The winner of the 2013 Eat Out Boschendal Style Award will be announced at the Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards on  this Sunday, 10 November.

The award recognises a restaurant that epitomises style – that elusive element that distinguishes outstanding restaurants from those that are simply good. The 20 nominees were announced over the past few weeks, highlighting their design themes and showcasing a gallery of photographs. Revisit them below and hold thumbs for your favourite.

Babel
A mix of old and new gives Babel a modern farm feel with open spaces and glass panels.

Burrata
This Italian eatery embraces its Woodstock setting by keeping a ‘New York meat-packing district’ theme.

Camphors at Vergelegen
Elegant and relaxed, this winelands eatery oozes cool contrasts – like 300-year-old trees and modern high gloss tabletops.

Craft Trattoria (now closed)
Italian has never been this cool. A fun space, designed by Egg Designs, with the main feature a takeaway pizza hatch that looks like a large pair of glossy red lips.

Crazy Horse (now closed)
A casual Italian spot with simple design and quirky touches, like a wall covered with hand-written menu.

Five Hundred
The simple dark backdrop and open window design for Five Hundred is focussed around involving the kitchen and chefs in the overall restaurant experience.

The Green House at Babylonstoren
Winner of last year’s award, the Green House is a beautiful tearoom situated in a glass box amongst the gorgeous gardens of Babylonstoren.

Hartford House
The restaurant is housed in an old Manor House where the use of dark wood and copper reflects the rich past.

Harvey’s Restaurant
Mounted buffalo trophies, padded velvet walls and gold ceilings highlight the modern interior at Harvey’s.

Hemelhuijs
The ever-changing interior at Hemelhuijs is designed and conceptualised by owner, chef and designer, Jacques Erasmus. Design features like the portrait made of toast and a deer is hard not to miss.

The Kitchen at Maison
The 1920s farmhouse feel is modernised by contemporary design items like counters made from recycled scaffolding planks with concrete tops and worn leather couches.

Makaron
The beautiful space is dressed with an industrial look accentuated by copper and steel metals, a glass wine cellar and transparent chairs.

Pierneef a La Motte
The historic Cape Dutch architecture with contemporary design is combined to meet the ‘tradition with a twist’ theme at Pierneef a La Motte.

The Pot Luck Club
The booth-style couches, metal tables and old-fashioned lampshades make this industrial-chic restaurant a stage for the dishes to shine.

Stretta Café
The cleverly tiled space gives Stretta Café the New York City Industrial Italian theme where timber is used to frame and finish off the look.

Tashas Le Parc
This French style café draws design inspiration from Ralph Lauren in Paris. And it’s simply magnificent!

The Tasting Room at le Quartier Francais
Inspired by the food, the design for The Tasting Room has unusual highlights like candy wrap paper from Paris and a rope sculpture.

The Test Kitchen
The highly acclaimed restaurant features design features like exposed brick walls, oak beams, kiaat wood bar counters and striking art works.

Truth Coffee Roasting HQ
Designed around a vintage coffee roaster, Truth has developed a ‘steampunk’ theme that is dark and reflects the time of industrialisation.

VickyChristina’s Tapas Bar y Restaurante
With inspiration from Spain and Hispanic life, VickyChristina’s has the colours of the Spanish flag on the wall and framed images of life in Spain.

By Kelly Pluke