Durban's Poké Box Finds Home in African Art Museum

A pink-lit garage café serving Hawaiian poké bowls has found an unlikely new address inside one of South Africa's finest African art museums.

Thomas Wright's Poké Box started in a hidden alleyway off Durban's Florida Road, serving deconstructed sushi bowls and Asian street food to adventurous foodies. When he moved to a bigger space in his childhood neighborhood of Glenwood, he added movie nights, dance parties, and art shows to the menu.

But running the expanded café became overwhelming. When Wright announced he might close, longtime Durban arts champion Gloria Hoff had an idea.

Hoff connected Wright with Paul Mikula, the architect behind Phansi Museum, a treasure trove of indigenous African art and artifacts. Mikula, who earned an honorary doctorate for preserving KwaZulu-Natal's cultural heritage, had just the spot: a space locals call "the cowshed."

Now Wright serves fresh ramen and sesame tofu bowls in a light-filled indoor-outdoor space surrounded by Zulu beadwork and traditional sculptures. Every morning he preps ingredients from Bartho Brothers fishmongers before surfing North Beach, then returns to chop vegetables for his weather-inspired specials like "Durban curry with Japanese vibes."

The Ripple Effect

The collaboration brings new energy to both businesses. Museum visitors can refuel with Wright's "sneaky banana bran muffins" between galleries, while café guests discover world-class African art they might never have encountered otherwise.

During the recent Glenwood Book Fair, a silent book club gathered at Poké Box tables beneath museum artwork, reading quietly while enjoying chicken cabbage wontons. Wright's playful TikTok posts now showcase both his katsu curry and his remarkable new surroundings.

Mikula's vision for Phansi is "to treasure, share and inspire." Wright's fresh fish bowls and creative energy add a delicious new layer to that mission, proving that heritage preservation and fusion cuisine make surprisingly good neighbors.

The museum's motto now extends to lunch: Come for the culture, stay for the poké.