Hatfield (Pretoria) Travel Guide - Free

Explore Hatfield in Pretoria with Evendo's free guide. Find the best shops, historic streets, restaurants, and gems on web or mobile.

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Hatfield
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Hatfield in Pretoria blends University of Pretoria heritage, Gautrain access, student nightlife, cafés, galleries and lively urban culture in South Africa.

University Streets and Urban Character

Hatfield occupies a lively pocket of eastern Pretoria, centred on the University of Pretoria campus and the commercial streets around Burnett, Hilda and Prospect streets. Its identity is shaped by students, university staff, apartment residents, office workers and visitors arriving by Gautrain. During the day, cafés, study spaces, convenience shops and restaurants give the area a purposeful rhythm; after dark, the student-oriented entertainment strip becomes more prominent.
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Campus Heritage and Culture

The University of Pretoria is Hatfield’s defining institution. Its buildings, lawns, museums and public-facing science facilities provide a cultural counterpoint to the surrounding retail streets, while the campus’s architectural layers reflect the university’s long development in the capital. Visitors interested in South African archaeology, art and science can find relevant collections and exhibitions on campus, although access and opening arrangements vary. The district is also a useful base for reaching nearby Arcadia, Brooklyn and the Union Buildings area without confusing those neighbouring areas with Hatfield itself.

Food, Nightlife and Everyday Life

Hatfield is less a monument-filled historic quarter than a working university neighbourhood where local life is visible in ordinary routines: students crossing between lectures, commuters using the Gautrain station, and diners gathering along the main commercial corridors. Restaurants range from casual cafés and fast food to international and South African options, while bars and live-music venues give the district a notably youthful evening character. The area is most rewarding when explored as a compact urban circuit linking the university edge, station, shopping streets and public transport rather than as a single sightseeing attraction.

Best attractions in Hatfield

The University of Pretoria campus is Hatfield’s principal attraction, offering landscaped grounds, notable academic buildings, cultural collections and visitor-oriented facilities such as Sci-Enza, the university’s interactive science centre, subject to access arrangements. The campus museums and art collections provide an opportunity to encounter South African archaeology, art and material culture in an academic setting rather than a conventional city-centre museum. Around its edges, Burnett Street and the surrounding blocks show Hatfield’s everyday character through cafés, student services, restaurants and public movement between lectures. Hatfield Gautrain Station is also worth noting as a piece of contemporary urban infrastructure and a useful starting point for exploring the district. Nearby Arcadia and the Union Buildings can be reached from Hatfield, but they belong to adjoining parts of Pretoria and should not be confused with attractions inside the neighbourhood.

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Best landmarks in Hatfield

The University of Pretoria campus is Hatfield’s principal landmark ensemble, combining academic architecture, landscaped spaces and cultural institutions within a large precinct. Historic university buildings and later additions express the institution’s development from its early twentieth-century origins into a major South African university. The Aula and Musaion are among the campus’s best-known cultural buildings, while museums and collections give the precinct significance beyond education. Hatfield Gautrain Station represents a different period of local history: its modern infrastructure confirms the neighbourhood’s role as a regional transport node. Commercial landmarks along Burnett Street are less monumental but equally important to Hatfield’s identity, marking the meeting point between campus life, student accommodation, retail activity and evening entertainment.

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Explore Hatfield on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Hatfield, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Hatfield

Hatfield’s dining scene is shaped by the University of Pretoria and by the steady movement of students, staff, commuters and residents through its commercial streets. Casual cafés, coffee shops, takeaway counters and affordable international restaurants sit alongside sit-down venues offering South African and familiar global dishes. Burnett Street and the blocks near the campus provide the strongest concentration, while the area around the Gautrain station adds convenient options for commuters. The food culture is practical and varied rather than centred on one historic speciality: quick meals between lectures, late-evening plates, coffee for study sessions and relaxed gatherings all form part of the neighbourhood’s rhythm. Independent venues change more frequently than the university itself, so visitors should check current opening arrangements locally. Nearby Brooklyn and Arcadia expand the restaurant choice, but are separate neighbourhoods with their own dining identities.

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Best bars in Hatfield

After dark, Hatfield is one of Pretoria’s most recognisable student-oriented entertainment districts, with bars, casual drinking venues, live-music spaces and late-evening restaurants concentrated around the university-facing commercial streets. The atmosphere is generally informal and social, with the busiest periods linked to the academic calendar rather than to a traditional historic nightlife culture. Venues such as Aandklas Hatfield have been associated with live music and student entertainment, while the wider strip includes places for watching sport, dancing and meeting friends. Sound levels and opening arrangements can change, and some businesses have changed identity over time, so current details should be checked before setting out. Visitors staying nearby should expect a livelier atmosphere around the main entertainment corridors and a quieter one on residential streets.

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Best nightclubs in Hatfield

After dark, Hatfield is one of Pretoria’s most recognisable student-oriented entertainment districts, with bars, casual drinking venues, live-music spaces and late-evening restaurants concentrated around the university-facing commercial streets. The atmosphere is generally informal and social, with the busiest periods linked to the academic calendar rather than to a traditional historic nightlife culture. Venues such as Aandklas Hatfield have been associated with live music and student entertainment, while the wider strip includes places for watching sport, dancing and meeting friends. Sound levels and opening arrangements can change, and some businesses have changed identity over time, so current details should be checked before setting out. Visitors staying nearby should expect a livelier atmosphere around the main entertainment corridors and a quieter one on residential streets.

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Best shops in Hatfield

Shopping in Hatfield is primarily practical and service-oriented, reflecting the needs of a large university population rather than a specialist heritage market. The streets around Burnett Street and the campus contain convenience shops, cafés, pharmacies, mobile-phone businesses, clothing outlets, salons, bookstores and services aimed at students and local residents. The station adds commuter-focused retail, while small food outlets provide everyday provisions and quick meals. Visitors should not expect a single traditional market or a concentrated luxury-shopping boulevard inside the neighbourhood; Hatfield’s retail character lies in its mixture of independent premises, familiar chains and short-lived student businesses. For broader retail choice, surrounding districts such as Brooklyn and Menlyn are separate destinations. The most interesting aspect of shopping locally is observing how university life shapes the scale, stock and pace of the commercial streets.

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Hatfield essentials

Getting There
Hatfield Gautrain Station is the clearest rail gateway to the neighbourhood, linking Hatfield with central Pretoria and the Gautrain network towards OR Tambo International Airport and Johannesburg. Metrorail services also operate through the broader Pretoria rail system, while municipal and private bus services use the major roads around the district. From central Pretoria, Hatfield is reached along routes including Pretorius Street and the N1-facing eastern corridors, although road congestion can affect surface journeys. The University of Pretoria campus lies close to the station, but the exact walking route depends on the destination within the large campus.
Getting Around
The station, university edge and main commercial streets can be explored on foot, but Hatfield is spread across broad roads and busy junctions rather than arranged as a fully pedestrian quarter. Burnett Street and the streets around the campus provide the most useful orientation points. Gautrain access is convenient for longer journeys, while local taxis and buses serve the wider Pretoria area. Expect substantial traffic on arterial roads, uneven conditions on some pavements and a need to allow time when crossing between the university, station and entertainment areas.
Safety
Use normal city precautions in Hatfield, particularly around the station, transport interchanges, busy shopping streets and late-night entertainment venues. Keep phones and wallets out of sight, avoid displaying expensive equipment and use well-lit, populated routes after dark. Students and visitors moving between bars should remain with their group and arrange reliable transport rather than walking long distances late at night. Traffic is another practical concern: wide roads, turning vehicles and active taxi stops require care when crossing. Advice from accommodation staff or campus security can help with current local conditions.
Emergency Situations
In South Africa, call 112 from a mobile phone for emergency assistance; 10111 is the police emergency number, and 10177 is used for ambulance and fire services. Give the operator the closest street name, landmark or Gautrain station entrance and explain whether police, medical or fire assistance is required. University visitors can also seek help from campus security when on University of Pretoria grounds. For non-urgent medical needs, ask accommodation staff or a pharmacist to direct you to an appropriate nearby facility, as services and access arrangements can change.
Do's and Don'ts
Respect university rules, residential properties and the privacy of people on campus, and ask before photographing individuals or organised activities. Keep noise under control when leaving bars, particularly near apartment buildings and residential streets. Queue patiently at transport points and do not block pavements or shop entrances. South African service charges and tipping practices vary, so check the bill and tip for good service where appropriate rather than assuming a fixed amount. Treat campus collections, public art and heritage buildings as working or protected spaces, not simply as photographic backdrops.
Local Tips
Start at Hatfield Gautrain Station to understand the neighbourhood’s layout, then walk towards Burnett Street and the University of Pretoria’s main entrances. The campus is more rewarding when approached with a specific museum, exhibition or building in mind, since not every area is freely accessible at all times. For food, compare the university-facing cafés with the independent restaurants around the commercial streets. Hatfield’s atmosphere changes markedly between lecture hours and evening service, so visiting at both times reveals more than a single midday walk.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHallo[hah-loh]
GoodbyeTotsiens[toht-see-uns]
YesJa[yah]
NoNee[nee]
Please/You're welcomeAsseblief[ah-suh-bleef]
Thank youDankie[dahn-kee]
Excuse me/SorryVerskoon my[fehr-skoon may]
How are you?Hoe gaan dit met jou?[hoo gahn dit met yoh]
Fine. And you?Goed. En jy?[huht. en yay]
Do you speak English?Praat jy Engels?[praht yay eng-uhs]
I don't understandEk verstaan nie[ek fehr-stahn nee]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseEk wil graag die spyskaart sien, asseblief[ek vill hrahg dee spay-skahrt seen, ah-suh-bleef]
I don't eat meatEk eet nie vleis nie[ek ayt nee flehs nee]
Cheers!Gesondheid![guh-sohnt-hayt]
I would like to pay, pleaseEk wil asseblief betaal[ek vill ah-suh-bleef buh-tahl]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help]
Go away!Gaan weg![gahn vehg]
Call the Police!Bel die Polisie![bell dee poh-lee-see]
Call a doctor!Bel 'n dokter![bell un dohk-tuhr]
I'm lostEk is verlore[ek is fuh-lohr-uh]
I'm illEk is siek[ek is seek]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ek wil koop...[ek vill kohp]
I'm just lookingEk kyk net[ek kayk neht]
How much is it?Hoeveel kos dit?[hoo-veel kohs deet]
That's too expensiveDit is te duur[deet is tay duhr]
Can you lower the price?Kan jy die prys verlaag?[kahn yay dee prees fuh-rahch]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Hoe laat is dit?[hoo laht is deet]
It's one o'clockDit is een uur[deet is ayn ohr]
Half past (10)Half tien[hahlf teeyn]
MorningOggend[oh-khent]
AfternoonMiddag[mid-dahg]
EveningAand[ahnt]
YesterdayGister[kis-tehr]
TodayVandag[fahn-dahg]
TomorrowMôre[moh-ruh]
1Een[ayn]
2Twee[twee]
3Drie[dree]
4Vier[feer]
5Vyf[fayf]
6Ses[sehs]
7Sewe[seh-weh]
8Agt[aahgt]
9Nege[neh-kuh]
10Tien[teeyn]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Waar is 'n/die...?[vahr is un/dee]
What's the address?Wat is die adres?[vaht is dee ah-drehss]
Can you show me (on the map)?Kan jy my wys (op die kaart)?[kahn yay may vays (ohp dee kahrt)]
When's the next (bus)?Wanneer is die volgende (bus)?[vahn-ehr is dee fuhl-guhn-duh (buhs)]
A ticket (to ....)'n Kaartjie (na ....)[un kahrt-chee (nah)]

History of Hatfield

From Farm Land to Suburb

Hatfield developed during Pretoria’s outward expansion in the early twentieth century, when land beyond the older central districts was subdivided for suburban growth. The area took its name from Hatfield, and its broad streets and garden-suburb layout reflected the period’s preference for lower-density residential development. Its position east of the historic centre later made it attractive for educational institutions and transport connections, although the neighbourhood’s present commercial and student character emerged gradually rather than appearing fully formed.

The University Comes to Hatfield

The University of Pretoria is central to Hatfield’s modern identity. The institution began as the Transvaal University College in 1908, initially operating in central Pretoria, and moved to the Hatfield area in 1910. It became the University of Pretoria in 1930. The campus’s growth brought academic buildings, residences, libraries, cultural collections and a large daily population to the suburb, transforming Hatfield from a primarily residential area into one of the capital’s most recognisable university districts.

A Growing Commercial District

As the university expanded, Hatfield’s surrounding streets acquired shops, cafés, restaurants, professional offices and accommodation aimed at students and visitors. Burnett Street and adjoining corridors became particularly associated with everyday university commerce and evening entertainment. This change was part of a wider twentieth-century shift in Pretoria, as established suburbs near major institutions became more intensely used and increasingly mixed in character. Older houses and garden plots existed alongside apartment buildings, student residences and commercial premises.

Rail Connections and Contemporary Change

The opening of Hatfield Gautrain Station in 2011 strengthened the neighbourhood’s connection with Pretoria’s central areas, OR Tambo International Airport and Johannesburg’s northern suburbs. The station reinforced Hatfield’s role as a transport and employment node while supporting further investment in apartments, offices and student-oriented services. Today, the area’s identity sits between suburb and urban node: the university remains its cultural anchor, while redevelopment, traffic and changing accommodation patterns continue to reshape the streets around it.

Hatfield in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

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The closest neighbourhoods to Hatfield, if you have time for more than one stop.

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