’s part theatre, part aromatherapy, and all delicious. You catch the scent before the food lands. You taste the smoke before the bite.
It’s a scene that would feel over the top if it wasn’t so perfectly rooted in tradition. Because in South Africa, braai isn’t just a method, it’s a mindset. It’s where families gather, friends celebrate, and strangers become kin. Vivat Bacchus has captured that spirit, bottled it, and set it alight.
Spice & Sweet Endings
Beyond the braai, the menu takes comforting South African classics and gives them a vibrant, London-ready glow-up. The Mealie Bread, served with peri-peri honey butter, is a sweet-and-spicy revelation when it comes to your choice of sides.
As for sauces to accompany the Braai Board, the Chakalaka is a traditional favourite, while the Monkey Gland is a quirkily named sweet and tangy sauce that contains no monkey and no gland.
To close, the Peppermint Crisp Tart (a staple of South African childhoods) is reborn as a tableside finale, shared with knowing smiles and full bellies. It's retro. It's rich. And it might just be one of the most joyful puddings in London.
Ubuntu in the Capital
What sets Vivat Bacchus apart isn’t just the quality of its cuts (though they are excellent), or the punch of its sauces, or even its legendary wine list (700+ bottles strong). It’s the intentionality behind everything. The way each dish tells a story. The way each server guides, not just plates. The way the whole experience feels like something more than a meal.
There’s a refreshing honesty to it all. Theatrical, yes, but never gimmicky. Cultural, yes, but never preachy. It’s food that’s lived-in, cooked over fire, served with open arms, and designed to bring people together.
In a city oversaturated with tasting menus, chef's counters and omakase-only slots, Vivat Bacchus has done something quietly radical: they’ve made togetherness their selling point. Ubuntu is the heartbeat of the experience. It’s in the shared platters, the conversational service, the occasional Afrikaans lesson with your waiter (“Baie lekker!”). It’s in the flicker of the Braai Candle and the clink of communal wine glasses.
Whether you’re a South African ex-pat craving the taste of home, a curious Londoner looking for a fresh story on a plate, or a steak-lover ready for something soulful, Vivat Bacchus delivers. With fire, flavour, and a whole lot of heart.
