Wondering where to go for burgers, lazy country-style lunches and excellent seafood? Look no further! The Western Cape’s top casual restaurants for 2019 have been announced at the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries, which took place in Cape Town on 25 September. (The winners in other provinces were announced at a separate ceremony in Gauteng on 17 September. Check out the winners in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal here.)

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, from 1 October 2018 to 31 July 2019.

The winners

The 2019 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries winners and highly commended restaurants in the Western Cape are:

Best Asian-Inspired Eatery

Winner: Tjing Tjing Torii (City Bowl)
“Accidentally stumbled across Tjing Tjing while looking for a place for dinner and now continuously return. Will recommend them to anyone who will listen. The food is absolutely amazing! Their steamed buns and pan-fried dumplings are a must!” – Kathleen Mukheibir, Eat Out reader

The interior at Tjing Tjing Torii. Photo supplied.

Highly commended: Bao Down (Tamboerskloof)
“Bao Down is a welcoming addition to Vredehoek Avenue and a pleasant addition to the list of Asian eateries in Cape Town. It’s simple in décor and design, but complex in its flavours – a space where the food really takes centre stage.” – Adriana Roos, Eat Out reader

Prawn toast spicy dressing lemon mayo at Bao Down. Photo by Natalie Walker.

Eat Out Durbanville Hills Best Bistro

Winner: The Shop (Sea Point)
“I just absolutely love this place! From the delicious food (all ingredients can be traced back to the origin) to the great atmosphere and the passionate owners and staff. The Shop is something truly special!” – Jacobus Van Zyl, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by THE SHOP (@theshopseapoint) on Aug 1, 2019 at 10:35pm PDT

Highly commended: Groot Phesantekraal Restaurant (Durbanville)
“Everything is five-star! Food, service and the wine! Definitely worth the visit!” – Anelle Neethling, Eat Out reader

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HOMEMADE Tagliatelle ~ Simplicity is sometimes a winner

A post shared by Groot Phesantekraal Farm (@grootphesantekraal) on Sep 6, 2019 at 1:17am PDT

Eat Out Hellmann’s Best Burger Eatery

Winner: De Vrije Burger (Stellenbosch)
“I compare all burgers to this and nothing compares! All options are to die for.” – Mart Haasbroek, Eat Out reader

De Vrije Burger’s majestic burger. Photo by Roxy Spears.

Highly commended: Gibson’s Gourmet Burgers and Ribs (V&A Waterfront)

“There’s a reason this restaurant has won multiple awards. They definitely serve the best burgers and the options are endless. If burgers are not your thing then try their pork ribs. They are truly finger-licking good. They also have the biggest milkshake menu I’ve ever seen. This place is surely a crowd-pleaser.” – Eleanor Barlow, Eat Out reader

A succulent burger from Gibson’s. Photo supplied.

Best Coffee Shop

Winner: Pajamas & Jam Eatery (Strand)
“My most favourite place to eat and generally spend time at. It feels like home. Their array of cakes is something that has to be seen to be believed.” – Sabrina Beattie, Eat Out reader

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Berries + cheesecake @pajamasandjameatery #thelocaleatery #cake #berries #bakery #eatery

A post shared by Pajamas + Jam e a t e r y (@pajamasandjameatery) on Sep 10, 2019 at 4:46am PDT

Highly commended: Boston Coffee, Bellville
“Love the vibe at this place. The food is amazing and the coffee is the best.” – Lelani Bezuidenhout, Eat Out reader

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Maandag BREEKER ? #altydvars @megodefreitas ?

A post shared by Boston Coffee (@bostoncoffeealtydvars) on Jul 15, 2019 at 2:02am PDT

Best Country-Style Eatery

Winner: Karoo Art Hotel, Barrydale
“Simply one of the best – an authentic Karoo scenery and an ambient vibe leaves this restaurant nothing short of superb. The food is first-class, I’ll leave it there.” – James Longmore, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by Karoo Art Hotel (@kahbarrydale) on Jun 29, 2018 at 6:57am PDT

Best Indian-Inspired Eatery

Winner: The Indian Chapter with Prim Reddy, Blouberg
“The Indian Chapter blew my hair back. The fragrant flavours and taste integrity with which the curries are made is just phenomenal. The Indian Chapter has REAL respect for the flavours and the spices they use in the dishes. Just enough to pack a real flavour punch. Thank you to The Indian Chapter and Prim for the wonderful experience.” –  Russel Gerber, Eat Out reader

A curry from The Indian Chapter with Prim Reddy. Photo supplied.

Best Italian-Inspired Eatery

Winner: Scarpetta (Woodstock)
“Delicious and wholesome food and relaxed atmosphere. Feels like home!” – Jessica Schoeman, Eat Out reader

Pasta from Scarpetta. Photo supplied.

Eat Out Tramontina Best Steakhouse

Winner: The Fat Butcher, Stellenbosch
“Having battled for months to get in, we were delighted to take an out-of-town friend there today and boy, were we not disappointed. Every attention to detail has been made.” – Clint Waltman, Eat Out reader

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Perfectly aged, flame grilled, real butter and bone marrow. The Fat Butcher way. #FatButcher #steakhouse

A post shared by Fat Butcher (@fatbutcher_sa) on Feb 22, 2019 at 5:26am PST

Highly Commended: Rare Grill, Kenilworth
“Amazing steak. Great wine and good company. One of Cape Town’s hidden gems. It’s the best steak you can eat in a homey environment. Plus, the music is better than most people own.” – Kurt Schultz, Eat Out reader

Bone marrow and toast at Rare Grill. Photo supplied.

Best Tapas Eatery

Winner: ChiCha Wine and Tapas Bar, Sea Point
“Everything we had here was just delicious, and the wine menu caters for all tastes. We opted for the Copper Pot pinot noir, which was lightly chilled and worked well with our choice of dishes. Cannot wait to go back!” – Caroline Fuchsloch, Eat Out reader

 

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A post shared by ChiCha Restaurant (@chichact) on Jun 8, 2019 at 4:20am PDT

Already want to start contributing to your favourite eatery winning next year? Remember to write a review on our website or by using our free app.

The top names in each category for each province were determined by a two-step process. Star ratings are 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.