You dont have to check into a hotel to enjoy a glamorous night out in Jozi nowadays. Many of the citys stylish boutique hotels offer fine-dining experiences away from the madding crowds of restaurant strips and malls. Think designer décor, five-star chefs and the intimacy of a luxe hotel – possibly with a visiting celebrity sitting at the table next to yours.

Arrive early and enjoy your pre-dinner cocktails shaken or stirred at The Peech, and make sure you leave room for the decadent desserts served at The Terrace at the Fairlawns Hotel. The aptly named Feedroom is not just a gourmet showpiece; you can enjoy glorious views here while dining alfresco. Each hotel may have its own style in the kitchen but their goals are similar – fresh, seasonal ingredients used in innovative ways.

Sides Restaurant at Ten Bompas in upmarket Dunkeld should be at the top of the list for fine hotel dining: some 12 years ago this contemporary boutique hotel defined the experience – in Joburg anyway – and Sides has been satisfying discerning diners from all over South Africa and the globe ever since.

Head chef Phil de Villiers puts a modern twist on great classics – try the starter of rabbit confit terrine, which consists of slow-cooked rabbit and marinated wild mushroom terrine served with a herb salad and fresh thyme dressing; a main course of butter-roasted line fish topped with pan-fried prawns and served with sautéed greens, artichoke purée and prawn-infused vinaigrette; and end on a sweet note with deliciously dark Ghanian chocolate tart with raspberry semifreddo and lavender-and-vanilla ice cream.

The menu changes seasonally and wines are recommended for the dishes. Ten Bompas has quite a wine collection – some 5 000 bottles – including a selection of superb Cape Winemakers Guild Auction wines, which are housed in a double-volume, glass-fronted cellar overlooking the swimming pool.

Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa in Morningside Manor has been known to host an international celebrity or two and The Terrace Restaurant, which spills out onto a continental-style deck overlooking opulent gardens, is just the spot for a glamorous night out. The menu is synonymous with the hotel’s luxurious surroundings. Try starters such as sushi d’Afrique, an array of salmon, avocado and pickled beef sushi with a twist; mains of slow-roasted duck with a crisp raspberry and plum wanton, wilted greens and star anise jus; and fresh, original desserts such as lemongrass panna cotta with passion fruit and chilli coulis, all prepared by head chef Alicia Giliomee. Fairlawns also boasts an award-winning wine selection.

Taking the boutique hotel concept into the new age, The Peech in Melrose, one of Jozi’s oldest suburbs, can best be described as an eco-boutique hotel, where sustainable, eco-friendly solutions such as solar-heated water and grey water recycling play an important role. It goes without saying that the hotel’s fabulous, Afrocentric bistro would provide much of the same green vibe. Head chef Greg Jardim creates seasonal menus consisting of dishes prepared with organic ingredients and pasture-fed, South African meats. And there’s a pretty herb garden just outside room 15 that supplies the kitchen. Before you get stuck into fabulous starters such as grilled prawns with tequila mayo, mains of open asparagus-and-wild-mushroom lasagne and desserts along the lines of poached banana with toasted almonds and vanilla ice cream, enjoy a glass of pre-dinner bubbly from the adjoining champagne bar’s wide selection of champagnes and sparkling wines.

You’ll find a sophisticated five-star dining experience at Trents, which is situated within the walls of super-stylish St Andrews Boutique Hotel. Executive chef Rico Carlinsky prepares innovative South African cuisine using seasonal organic ingredients. His flavour and texture combos are the talk of the town. Imagine starters of chilled green pea soup with warm mushrooms; mains of duck breast, Asian noodle stir fry with plum sauce and paprika foam, and a to-die-for dessert of honey cream with ginger brûlée.

On a gorgeous equestrian estate just beyond the city limits sits the somewhat grand Tintswalo at Waterfall. Its restaurant, The Feedroom, is executive chef Robert Venter’s signature kitchen, which can only mean one thing: it’s well worth the 30-minute drive. The contemporary cuisine has global influences and the menu’s frequent changes ensure it retains an edge and keeps the taste sensations alive. Gaze over wide-open spaces while feasting on starters of Thai beef salad with glass noodles; mains of impala loin wrapped in Parma ham served with vanilla dauphinoise, fried baby carrots and asparagus with a coffee jus; and dessert of chocolate-and-raspberry torte with fresh berries and home-made sorbet. Or, since wine pairing is an option here, try something a little different and dine underground in the hotel’s well-stocked wine cellar.

Last, but most certainly not least, is the intimacy you experience when eating in the heart of Rosebank at Clico’s comfortably chic dining room. Its specialty is wine pairing and chef Sean Ackerman will talk you through his inventive dishes while introducing you to the wines most suited to them. Try starters of seared scallops served on oven-roasted garlic mash, finished with a red pepper emulsion and nuts; mains of grilled skin-on Cape Salmon fillet served on spinach and cabbage noodles, finished with poached quails’ eggs; and dessert of jellied apple served with apple syrup and a side of apple doughnut. Words, Laurel Pretorius