The rand may be taking a beating in the markets, but it seems like restaurant goers have been holding their heads up high. (It’s easier to swallow the delicious food and drinks that way.) Good call, guys. Here are the most-viewed restaurant listings for the month of August in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and the winelands.

• Johannesburg
• Pretoria
• Durban and beyond
• Cape Town
• Winelands

Johannesburg

1. PRON (Linden)
The People’s Republic of Noodles is earning its name big-time with street-food-style tapas and hearty homemade noodles by Emma Chen of The Red Chamber.

Three dishes at Emma Chen’s PRON. Photo by Rupesh Kassen.

2. Five Hundred (Sandton)
Now that superstar chef David Higgs has announced his resignation, you’ll need to get a booking – stat – before he leaves in November. (Although the top quality will be sure to continue under the helm of his protegé Candice Philip.)

3. DW Eleven-13 (Dunkeld West)
Marthinus Ferreira’s modern menu may be classified as complex fine dining, but he never forgets the most important factor: plain and simple deliciousness.

4. Restaurante Parreirinha (Rosettenville)
This Portuguese favourite is popular for the grilled prawns and bacalhau cod of your dreams. And those crispy rolls…

5. The Grand (Rivonia)
The food offering is pretty extensive, but consider yourselves warned: there will be naked ladies. (It’s a ‘gentleman’s club’.)

6. Café Hemingways (Midrand)
This stylish spot serves up top-quality bistro food made with locally sourced, organic-where-possible ingredients.

7. Ace + Pearl Wine Bar (Craighall Park)
This new watering hole by some of the team behind Warm & Glad is proving to be a winner.

8. Escondido Tapas & Wine (Illovo)
The eclectic tapas at this wine bar is getting rave reviews. (Bacon-and-cheese spring rolls = genius.)

Tapas at Escondido. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

9. Che Argentine Grill (Maboneng)
Glorious grilled meat, homemade chimichurri and dulce de leche pancakes. Win win win.

10. L’Opulence (Sandton)
A plush spot for tapas at Nelson Mandela Square.

Pretoria

1. Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient (Elandsfontein)
Chantel Dartnall, our 2014 San Pellegrino Chef of the Year, creates breathtaking fine dining memories and meals.

2. Life Grand Café (Hazelwood)
A popular spot for after-work drinks and delicious tapas.

3. La Terrasse Rooftop Café (Menlo Park)
Tagines are the stars of the show at this atmospheric Moroccan restaurant.

La Terrasse Rooftop Cafe. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

4. Afro-boer (Willows)
This homey cafe with a hip take on South African identity serves great sandwiches, pies and baked goods.

5. Burger Bistro (Villeria)
You guessed it: innovative burgers, excellent fries and creative milkshakes.

6. Les Trois Canards (formerly Three Ducks Bistro, Waterkloof)
The owners of L’épis Doré have opened a new restaurant just in time for spring.

7. Market on Main (Pretoria Central)
This new market has been pretty popular since its launch in June. Every Saturday, you can look forward to Gauteng’s finest food vendors, cocktails and craft beers, a kids’ section, and general all-round happiness.

8. Brasserie de Paris (Waterkloof Ridge)
Whether you’re after a tasting menu or a simple bistro experience, this brasserie offers top-notch food.

9. Hinterland Vleishandelaar (Hazelwood)
Meat is king, with (beef) steak and lamb the stars of this particular show.

A steak at Hinterland Vleishandelaar. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

10. Stone Cradle (Doornkloof)
This game reserve spot just outside the Pretoria suburbs has a buffet offering.

Durban and beyond

1. Old Town Italy (Umhlanga Rocks)
Old-school Italian recipes, imported top-quality products and a beautifully designed space make this spot insanely – but justifiably – popular.

The bar at Old Town Italy. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

2. S43 Home to That Brewing Company (Station Road)
With dishes like onion-and-beer soup with cheese toasties, and mini doughnuts with salted caramel, it’s no surprise that this craft beer spot is making waves.

3. Jaipur Palace (Durban Central)
This Indian-inspired restaurant attracts crowds with its excellent curry buffet.

4. Surf Riders Food Shack (Addington Beach)
Prawns in gorgonzola foam, sweet-potato fries and gourmet hotdogs with a beautiful backdrop.

5. Spoonful Eatery (Morningside)
MasterChef winner Roxi Wardman has opened her own cafe. We can’t wait to see what she cooks up.

Spoonful Eatery. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

6. Capsicum Restaurant at The Britannia Hotel (Durban Central)
Spice lovers flock here for authentic curries served unpretentiously in rotis, bunny chows or with rice.

7. Neo Café (Durban North)
Well-priced Mozambican fare is the name of the game at this casual restaurant.

8. Sagewood Café (Pietermaritzburg)
Farm-fresh, local, seasonal and organic ingredients make up a menu complemented by speciality coffees.

Sagewood’s deck. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

9. 9th Avenue Bistro
Quiet sophistication and sigh-worthy food. This is one of Durban’s best.

10. Lingela at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani (Snell Parade)
It might look like a typical international hotel buffet, but choice is exemplary and the quality superb. Have prawns, fish, steaks and cutlets grilled exactly the way you want them.

Cape Town

1. The Deckhouse Crab Shack and BBQ (Gardens)
Kloof Street’s Gulf-coast-style crab shack has a rather batter-centric selection, but that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? That, and the great cocktail jugs, naturally.

A dish at The Deckhouse Crabshack and BBQ. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

2. The Village Idiot (City Bowl)
The hipsters queue round the block for a spot at the crowded bar on Loop Street. Opt for the cheese board and great gooey brownies.

3. Charango Grill and Bar (City Bowl)
Beautiful interiors, intriguing Peruvian tapas (yes, they have a fish taco on the menu) and the most beautiful cocktails we’ve seen – and sipped – in a while.

The interior at Charango. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

4. El Burro Taqueria
Green Point’s favourite donkey comes to Kloof Nek. Expect mini versions of your favourite El Burro tacos and very cool crowds at this street-food spot.

5. The Test Kitchen (Woodstock)
After being the most-viewed listing for many moons, The Restaurant of the Year takes a back seat – well, a passenger seat – to all the trendy new spots that have opened in Cape Town this month.

6. La Mouette (Sea Point)
One of the worthy nominees for the 2014 Top 10, La Mouette serves some of the best value-for-money fine dining in the city.

7. Tiger’s Milk Long Street (City Bowl)
This is the second of the Tiger’s Milk brand. We hear good things about the pizza and ribs.

Ribs at Tiger’s Milk, Long Street. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

8. Kaprinos (Northgate Estate)
A casual buffet restaurant, popular with those who are organising functions.

9. The Pot Luck Club (Woodstock)
With wraparound views of Woodstock and beautifully plated food that takes tapas to a whole new level, this more casual restaurant in the Luke Dale-Roberts stable remains a must-visit.

The Pot Luck Club from below. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

10. Il Leone Mastrantonio (Green Point)
One word: gnocchi.

Winelands

1. Hudson’s Burger Joint (Stellenbosch)
Great burgers and a hungry crowd means this spot is always bustling.

2. Jordan Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
George Jardine consistently impresses with his delicious fine-dining fare at this Top 10 restaurant. Tip: Arrive before sunset to watch the sky turn pink over the dam.

3. De Warenmarkt (Stellenbosch)
Part market, part permanent store space, this historical building houses Stellenbosch’s newest brunch and lunch solution.

4. Rust en Vrede Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
Fine-dining finesse and expert-level service remain the core of this elegant winelands location. Plus: there’s a cheese trolley.

5. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français (Franschhoek)
Margot Janse and her team of superstars continue to turn out a uniquely South African surprise menu at this 2014 Top 10 restaurant.

6. Overture Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
Bertus Basson’s Top 10 restaurant is still pulling the crowds with clever updates on traditional South African food.

7. The Thirsty Scarecrow (Stellenbosch)
A more casual option in this neck of the woods with super-cool décor, The Thirsty Scarecrow is popular with the younger crowds who might be more into craft beer than fine wines.

8. Terroir (Stellenbosch)
Michael Broughton’s risotto and sauces consistently receive rave reviews.

9. The Restaurant at Newton Johnson (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)
Spectacular views and beautiful food keep guests coming to this out-of-the-way piece of heaven.

10. Bread & Wine (Franschhoek)
You may head here for the bread and wine (both worthy causes), but don’t leave without enjoying the pork by master charcuterer Neil Jewell.