The new and robust Eat Out judging process, which kicked off in July and continues through to the end of February 2025, is now at the halfway mark! With this extended timeline, and judges eating across all seasons, the awards ceremony will move from the familiar November date to Monday, 31 March 2025 with ticket sales still to be finalised. The awards will introduce an exciting new format and a fresh approach to celebrating culinary excellence in South Africa’s dining scene.  

Supported by incredible partners, including headline sponsor Woolworths, Eat Out’s eight anonymous judges have been hard at work eating at restaurants across the country.  

Here’s a snapshot of their progress so far: 

• 104 restaurants have made the judges’ shortlist, including 2023’s Eat Out star winners.
• 55 newly scouted restaurants have made the list.
• 373 scorecards have been submitted. As per Eat Out’s standard practice, all scores will undergo an independent audit before the star nominees are announced in early March 2025. 

Click here for an in-depth explanation of the Eat Out judging process and Eat Out’s scorecard criteria. 

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we share exclusive insights from each of the eight judges!