Where do locals go for the best steak, coffee, tapas and more in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal? The public’s favourite eateries, vetted by Eat Out’s critics, were revealed at a celebration in Sandton on Tuesday, 17 September.

After a year-long voting period and adjudication process, the top eateries in each category were determined by public ratings received via the Eat Out app and website, in conjunction with scoring from professional Eat Out critics.

The 2019 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries winners and highly commended restaurants in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal are:

KwaZulu-Natal

Best Coffee Shop or Café

Winner: Café Mayfair (Hillcrest)

“This is me and my wife’s absolute favourite place to go for breakfasts and lunches! Food is tasty and well-priced. Service is always top notch. Wouldn’t fault or change a thing. And trust me, we’ve been there enough times that I’m pretty sure we should have part ownership. Keep up the good work, Brad and team!” – Kevin Copley, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Cafe Mayfair Hillcrest (@cafemayfairhillcrest) on Aug 27, 2019 at 4:44am PDT

Best Country-Style Eatery

Winner: Oaklands Country Manor (Van Reenen)

“Our last visit to Oaklands, over Easter, was consistent with all previous visits: breath-taking and peaceful surroundings, beautiful interiors, excellent personal service, and the best local cuisine one can imagine. We enjoy each next plate of food as much as the previous, and the children cannot get enough of the horse-riding; while the Tully family makes all visitors feel completely at home, almost part of the family. The biggest challenge is to plan our next visit, as it could never be soon enough.” – Hendre van Zyl, Eat Out reader

The Oaklands Country Manor outside seating at night. Photo supplied.

Eat Out Hellmann’s Best Burger Eatery

Winner: Smokin’ Joes (Berea)

“Since our first time at Smokin Joes, we have never been satisfied by burgers anywhere else. Prior to tasting Smokin Joes burgers, we weren’t even burger lovers, but that has all changed since our first Nacho Libre Experience. Their beef patties are great and the buns are always soft and fresh. I love that they serve great coffee as well. Service is always fantastic and although we live more than a 100km away, we always find a way to get to Smokin Joes.” – Fathima Razak, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Smokin’ Joe’s (@smokinjoesza) on May 28, 2019 at 5:49am PDT

Eat Out Tramontina Best Steakhouse

Winner: Butcher Block (Umhlanga)

“Lovely restaurant. Could be one of the best steak restaurants in Durban. Excellent quality rib-eye that is cooked to perfection, juicy and flavourful. Also excellent T-bones. Great sauces to complement your steak. Beautiful décor. Highly recommended for their steaks!” – Daine James, Eat Out reader

Gauteng

Best Asian-inspired Eatery

Winner: Momo Kuro (Rosebank)

“Wow, what a hidden gem! The place is literally hidden up a dark stairway and I must admit I had my doubts about whether we were in the right place as we walked up. Once at the top, we were most pleasantly surprised – the restaurant has a beautiful view of the night lights and the atmosphere was buzzing. But the highlight for me was the food. We ordered a selection of dim sum and tapas dishes, all of which were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious! My favourite dish has to be the firecracker chicken, which is just so crispy, spicy and packed with flavour. It got busy so it took a while for some of the food to come out, but it was worth the wait. Overall, a great evening.” – Jessica Morris, Eat Out reader

The slick interior at Momo Kuro. Photo supplied.

Eat Out Durbanville Hills Best Bistro

Winner: Tin Roof Café (Mooiplaats)

“We visited as a party of 6 for dinner. Great atmosphere with a nice fireplace keeping the place cosy and warm as well as good, friendly service. The food was delicious and well-presented. The starters were great. Most of us had the rump with truffle-salted fries. The sauce on the meat was rich and tasty and worked perfectly with the truffle. One of us had the duck, and it looked amazing. The pistachio crème brûlée was the winner dessert. They had great wines to add to the meal. Pricing is above average (especially starters and dessert), but I thought it was reasonable for the quality.” – Peet Viljoen, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Tin Roof Cafe (@tin_roof_cafe) on Aug 16, 2019 at 3:49am PDT

Highly commended: Douglas + Hale (Parktown North)

“I had a spectacular evening alone, entertained by the waiter’s excellent passion for wine and sumptuously spoilt with the best gnocchi I’ve ever eaten. Definitely going back!” – Nicola Cencelli, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Douglas + Hale (@douglasandhale) on Aug 3, 2019 at 3:34am PDT

Best Tapas Eatery

Winner: NGC (Randburg)

“NCG is located in the most unassuming, slightly obscure position, but the menu is well thought out, with a wine list to match. We’ve eaten at NGC on a few occasions now and have never been disappointed. The menu is seasonal and showcases some interesting ingredients, all cooked perfectly. They also offer some great specials such as bottomless bubbles. Blairgowrie needs more restaurants like this!” – Katherine Scott, Eat Out reader

Tapas at NGC. Photo supplied.

Highly commended: Mix Cocktail Bar (Rosebank)

“One of my favourite spots in Johannesburg. With an excellent array of tapas and drinks, you are guaranteed a great time. Get there early for a both outside. A great place to meet friends for a drink without having to push past the obnoxious Sandton crowd.” – Thulane Hadebe, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Mix Cocktail Bar (@mixbarjhb) on Aug 6, 2019 at 11:25pm PDT

Eat Out Hellmann’s Best Burger Eatery

Winner: The Countess (Mellville)

“Best burger I’ve had in a long time!” – Ben Phillips, Eat Out reader

A juicy burger at The Countess. Photo supplied.

Best Coffee Shop or Café

Winner: Café Billi Bi (Modderfontein)

“In the crazy hub of Johannesburg, there are places that bring the soul into a complete calm and sense of enjoyment. Billi Bi does this through food packed with flavour, staff that has a family feel, and a menu that has both classics and culinary experimentations that lead to yearning for more. Not a place to be forgotten, and worthy of frequent visitation.” – Katarina Surjan, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Cafe BilliBi (@cafebillibi) on Jun 4, 2017 at 2:00am PDT

Highly commended: Afro-boer (Die Wilgers)

“Great food, stunning garden, excellent service. They always ensure you have a great experience.” – Larize Nel, Eat Out reader

The outside seating area at AfroBoer. Photo supplied.

Best Mexican-inspired Eatery

Winner: J. Rabbit Tequileria (Sandton)

“Learned about this place from friends. The décor is amazing and the vibe is unmatched. Service is 100%. Our waiter Prince was on point, from food to cocktails. I will become a regular for sure!” – Dons Mhlanga, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by J. Rabbit Tequileria (@jrabbittequileria) on Aug 13, 2019 at 1:42am PDT

Best Italian-inspired Eatery

Winner: Casa Bella (Montecasino)

“The food is always outstanding! These days trying to find an Italian restaurant that serves delicious homemade pasta proves to be more than challenging, but the Casa Bella in Montecasino has become our go-to for all of our Italian food cravings! The portions are always generous and they are reasonably priced for what you get. The complimentary gnocco fritto are a sure winner as well!” – Kelly Carmichael, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Casa Bella (@casabelladining) on Feb 12, 2019 at 6:01am PST

Eat Out Tramontina Best Steakhouse

Winner: Che Argentine Grill (Parkwood)

“Outstanding kitchen, perfect atmosphere, great service and the most amazing owners! Che has an authentic Argentinean asado – but going there is about much more than food. It’s a fantastic experience that takes you straight to Argentina!” – Pablo Graziano, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by CHE Argentine Grill (@chegrill_jhb) on Jul 6, 2019 at 5:57am PDT

The top names in each category for each province were determined by a two-step process. Star ratings given by the public on eatout.co.za and the Eat Out app from 1 October 2018 to 31 July 2019 were tallied. The restaurants that received a large volume of high scores from fans were visited by Eat Out’s professional critics, who gave their own ratings. Final results are based on a 50-50 composite score from the public and the critics.