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Langalakhe Mabena
In February 2024, a new joint in the city of Bulawayo — Ja’Dijo — opened its doors and it brought a different touch, taste, and look to the local culinary and restaurant industry.
Initially, the restaurant and pub were meant to be established in 2022, but Covid-19 slowed down the grand opening, while the owners took the opportunity to perfectly refurbish the place to world standards.
The restaurant is a must-visit place as it offers a delicious menu. Their food is very affordable — from as little as US$5 one can enjoy a meal, be it traditional and European meals.
Ja’Dijo — derived from a Tswana name that loosely translates to “Eat Food,” is an eating place that has attracted some of South African superstars like former Generations actress Sophie Ndaba, Kwesta, and the likes of Emtee, a sign that they mean real business and their ala-carte is delicious.
Qhelokuhle Dube who is the manager at Ja’Dijo said the restaurant has got different looks for different vibes and feels. He said they have an indoor area, outdoor area as well as a mixture of both, to give different moods within the restaurant.
“We opened in 2024 in February but the idea of this place was established and has been in the works since 2022. We are all about quality, that’s why we wanted to emerge as one of the best in the city.
“We took a lot of time in renovating and curating the place and we are happy with the outcomes because it’s unique and most of our patrons love it. We are a restaurant and we have an indoor bar. We offer catering services.
“We also host birthday parties, anniversaries and other celebrations that attract at least 100 people because the restaurant is spacious enough,” said Dube.
Ja’Dijo hired a very young and energetic staff that understands the clientele they are dealing with and they are perfect and thorough in providing services.
“If you look at me I am 21 years old, the staff is also around my age — people who just finished their Advanced Level with some tertiary education. We hire very young people because we are all about empowerment. Some feed their families and some pay for their fees using money they earn here.
“Most young people like us have a dream of relocating from Zimbabwe to the diaspora once they come of age, but we decided to come up with something (restaurant) that will empower the youth and be able to realise their dreams while they are still in Zimbabwe because anything is possible here. We are very passionate about delivering top notch services that people want. We have hobbies that we provide to our customers. We offer sculpture, carving and painting,” said Dube.
When it comes to clients, Ja’Dijo was crafted for everyone who has a good taste of food and fun.
“When we check our marketing demography, it shows us that we have attracted families, teenage girls who come in as groups, young and older couples and even kids. We have also attracted men above 30 who come and do painting while chatting about business, because painting while having a beer is therapeutic.
“We don’t have a lot to say but we have a lot to show to the people of Bulawayo. To spice things up, on 2 August we will have a karaoke where our patrons will be competing through singing and there will be a lot of prizes to be won,” said Dube.
Online Reporter