It is the season of Restaurant Awards and accolades, and the newest one is 50 BEST Discovery, launched just two weeks ago by the World’s 50 Best, a credible ranked list of the best restaurants in the world. In total, 27 South African establishments appear on this new list, of which 23 are restaurants, ten in Cape Town, and with some strange inclusions. I had to ask myself what this is all about, reading the motivation for and description of this newest accolade. Continue reading →
The only new restaurants opening this month are Epice, in Franschhoek, headed by Chef Charné Sampson, belonging to The La Colombe Group, and to be located in the former Marigold restaurant, as well as The Four Square Club, opened as a lunch restaurant by Chef Chris Erasmus at Môreson. Chef Peter Tempelhoff announced the opening of a new ‘funky’ restaurant in Cape Town on Kfm last week.
Other recent restaurant openings are Exhibit A of Chefs Rikku O’Donnchü and Warwick King on Bree Street in Cape Town, La Chêne was opened by Chef Darren Badenhorst at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek, and Cowboys & Cooks has opened in De Waterkant. Continue reading →
I cannot remember when an Eat Out Awards event was so exciting in its Top 10 countdown, with so many surprise restaurants on this year’s list, reflecting how more daring the Eat Out judging team has become, no longer playing it safe, which is highly commended. Since Chef Margot Janse took over in heading the Eat Out Awards judging panel in 2018, she has been ruthless in her restaurant recognition, which we already noticed when Eat Out announced its Top 30 nomination shortlist for this year, in some of the top restaurants it excluded! Continue reading →
Each year I attempt a prediction of the Eat Out Top 10 Restaurants in South Africa, from the restaurant guide’s Top 30 nomination short list. Each year it seems to get more difficult to predict which restaurants will make the top of the grade, the new Head Judge Margot Janse pulling many surprise punches in her Top 10 List last year, and even this year in her Top 30 nominations list. On Sunday 17 November the Restaurant industry ‘Oscars’ will be presented to the Top 10 South African Restaurants at GrandWest. Continue reading →