South Africa’s culinary elite took centre stage at the 2025 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards, held at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. The country’s top chefs, restaurateurs and industry leaders gathered for an unforgettable evening celebrating the very best in dining.
The ultimate accolade
The awards remain the gold standard in SA’s restaurant industry, with a rigorous judging process ensuring only the finest establishments earn their stars. A panel of eight anonymous judges visited shortlisted restaurants multiple times over eight months, rating everything from innovation to guest experience. This year’s winners embody consistency, creativity and world-class culinary craftsmanship.
The star-studded lineup
Eat Out’s star system recognises excellence, with restaurants awarded 1, 2 or 3 stars. Only the most exceptional reach the coveted 3-star tier, scoring over 90 out of 100.
3 stars
- Dusk (Stellenbosch)
- Fyn (Cape Town)
- La Colombe (Cape Town)
- La Petite Colombe (Franschhoek)
- Pier (Cape Town)
- Salsify at the Roundhouse (Cape Town)
- The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate (eThekwini)
2 stars
- Beyond (Cape Town)
- Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Cape Town)
- Chorus (Somerset West)
- Clara’s Barn (Stellenbosch)
- Epice (Franschhoek)
- Faber at Avondale (Paarl)
- Fermier (Pretoria)
- Foxcroft (Cape Town)
- Mertia (Stellenbosch)
- Ouzeri (Cape Town)
- Protégé (Franschhoek)
- Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch)
- Salon (Cape Town)
- The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira (Stellenbosch)
- The Pot Luck Club Cape Town (Cape Town)
- The Waterside Restaurant (Cape Town)
- Wolfgat (Paternoster)
1 star
- Belly of the Beast (Cape Town City Bowl)
- Cavalli Restaurant (Somerset West)
- Chefs Warehouse at Maison (Franschhoek)
- Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic (Hout Bay, Cape Town)
- Creation Wines Tasting Room (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)
- Culinary Table (Lanseria)
- Eike (Stellenbosch)
- Ëlgr (Cape Town City Bowl)
- Farro (Botrivier)
- Galjoen (Cape Town City Bowl)
- Hōseki (Stellenbosch)
- Kapokbos (Bonnievale)
- Le coin Français (Franschhoek)
- Les Créatifs Restaurant (Bryanston, Johannesburg)
- Marble Restaurant Johannesburg (Rosebank, Johannesburg)
- Meraki by Charlie Lakin (Hillcrest, eThekwini)
- Nevermind (Cape St Francis)
- Orangerie at Le Lude (Franschhoek)
- Post & Pepper (Stellenbosch)
- Restaurant Klein Jan (Tswalu)
- Reverie Social Table (Observatory, Cape Town)
- Rykaart’s Restaurant at Longridge Wine Estate (Stellenbosch)
- Scape at Vrymansfontein (Paarl)
- Spek & Bone (Stellenbosch)
- Table Seven (Salt River, Cape Town)
- The Chefs’ Table (Umhlanga, eThekwini)
- The Red Room by Chefs Warehouse (Cape Town City Bowl)
- The Table at De Meye (Stellenbosch)
- The Test Kitchen Fledgelings (Woodstock, Cape Town)
- Upper Union (Cape Town City Bowl)
- Vuur Goose Island (Stellenbosch)
- Zioux (Sandton, Johannesburg)
Special awards: Beyond the plate
The Eat Out Awards don’t just celebrate food – they recognise the individuals shaping the future of SA’s dining scene.
- Restaurant of the Year: Salsify at the Roundhouse
- Chef of the Year: Johannes Richter (The LivingRoom)
- Green Star Award: The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate
- Rising Star: Nathan Clarke (The Test Kitchen Fledgelings)
- Wine Service Award: Michelle Erasmus (La Colombe)
- Trailblazer Award: Bertus Basson
- Service Excellence Award: Mertia
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Franck Dangereux
- Style Award: Coy
- Best Destination Restaurant: Kapokbos
- Best New Restaurant: Cyra
- Dessert Award: Epice
- Mixology Award: La Petite Colombe
- Chefs’ Chef Award: Ivor Jones
Congratulations to all the winners!
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Pasta salad with salmon and avocado
