The last few months have been incredibly tough for the restaurant industry. And even though we’re now in Alert Level 2 and the (second) alcohol ban has been lifted, the industry still has a long road to recovery. Restaurants need all the support they can get. That’s why we’re sharing an update on the top 20 restaurants awarded at the 2019 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards – most are ready and waiting to take your reservations right now.
1. La Colombe (Constantia, Cape Town)
The menu at South Africa’s number one restaurant is constantly being tweaked and changed, but you can visit for lunch or dinner (which is now available earlier to ensure guests and staff are home before the current 10pm curfew). The iconic alcoholic drinks pairings are back, with costs varying depending on the menu chosen. Reservations can be made from 5.30pm. Keep an eye on social media, as this will change as regulations do.
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2. The Test Kitchen (Woodstock, Cape Town)
The Test Kitchen is closed for now, but chef Luke Dale Roberts and his team are working on reopening at the beginning of October. It will be a reinvention of sorts, so keep an eye on Eat Out for further updates! In the meantime, Luke is working on a new menu concept with head chef of The Pot Luck Club, Jason Kosmas, which will launch in the next few weeks.
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3. The Restaurant at Waterkloof (Somerset West)
The restaurant will reopen on 18 September. Bookings can be made online.
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4. Wolfgat (Paternoster)
Kobus van der Merwe’s Wolfgat restaurant in Paternoster offers its seasonal tasting menu to guests by reservation only. Lunch is offered Thursdays to Saturdays, while dinner is available on Fridays and Saturdays only.
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5. Fyn Restaurant (Cape Town City Bow)
Fyn is open Wednesdays to Saturdays for lunch and dinner. In addition to the FYN Experience menu, chef Peter Tempelhoff and Ashley Moss have introduced a shorter FYN winter menu for dinner – R575 for four courses with canapés and petit fours. And for the first time ever, FYN is now also offering an à la carte menu for lunch – daily from Wednesdays to Saturdays. The team will still be offering its popular home delivery option, FYN from HOME, for the foreseeable future. Reservations and orders for delivery can still be made online.
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6. La Petite Colombe (Franschhoek)
The Franschhoek restaurant’s seven-course menu is available for lunch and dinner for R495, and there is also a winter special available until the end of September 2020. In addition to the normal wine pairings, there’s a non-alcoholic pairing to complement the menu for R195. Reservations can be made online and the restaurant is open for lunch on Fridays to Sundays and for dinner on Thursdays to Saturdays.
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7. Eike (Stellenbosch)
Eike will now be open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays to Saturdays. Guests can look forward to a two-, three- or five-course menu for lunch and a three- or five-course menu for dinner. The team has also introduced Winter Wednesdays at Eike, when you’ll get 50% off your food bill every Wednesday. Reservations can be made online.
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8. Salsify (Camps Bay, Cape Town)
Salsify is now open for Friday lunch and dinner, Saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch. Choose from a six-course menu for R450 or four courses for R330. Reservations can be made online.
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9. Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient (Elandsfontein, Pretoria)
Restaurant Mosaic is looking forward to its reopening on 2 September with chef Chantel Dartnall’s spring menu. Reservations are open and can be made online.
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10. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (Constantia, Cape Town)
The Constantia branch of Chefs Warehouse is now open from Wednesdays to Sundays for lunch and Wednesdays to Saturdays for dinner. Chef Ivor Jones has broken the three courses down into four courses with two dishes per course, so if someone isn’t comfortable sharing, it’s easier for them to choose four dishes – one from each section. The restaurant’s pick-up-and-go takeaway box menu runs from 5pm to 6pm, but this will come to an end soon. Bookings can be made online.
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11. Camphors at Vergelegen (Somerset West)
The restaurant’s new operating hours are Wednesdays to Sundays from 12pm to 2.30pm. The popular Camphors @ Home takeaway menu collections are also still available on the same days during the hours of 11.30am to 5pm. The restaurant’s current menu costs R350 per person and changes every week, with the last week’s menu becoming the next week’s takeaway menu. Bookings can be made online or via email or telephone.
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12. Overture (Stellenbosch)
Bertus Basson’s Overture and the more casual The Deck are both now open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for lunch. The sought-after Overture at Home boxes are still available at R550 for two people.
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13. LivingRoom at Summerhill Estate (Cowies Hill, Durban)
For the next couple of weeks, LivingRoom will be open for Sunday lunch, with chef Johannes Richter offering five courses for R590
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14. Chefs Warehouse at Maison (Franschhoek)
Chefs Warehouse at Maison is doing lunch service on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 3pm (last seating at 2pm). The deli is open on Thursdays to Sundays from 10am to 3.30pm, and the team has added a Friday and Saturday dinner option from 5.30pm to 9.15pm, with the last seating at 7.30pm.
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15. Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort (Constantia, Cape Town)
The restaurant will be opening on 1 September for dinner only. Keep an eye on their social media for more updates!
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16. Le coin Français (Franschhoek)
The restaurant will reopen on 28 August. Stay tuned to their social media for more updates on opening times and menu details.
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17. La Tête (Cape Town City Bowl)
Closed until further notice.
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18. The Shortmarket Club (Cape Town City Bowl)
Closed until further notice.
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19. Tjing Tjing Momiji (Cape Town City Bowl)
Momiji is open Thursday to Saturday from the end of September. Chef Semczyszyn and her team are only doing one dinner sitting at 6pm for their seasonal multi-course Kaiseki, but she hopes to extend it soon! Meanwhile the rooftop bar is now open for drinks and otsumami from 12pm to 9pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays (last rounds at 8.30pm), and Tjing Tjing Torii downstairs is open from 12pm until 9pm. Pre-orders for takeaway meals can be placed online for Thursday to Saturday deliveries.
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20. Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch)
Closed until further notice.
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