Cullinan: The Small Town in Gauteng That Finally Shut Me Up

Look, I’m a hiking blogger. If it doesn’t involve sweating up a trail, contemplating my life choices at the summit, and pretending I enjoy inclines, it usually doesn’t make the cut.

But then came a road trip to Port Alfred in December 2024, where I ended up blogging not just about the hikes, but also about the small towns I passed through. Why? Because deep down, I’ve always wanted to be a small-town person. Think Gilmore Girls, but with more hiking boots and fewer town meetings.

I live in Gauteng—and small towns? Sure, they exist. Quaint and charming? Meh. At least that’s what I thought… until last weekend. Enter Cullinan. So yes, it’s me, popping in to say hi, because I found an actual gem… here in Gauteng, no less!

A group of us had hiked nearby and were starving (post-hike hunger is no joke, trust me). Our first-choice restaurant was packed (rude), so we begrudgingly shuffled to our second option—Oppistasie. And let me tell you, this “second choice” won. Hard.

Oppistasie is an experience, not just a restaurant. This place is everything a small-town eatery should be—quirky, warm, and buzzing with personality. The decor? Oh, honey, it’s like someone raided a Pinterest board called “Eclectic Genius” and somehow managed to make it work.

I spent half my time taking photos of every quirky little detail. No joke, I could’ve easily spent hours just wandering around and looking for the next surprise piece of decor..

The food? Great. Most of had pizza or chicken schnitzel, and I’m pretty sure not a single plate was left with a crumb. But don’t worry, if you’re not into pizza or schnitzel, the menu has something for everyone. And the best part? Prices that won’t make you cry into your wallet. Novel, right?

And then there was our waiter. This guy? A legend. Picture this: a large, indecisive, hangry group, throwing orders at him left and right like we were testing his mental endurance. Did he write anything down? Nope. Did he get every single order correct?

Yep. Drinks appeared like magic, and his personality? Straight-up award-winning. If there was a trophy for “Best Service After a Grueling Hike,” this guy would have it on his mantle.

And just when I thought the experience couldn’t get any better, a local musician started playing guitar. It was like she raided my personal playlist. I’m talking all my favorite songs, perfectly strummed in the background. If I had curated a playlist for this place, it would’ve sounded exactly like that.

But back to Cullinan—this little slice of charm we walked through (okay, fine, more like raced because post-hike hunger is real and ruthless) was practically begging for its own Instagram account. Every corner screamed "Take my photo!" like it was the most photogenic town on the planet.

So, if you’re in Gauteng and you’re thinking, ugh, where’s the charm?—get in your car, drive to Cullinan, walk around the charming town, find an eating spot and soak it all in. Then come back and tell me I was right.