How a Joburg petrol station became SA's most unlikely social hub

From insomniacs to party-goers, doting couples, tired paramedics and Johannesburg's golden youth, Pantry, a petrol station doubling as a gourmet deli, has become unmissable on the nightlife scene of South Africa's biggest city.

Open 24 hours a day, the establishment which opened three years ago is a haven for revellers looking for a midnight snack to sober up after the bars and nightclubs close at 2am or 5am.

"Believe me, we see it all here," sighs a cashier.

Before the curtains open on Johannesburg's infamous party scene, the evening gets off to a gentle start.

On a Friday at around 6pm, families with children flock to the Italian ice cream counter or near the pizza oven. Black, white and Asian, speaking isiZulu, Afrikaans, English or another of South Africa's 12 official languages, the country's diversity is mirrored at the dining tables.

Toddling around in twinkling rain boots and wrapped up in his dinosaur pyjamas, 18-months old Akani is thrilled.

"We come here every Friday," smiles his dad, Tony, 33. "He loves the activity and the people watching, seeing so many different people."

Three young queer friends, one of them wearing a pink wig and high-heeled sandals, share coffees and a modest tray of fries.

"This is a good fun place for late nights, it's always open," comments Thembiso, a 19-year-old student in a pearl necklace, before a spontaneous photoshoot in the car park, amid the smell of fuel and exhaust fumes.

On the bonnet of a sports car, more modest in their plain shirts and chino trousers, a group of young men are playing cards next to the petrol pumps. They are Muslim, explains a security guard who recognises the regulars, and as such avoid night spots that serve alcohol.

Inside the deli, sparkling wines, chocolates and flower bouquets for R300 ($16) -- a small fortune in one of the world's most unequal countries -- share the shelves with the usual petrol station goods: cigarettes, condoms and cool drinks.

As the buzzing workday gives way to a lively Friday night, the diner clientele is slowly replaced by dressed up women with super-long eyelashes, in transparent lace dresses, thigh-high boots, tight latex trousers or cropped tops, browsing the aisles before going out.

'It's Joburg' 

In regular waves, tired staff from nearby hospitals pour into Pantry. "I'm on a 24 hour shift, so all-night coffee places are most welcome," says 28-year-old nurse Jonathan Russell, who is here "on a break".

Past midnight, the revellers start streaming back in, bringing with them some of the night's energy. The music has switched from upbeat American pop to the deep feverish basslines of local Amapiano.

A tipsy young woman raises her arms to the ceiling, nodding her head in tune as she shuffles through the aisles.

"We pass here on our way home. If there is drinking, Pantry is involved," says Lerato, a 26-year-old banker in a light blue pressed shirt.

Two girlfriends come staggering in. Yanga, wearing linen shorts, orders a pizza: "We went to two different bars. I will have a hangover tomorrow," says the 34-year-old who works in IT. "I want something warm and consistent", sighs Naki, a 30-year-old architect.

In the queue, a tall man is courting a bustier-clad young woman, who answers his questions with curt responses. "You get the drunk selfies now," smiles a cashier. "And people coming for their munchies, it's a vibe."

Suddenly, two fuel-guzzling SUVs pull up. Five colossal bodyguards climb out, revolvers tucked into their waistbands. One of them cradles an assault rifle in his arms as a chic woman with long braids passes through, wearing Gucci flip-flops and a floaty summer dress.

"We get all the celebrities here. They come after their gigs and events," comments 43-year-old security guard Alfred Mathibe.

In this case, "she's just rich", he says. Seeing firearms in the parking lot is nothing out of the ordinary. "We see it all the time," Mathibe shrugs. "It's Joburg, baby!"

Shortly after 4am, the pastries section is back in stock. Daylight will soon be here, along with clean-shaven customers. Johannesburg is waking up.