Mira, Sandton’s most anticipated new restaurant, has officially opened its 200-seater Mozambican and Portuguese dining destination. The space blends old-world craftsmanship, multisensory design and contemporary sophistication.
Created for corporate leaders, international travellers, lifestyle diners and those who value quiet luxury, Mira brings a new sense of intimacy to Sandton. The experience is refined, transportive and softly spectacular.
Founders and a philosophy of legacy
Mira was founded by Luke Dakers, Ben Stanger and industry veteran George Sinovich. Their vision unites legacy with modernity, described as “old money energy” filtered through youthful ambition.
The name Mira reflects this interplay. After many iterations, it was chosen to represent reflection, both literal and symbolic. Guests encounter mirrored art on arrival, a moment of self-recognition before stepping into the immersive experience that follows.
A space shaped by heritage
The restaurant occupies the former Villamoura and Alice and Fifth site, a landmark location filled with memories and cinematic design. The founders spent more than three years securing the space.
They chose to honour its history while shaping a new era.
“George brings generational wisdom in hospitality,” says Stanger. “Luke and I bring a modern lens. Mira lives in the tension between those worlds.”
The project also marks a symbolic passing of the torch between Sinovich, who shaped Johannesburg dining with The Codfather, Riboville and Bowld, and the younger generation behind Greenhouse and Ocaso.
A meaningful centrepiece sits at the heart of the main restaurant: a 1912 Blüthner piano inherited from Stanger’s mother. Its distinctive tone forms part of the experience, with live performances adding a subtle musical layer.
A coastal soul reimagined for Sandton
Under Head Chef William Lekoloane, Mira’s food draws on Mozambican coastal flavours and the warmth of Portuguese home cooking.
“Every dish should evoke something,” says Lekoloane. “A memory, a mood, a feeling.”
Sinovich adds, “We cook like grandma did. Simple, wholesome, delicious food done incredibly well.”
Mira’s experience integrates lighting, scent, music, service, and cuisine into a single composition.
Signature dishes from land and sea
Starters include Lulas Recheadas, feta- and oregano-stuffed calamari in creamy tomato sauce, and Asas Piri Wings, glazed with whiskey, honey, chilli, and hot sauce. Other favourites include garlic mussels, chicken livers, rissoles, deep-fried squid heads, and live oysters with peri-peri, mango chilli or sriracha lime.
From the land, the menu features the Portuguese Classic Steak with chouriço sauce and fried egg, Xai Xai Chicken, lamb chops, picanha, espetada and meat platters with pap and gravy.
From the sea, guests enjoy peri-peri queen prawns, baby kingklip on the bone, Norwegian salmon, grilled calamari, sushi and generous seafood platters. The chef’s personal favourite is prawn and cashew nut curry with rice.
Desserts celebrate nostalgia with malva pudding, chocolate fondant, sago pudding and MiraMade ice creams and sorbets.
A cocktail programme built for spectacle
Mira’s cocktail menu is immersive and playful.
Queen of Hearts is served under a reveal-style magic hat, blending Aperol, hibiscus and Lambrusco.
Garden Within arrives in a smoked dome with cachaça, peppers, and piri-piri.
Dreamscape offers an earthy Matcha Martini, and Pocket Universe adds a shimmering flourish.
Classics such as the Negroni and Pornstar Martini are crafted with precision. A range of mocktails and an extensive wine list complete the selection.
A multisensory design by Wesley Bremer
Award-winning designer Wesley Bremer of Soda Custom shaped Mira’s interiors using warm timbers, brass, leather, marble and diffused lighting. The materials were chosen to age beautifully.
Guests enter through one of two pathways. The hotel-side entrance features a charcoal corridor with a rippling mirrored ceiling leading to a golden staircase and a burgundy marble wall.
From Diamond Walk, two escalators descend into the whimsical “rabbit hole” that introduces the cocktail lounge.
Marco Olivier’s signature face sculptures, created with Bremer, appear throughout the space. Monochromatic prints add an old-school elegance.
Immersive interiors and elevated atmosphere
The cocktail lounge is moody and cinematic, with curved white panelling, warm wood textures, and velvet-tufted seating. Mirrored surfaces and emerald marble create a layered visual language. A photograph of Fidel Castro adds a retro attitude.
In the main dining room, the bar is crowned by a sculptural figure. An illuminated wine collection is displayed behind blackened steel and timber. Brown curved leather seating and reflective panels create warmth and understated luxury.
A custom fragrance by Scentology, curated playlists and a Void sound system complete the immersive environment.
A new era of dining for Sandton
“This is what Sandton has been waiting for, a refined upmarket restaurant with a connected cocktail bar,” says Bremer. Sinovich adds, “Everything appeals to the senses. Mira is designed for immersion.”
Mira will expand in early 2026 with a private dining phase, adding further intimacy to the offering.