Peaceful green gardens fill the centre of Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, contrasting a glass-fronted interior that’s home to many of South Africa’s most prominent brands. Recent expansion has made Menlyn Park one of the largest shopping centres in Africa, and it has retained a sense of space and architectural grandeur. It rarely feels busy here, with plant-fringed walkways looping around the gardens and visitors spread across four floors of stores. Menlyn Park Shopping Centre is situated in the south of Pretoria, on the N1 highway towards Johannesburg.
Over 500 shops are spaced out around Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, including large department stores, supermarkets and small boutiques. The internal garden square is flanked by cafes and restaurants and is a very popular place with Pretoria locals, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening. A large indoor food court features fast food chains as well as local restaurants and cafes, while there is a rooftop drive-in theatre plus a large cinema.
The shopping centre has multiple car parks, and most visitors arrive by car. There are local shared taxis from Pretoria to Menlyn Park, and it’s also possible to take a shared taxi along Atterbury Road out of Pretoria.
The shopping centre was opened in 1979 and expanded in 1988. Over the last two decades, it’s been redevelopment on numerous occasions with the latest expansion maintaining Menlyn Park’s place as one of the largest shopping destinations in Africa.