Capital Craft Pretoria: Burgers, Hours and Deals
The Menlo Park beer hall that began as a beer festival at the Voortrekker Monument and now ranks among Pretoria's best burger restaurants.
Photo: Robbie Aspeling, CC BY-SA 3.0
For a smash burger with serious beer in Pretoria, go to Capital Craft Beer Academy, at Shop 20, Greenlyn Village Centre, in Menlo Park. Its signature is The Oklahoma: a 200g beef patty smashed with onions, cheddar and pickle relish. On Burger Wednesday, two burger meals cost R180 to R245 (official menu page, checked 23 October 2026). It is closed on Mondays.
The founders didn’t start with a kitchen. Johan Auriacombe, Niel Groenewald and the brothers Henk and Willie van der Schyf launched the Capital Craft Beer Festival in 2013, then opened the beer hall to give that crowd somewhere to eat. That history is why I would pick it over most burger-only rooms in the city.
Capital Craft Pretoria at a glance
Capital Craft is a beer hall that serves burgers, run by the team behind South Africa’s largest one-day craft beer festival. These are the key facts, with their sources.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Capital Craft Beer Academy |
| Area | Menlo Park, Pretoria (Greenlyn Village Centre) |
| Founders | Henk van der Schyf, Willie van der Schyf, Johan Auriacombe, Niel Groenewald (Business Day, 2018) |
| Origins | Capital Craft Beer Festival, first held on 6 July 2013 |
| Founded | 2014, according to the company’s LinkedIn page |
| Signature burger | The Oklahoma (Time Out, August 2026) |
| Burger deal | Burger Wednesday: 2 burger meals, R180–R245 |
| Beers | More than 100 (In Your Pocket); Time Out puts it at over 200 in 2026 |
| Rankings | #5 in Time Out’s 7 best burger restaurants in Pretoria (4 August 2026) |
Capital Craft Pretoria at a glance: founders, 2013 festival origins, The Oklahoma signature burger, Burger Wednesday (2 meals for R180–R245) and Time Out’s #5 ranking. Venue data checked on capitalcraft.co.za on 23 October 2026. (Table: Burger Breton, data from capitalcraft.co.za, Business Day (2018) and Time Out (2026))
A note on method. This is a desk-research profile: I have not yet eaten at Capital Craft, so it carries no Burger Breton rating. Every fact comes from the venue’s official site, its menu page and the press cited in each section, all checked on 23 October 2026. Where sources disagree, I name the source and its date. What I could not confirm, I left out.
Who founded Capital Craft Beer Academy?
Capital Craft Beer Academy was founded by four partners: Henk van der Schyf, his brother Willie van der Schyf, Johan Auriacombe and Niel Groenewald. Business Day named all four in a February 2018 review of the venue. I could not confirm each founder’s current role, or whether all four still own the business, so this guide sticks to ‘founded by’.
Of the four, Johan Auriacombe has the highest profile. The beer writer Lucy Corne, in an All About Beer feature published on 31 July 2026, calls him the driving force behind the Capital Craft Beer Festival.
Capital Craft Beer Festival founders: from festival to restaurant
The Capital Craft story starts with a festival, not a restaurant. The first Capital Craft Beer Festival took place at the Voortrekker Monument on 6 July 2013 and drew nearly 2,000 people, according to Bizcommunity and All About Beer. A second edition followed at the same venue on 14 June 2014.
The company’s LinkedIn page gives 2014 as the year Capital Craft Beer Academy was founded. That is the only source for the date, and it is self-declared, so treat it as approximate. The page also lists 11 to 50 employees and a Pretoria headquarters.
Business Day mentioned a Centurion branch in 2018. I found nothing to confirm it still trades, so this guide covers Menlo Park only.
The festival today
The Capital Craft Beer Festival now bills itself as South Africa’s largest one-day craft beer festival, with about 12,000 people attending. It moved to the Pretoria National Botanical Garden, at 2 Cussonia Avenue in Brummeria, in 2016.
The 2025 edition, on 14 June 2025, had more than 40 breweries, more than 200 beers and more than 35 food vendors. Tickets cost R160 to R325, according to Urban Lifestyle SA. The venue’s site is promoting Beer Fest 2026, but I could not confirm its date, venue or ticket prices. Check capitalcraft.co.za before you plan around it.
Capital Craft Beer Festival timeline: nearly 2,000 visitors at the Voortrekker Monument in 2013, a second edition there in 2014, a move to the Pretoria National Botanical Garden in 2016, and about 12,000 visitors with 40+ breweries and 200+ beers by 2025. (Chart: Burger Breton, CC BY 4.0, data from Bizcommunity, All About Beer (31 July 2026) and Urban Lifestyle SA)
What is the best burger at Capital Craft?
The Oklahoma is Capital Craft’s signature burger right now, and the one Time Out picked out in August 2026. A 200g beef patty is smashed on the grill with thin-sliced white onions and melted yellow cheddar. Then comes a pickle and onion relish in the Oklahoma style, all on a homemade bun.
It borrows from the Oklahoma onion burger, where the onions are pressed into the beef as it smashes so they caramelise in the fat. That is the burger I would order first. It is simple, and it goes with almost any beer on the list.
An Oklahoma onion burger, with thin onions smashed into the beef patty. This is the style behind Capital Craft’s The Oklahoma. Illustrative photo, not taken at Capital Craft (610×458). (Photo: Houstonman6, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20130619-onion-burger-9.jpg)
Time Out describes the bun in two ways, homemade in one place and brioche in another, and says the patty is free-range. I could not confirm either detail with the venue, so take them as Time Out’s description, not mine.
Past Capital Craft burgers: Blue Marrow, Chakalaka and Mean Green
Capital Craft’s earlier menus show a kitchen that likes bold toppings, but none of these burgers is confirmed on today’s menu. Eat Out and Business Day both called the Blue Marrow a signature: a patty topped with blue cheese and bone marrow. Its current availability is not confirmed.
In February 2018, Business Day listed two more burgers:
- Chakalaka Burger, R79 in 2018: a 200g patty with chakalaka relish, mayo and baby spinach. Chakalaka is the spicy South African relish of onions, peppers and beans.
- Mean Green, R85 in 2018: sun-dried tomato pesto, jalapeños and basil aioli.
A bowl of chakalaka, the spicy South African relish of onions, peppers and beans that topped Capital Craft’s 2018 Chakalaka Burger (R79). Illustrative photo taken in Cape Town, not at Capital Craft (2112×2816). (Photo: Philipp (Cape Town), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chakalaka.jpg)
These are 2018 prices, not today’s. The current menu file (dated 20 October 2026) could not be opened when I checked, so I have not published any current price per burger.
Does Capital Craft have vegetarian burgers?
Vegetarian and plant-based burgers may be on the menu, but I could not confirm them. Third-party menu sites mention a Beyond Beef patty, tofu and a mushroom burger, but the official menu was unavailable when I checked. If you need a meat-free option, message the venue on WhatsApp before you go.
Capital Craft Beer Academy menu: the Burger Wednesday special
Every Wednesday, Capital Craft sells two burger meals for R180 to R245, all day and all night, for dine-in only. That is the official price on capitalcraft.co.za/menu, checked on 23 October 2026. Time Out’s August list quotes the deal ‘from R165’, but I went with the venue’s own figure.
For a burger special on a Wednesday in Pretoria, this is the deal to know. Split between two people, it works out at roughly R90 to R123 each. No takeaways, so plan to sit down.
Craft beer and burgers in Pretoria: why Capital Craft matters
Capital Craft is the Pretoria burger venue that grew out of the city’s craft beer scene, and the beer is half the point. Most burger lists treat the drinks as a side. Here the founders built a festival audience first, then gave it a place to eat.
The beer list is large, but sources disagree on its size. The founders told Business Day there were 210 beers in 2018. Time Out said over 200 in 2026, and In Your Pocket says over 100. The safe claim is more than 100 beers.
How many craft beers does Capital Craft serve? Claims differ: 210 (founders, 2018), over 200 (Time Out, 2026) and over 100 (In Your Pocket). The safe figure is more than 100. (Chart: Burger Breton, CC BY 4.0, data from Business Day (14 February 2018), Time Out (4 August 2026) and In Your Pocket)
The room plays the part. In Your Pocket describes a mix of beer hall and industrial decor: copper pipes, wood panelling and Bavarian beer mugs. There is an outdoor deck over the lawn of Greenlyn Village Centre. The venue also hosts quiz nights and vinyl fairs and sells merchandise online.
Where is Capital Craft in Pretoria? Address, hours and contact
Capital Craft is at Shop 20, Greenlyn Village Centre, on the corner of Thomas Edison Street and 12th Street East, Menlo Park, Pretoria 0081. It opens Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays. The hours below come from the official site, checked on 23 October 2026.
| Practical info | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | Shop 20, Greenlyn Village Centre, cnr Thomas Edison St & 12th St East, Menlo Park, Pretoria 0081 |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 12:00–23:45 |
| Wednesday to Friday | 11:00–23:45 |
| Saturday | 10:00–23:45 |
| Sunday | 10:00–19:00 |
| Public holidays | 10:00–23:45 |
| Contact | +27 81 877 6924 (WhatsApp; 081 877 6924 from South Africa) |
| Wednesday special | 2 burger meals, R180–R245, dine-in only |
| Website | capitalcraft.co.za |
Capital Craft opening hours, Pretoria: closed Monday; Tue 12:00–23:45, Wed–Fri 11:00–23:45, Sat 10:00–23:45, Sun 10:00–19:00. WhatsApp 081 877 6924. Burger Wednesday: 2 meals for R180–R245, dine-in only. Official site, checked 23 October 2026. (Table: Burger Breton, data from capitalcraft.co.za (checked 23 October 2026))
Another directory lists a landline, +27 12 424 8601, that differs from the official number. I have published only the WhatsApp number on the venue’s own site.
Map of Capital Craft at Greenlyn Village Centre, corner of Thomas Edison Street and 12th Street East, Menlo Park, Pretoria 0081 (marker is approximate). (Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL)
Best burgers in Pretoria: how Capital Craft compares
Capital Craft is one of Pretoria’s best burger restaurants by press consensus: Time Out ranked it #5 of seven on 4 August 2026. The same list includes Burger Bistro at 24 Pierneef Street, Villieria, and Mustang Sally’s at 1319 Pretorius Street, Hatfield. It also names Hudsons, Tiger’s Milk, BGR and Ribs & Burgers.
My take: if the burger is the whole evening, start with Burger Bistro, the name Time Out and Tripadvisor both put forward. If you want beer as much as beef, Capital Craft wins. For the whole city, see our guide to the best burgers in Pretoria.
South African chains compete with the independents across Gauteng. Our RocoMamas brand profile covers the smash-burger chain’s history. If you are taking the Gautrain south, our RocoMamas Johannesburg guide lists its branches, hours and prices. You can browse every city in the Burger Breton restaurants section.
Capital Craft Pretoria FAQ
Who owns Capital Craft Beer Academy in Pretoria? Capital Craft Beer Academy was founded by Henk van der Schyf, Willie van der Schyf, Johan Auriacombe and Niel Groenewald, as Business Day reported in 2018. I could not confirm who owns it today.
What is the best burger at Capital Craft? The Oklahoma is the current signature: a 200g smashed beef patty with white onions, yellow cheddar and an Oklahoma-style pickle and onion relish (Time Out, August 2026). The Blue Marrow, with blue cheese and bone marrow, was an earlier signature, and its current availability is not confirmed.
When is the Capital Craft burger special and how much does it cost? Burger Wednesday runs all day and night every Wednesday, with two burger meals for R180 to R245. It is dine-in only (official menu page, checked 23 October 2026).
Where is Capital Craft and what are its opening hours? It is at Shop 20, Greenlyn Village Centre, corner of Thomas Edison Street and 12th Street East, Menlo Park. It opens Tuesday 12:00–23:45, Wednesday to Friday 11:00–23:45, Saturday 10:00–23:45 and Sunday 10:00–19:00. It is closed on Mondays.
How many craft beers does Capital Craft serve? More than 100. The founders claimed 210 in 2018, Time Out says over 200 in 2026 and In Your Pocket says over 100.
When and where is the Capital Craft Beer Festival held? The festival has been held at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden in Brummeria since 2016. The 2025 edition took place on 14 June 2025. Details of the 2026 edition were not confirmed when I checked.
Does Capital Craft have vegetarian or plant-based burgers? Third-party menu sites list plant-based options, but the official menu could not be checked. Confirm with the venue on WhatsApp before you go.
Sources
- Capital Craft official site and menu page: capitalcraft.co.za (checked 23 October 2026)
- Business Day, ‘Craft beers add fizz to varied menu’, 14 February 2018
- All About Beer, Lucy Corne on the Capital Craft Beer Fest, 31 July 2026
- Time Out, ‘The 7 best burger restaurants in Pretoria’, 4 August 2026
- Bizcommunity, first festival at the Voortrekker Monument
- Urban Lifestyle SA, Capital Craft Beer Festival 2025
- In Your Pocket Pretoria listing
- Capital Craft Beer Academy LinkedIn company page
