The South African food community was celebrated yesterday at the annual Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards, boasting a range of well-deserving winners.
The stars, chefs. and die-hard foodies of the South African food community gathered at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town on 23 March 2026 for the coveted Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards. The focus was to honour chefs and restaurants who continue to elevate and define South African dining.
The Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards are a celebration of the incredible talent, passion and dedication that make South Africa’s food scene so extraordinary. It’s about more than just the food – it’s about the people, the stories and the community that bring it all to life. This year, we are thrilled to see the number of starred restaurants grow to 66, reflecting the continued evolution and excellence of our culinary landscapes. Congratulations to all the winners on their remarkable achievements,” Reflects Abigail Donnelly, Eat Out’s culinary director.
Over the past eight months, seven anonymous judges visited restaurants around the country, taking part in a rigorous and fair evaluation process. The criteria cover every aspect of the dining experience, from ambience, value and service to food quality. Judges awarded restaurants one to three stars, based on their final scores (out of 100). Three stars are awarded to restaurants scoring between 90 and 100, with two stars scoring between 80 and 89, and three stars scoring between 70 and 79.
One-star award winners
- BLOEM at Paul Clüver Family Wines (Elgin, Grabouw)
- Cavalli Restaurant (Somerset West)
- Chefs Warehouse at Maison (Franschhoek)
- Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic (Hout Bay, Cape Town)
- CHORUS (Somerset West)
- Creation Wines Tasting Room (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)
- CURATE at Ellerman House (Bantry Bay, Cape Town)
- Cyra (Houghton Estate, Johannesburg)
- Eike (Stellenbosch)
- ëlgr (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Embarc (Parkhurst, Johannesburg)
- Ember & Oak (Constantia, Cape Town)
- Galjoen (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Kapokbos Restaurant (Bonnievale)
- Le coin Français (Franschhoek)
- Leeto (Paternoster)
- Les Créatifs (Bryanston, Johannesburg)
- Marble Restaurant Johannesburg (Rosebank, Johannesburg)
- Melfort (Stellenbosch)
- Merchant Bar & Grill (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Nevermind (Cape St Francis)
- Ongetem (Gardens, Cape Town)
- Orangerie at Le Lude (Franschhoek)
- Qunu (Sandhurst, Johannesburg)
- Reverie Social Table (Observatory, Cape Town)
- Saint Restaurant (Sandton, Johannesburg)
- Seebamboes (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Spek & Bone (Stellenbosch)
- Table Seven (Salt River, Cape Town)
- Terrarium (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town)
- The Bistro at Brookdale Estate (Paarl)
- The Chefs’ Table (Umhlanga, eThekwini)
- The Pot Luck Club Johannesburg (Melrose, Johannesburg)
- The Red Room by Chefs Warehouse (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- The Test Kitchen Fledgelings (Woodstock, Cape Town)
- Tyler’s (eMdloti)
- Upper Union (City Bowl, Cape Town)
Two-star award winners
- Belly of the Beast (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Beyond (Constantia, Cape Town)
- Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Constantia, Cape Town)
- COY Restaurant (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town)
- Dusk (Stellenbosch)
- Epice (Franschhoek)
- FABER at Avondale (Paarl)
- Fermier (Tshwane)
- Good to Gather (Stellenbosch)
- Hōseki (Stellenbosch)
- Meraki by Charlie Lakin (Hillcrest, eThekwini)
- Ouzeri (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- Post & Pepper (Stellenbosch)
- Protégé (Franschhoek)
- Rust en Vrede Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
- The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira (Stellenbosch)
- The Pot Luck Club Cape Town (Woodstock, Cape Town)
- The Table at De Meye (Stellenbosch)
- The Waterside Restaurant (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town)
- Vuur Goose Island (Stellenbosch)
- Wolfgat (Paternoster)
Three-star award winners
- FYN (City Bowl, Cape Town)
- La Colombe (Constantia, Cape Town)
- La Petite Colombe (Franschhoek)
- MERTIA (Stellenbosch)
- Pier (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town)
- Salon (Woodstock, Cape Town)
- Salsify at the Roundhouse (Camps Bay, Cape Town)
- The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate (Pinetown, eThekwini)
Highlights of the evening included many special awards, including the first introduction of Green Stars, emphasising sustainability, innovation and individual excellence.
The Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards reflect what we stand for at Woolworths: quality, innovation, sustainability and community. The introduction of the three Green Star Awards is an important step in recognising real progress towards a more responsible food industry. These awards back chefs and restaurants who are raising the standard not only in what they serve, but in how they operate and the impact they have. We’re proud to partner with Eat Out to recognise and support that work,” says Roy Bagattini, Group CEO of Woolworths Holding.
- Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year: FYN
- Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Chef of the Year: Johannes Richter
- Eat Out S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna Chefs’ Chef award: Ryan Cole
- Eat Out Woolworths Rural Green Star Award: The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate
- Eat Out Woolworths Urban Green Star Award: Dusk
- Eat Out Woolworths Emerging Green Star Award: Terrarium
- Eat Out Callebaut Dessert Award: Catherine Adonis at Qunu
- Eat Out Patrón Mixology Award: Beyond and FYN (sister restaurants)
- Eat Out Best Destination Restaurant: The Table at De Meye
- Eat Out Wine Service Award: Elton Damon at La Petite Colombe
- Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Service Excellence Award: MERTIA
- Eat Out VISI Style Award: Amura
- Eat Out Woolworths Best New Restaurant: Amura
- Eat Out Woolworths Trailblazer Award: Margot Janse, the celebrated chef and former Eat Out chief judge
This year’s Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards showcased the strength and vibrancy of South Africa’s food community, including Eat Out’s upcoming move into News24. A significant step that expands the brand’s reach and connection to the broader community of the country.
