Cyra Restaurant in Houghton: Chef Candice Philip’s Quiet Culinary Brilliance On a Plate

Within the light-filled ground level of the Houghton Hotel lies Cyra, a plush and hushed surrounds of a serious fine dining restaurant in Johannesburg. This new outpost of Candice Phillip has beautiful views everywhere and a pointy-end menu to match. “Cyra has always been about more than dining,” Philip reflects. “It is about creating a place where people feel held, where flavours resonate like memories, and where every detail speaks softly but leaves a lasting impression.” Read on to find out more.

Cyra restaurant in Johannesburg | What's on in Joburg — Chef Candice Phillip

The Spring 2025 Tasting Menu

Cyra might have been serving for little over 1 year, but Chef Candice Phillip brings over 23 years of experience at this flagship fine diner that looks and feels as fresh as when it launched. The restaurant just revealed its spring six-course tasting menu designed to embody lightness, freshness and expression.

Prepare yourself for a new lamb dish that Chef Candice herself is already deeply excited about, along with a strawberry dessert of fennel frangipane, strawberry ice cream, strawberry elderflower salad and fennel crème. Optional matched wines are available at an additional charge.

Cost: R1250pp for a six-course menu, or R1995pp for the six-course menu with a wine pairing

The Choice Menu: Dine on Chef Candice’s classic dishes

Cyra’s four-course choice menu allows diners to revisit the most beloved dishes from Philip’s past creations. Carefully curated, the menu reintroduces some of the award-winning chef’s favourites such as the braised pork belly with fennel chutney and liquorice purée and the pan-fried seabass with baby fondant potatoes, leek and sesame crème, spirulina crisps and lemon gel.

Cost: R1250pp for a six-course menu, or R1995pp for the six-course menu with a wine pairing

The atmosphere at Cyra restaurant

Set against the soft beauty of this Houghton dining room, where muted golds, petal pinks and deep greens envelop guests in quiet luxury. Quite simply, the restaurant is serious, traditional, immaculate fine-dining in a special occasion room with beautiful views.

Get in touch

When: Tuesday to Saturday, 6:30am to 10pm. Closed on Sunday and Monday
Where: The Houghton Hotel, Lloys Ellis Ave, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg

Website: cyra.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 011 032 5535
Instagram: @cyra_restaurant
Facebook: @Cyrarestaurantsa