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The Bull Run: Where Sandton’s Power Lunch Meets Timeless Steakhouse Style
A legacy born in the heart of Johannesburg’s financial rise
When The Bull Run opened its doors on 28 October 2000, the mood in Sandton was electric. The new millennium had just dawned, Y2K panic had fizzled out, and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange had moved its headquarters to Maude Street.
Amid this fresh wave of ambition, one thing was clear: Joburg’s deal-makers needed a place worthy of closing business over a perfect cut of steak.
Tucked beneath the Protea Hotel by Marriott Balalaika Sandton, The Bull Run quickly became more than a restaurant. It evolved into an institution, a space where traders, travellers, and locals all met for serious food and unpretentious luxury.
From Wall Street cues to South African soul
After a major refurbishment in 2018, led by award-winning interior designer Tristan du Plessis, the restaurant took on a bold new identity. Think New York Stock Exchange meets classic grill house: custom brass lighting, plush booths, handmade wall tiles, and a bronze bull statue sculpted by Michael Canadas guarding the entrance.
Yet the soul of The Bull Run remains proudly South African. The menu reflects both international finesse and local flavour, a balance that has kept its tables full for 25 years.
The meat market that never crashes
Quality beef has always been The Bull Run’s strongest currency. Every cut is matured for 28 days, either dry-aged on the bone or wet-aged in vacuum-seal, then basted in olive pepper oil, olive herb oil, or barbecue glaze before being kissed by flame.
The “butchery section” offers everything from fillet and ribeye to ostrich and T-bone, all prepared to exacting standards and served with your choice of pap, mash, chips, rice, or even steamed bread, a small nod to home.
For those who prefer to trade in variety, the Three Primal Cuts of Beef platter lets diners compare fillet, rump, and sirloin in one sitting, while the Bull Run Platter delivers a feast of ribs, chicken wings, sirloin, and chakalaka built for sharing.
Beyond the steak
While carnivores reign supreme here, The Bull Run hasn’t ignored broader appetites. The seafood section tempts with teriyaki salmon served with wasabi mash and edamame beans or a seafood platter loaded with prawns, calamari, and mussels drenched in lemon butter.
Vegetarian diners can invest confidently too, with comforting options like sundried tomato and butternut risotto, mushroom linguine, or a fragrant potato and lentil curry.
Image 1: Facebook/The Bull Run Restaurant Sandton
The sweet close
No steakhouse story ends without dessert, and The Bull Run’s finale selection feels like a dividend. Classics such as malva pudding, sticky toffee pudding, and baked caramel cheesecake share the menu with playful newcomers like Biscoff tarts and Pina Colada panna cotta. Each is paired with creamy ice cream, because in this house, indulgence is non-negotiable.
A brand that wears its name proudly
The restaurant’s signature extends beyond the plate. Guests can now buy Bull-branded merchandise, puffer jackets, and peak caps that turn a good meal into a style investment. It’s another clever nod to the financial world that inspired the restaurant’s name: a bull market, where confidence reigns and everything rises in value.
Still bullish after 25 years
Today, The Bull Run continues to hold its place as Sandton’s definitive steakhouse, where business lunches stretch into long dinners, and travellers toast to the city’s drive and resilience. For a restaurant born out of Joburg’s corporate heartbeat, it’s poetic that its success has never dipped.
After all, in this house, the market is always up.
Also read: TLC on the Track: Lonehill’s Café Where Coffee, Cars & Calm Converge
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Source: The Bull Run
Featured Image: Facebook/The Bull Run Restaurant Sandton
