The top twenty nominees
* Auberge Michel (Johannesburg)
Auberge Michel is one of South Africa's finest French restaurants and should be a shoo-in for a top ten position again.

Aubergine (Cape Town)
Aubergine epitomises haute cuisine in a tranquil setting. Aubergine was recently honoured for receiving an American Express® Platinum Fine Dining Award for ten consecutive years.

Bosman's (Paarl)
Bosman's is the only Relais Gourmands (Relais & Chateaux) establishment in Africa, has also received an American Express® Platinum Fine Dining Award for ten consecutive years.

* Bread & Wine (Franschhoek)
Situated on the beautiful Môreson estate, head chef Neil Jewell will try to ensure that Bread & Wine's modern country cuisine receive a top ten spot again.

Grande Provence (Franschhoek)
With executive chef Peter Tempelhoff from the award winning 'Automat in London joining Grande Provence, they will definitely be gunning for the top ten. This Sunday Times Chef of the Year might also have his eye on the Eat Out Chef of the Year title.

Café 1999 (Durban)
This Durban stalwart encourages sociable tapas-style eating. Café 1999 will be hoping to add this national accolade to its plethora of KwaZulu-Natal based dining awards.

* Ginja (Cape Town)
The tiny door to this restaurant leads to an exciting and artistic restaurant. It is certainly vying for a top ten spot again this year.

* Jardine (Cape Town)
George Jardine won last year's Eat Out's Chef of the Year Award. Jardine has a well-balanced menu with something for everyone.

La Belle Terrasse and Loggia (Johannesburg)
Situated in the Westcliffe Hotel in Johannesburg, La Belle Terrasse serves elegant international cuisine complemented by an extensive wine list.

La Colombe (Constantia)
When taking over Luke Dale-Roberts had to fill the shoes of multi-award winning chef Franck Dangereux. However, the unpretentious Brit made the transition smoothly, ensuring that the La Colombe-dining experience remains a favourite on the fine-dining landscape of the Western Cape.

Linger Longer (Johannesburg)
This restaurant has been delighting diners with flavour-rich dining experiences for more than a quarter of a century. Linger Longer was recently honoured for receiving an American Express® Platinum Fine Dining Award for ten consecutive years.

* Ninth Avenue Bistro (Durban)
The food at the popular Durban bistro is exceptional and should ensure that they get the nod for a top ten position again.

* Reuben's (Franschhoek)
Reuben's is owned and run by the Reuben Riffel, one of the golden boys of South Africa's cuisine scene. Reuben's is a safe bet for a guaranteed spot in the top ten.

Roots (Krugersdorp)
African and Asian heritage is evident in the food at Roots, combining elegantly with traditional French influences. Chef Philippe Wagenfuhrer should get the nod this year.

Salt (Cape Town)
Salt's nomination might be a bit contentious considering that the creator of the 'Salt food experience' is Pete Goffe-Wood, one of the judges on the Eat Out panel. However, Salt has definitely left an impression on the restaurant scene in Cape Town taking fine dining, service, setting (and pricing) up a notch or two.

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek)
With multi-award winning chef Margot Janse at the helm, this restaurant needs no introduction. Controversially missing a top ten spot last year, we can only hope the Eat Out panel will not overlook The Tasting Room again.

Templeton's at Four Oaks ((Montagu)
It is fantastic for SA's gastronomic landscape to see a restaurant from Montagu making the top twenty cut. The owner, Stephen Templeton (formerly executive chef of the Mount Nelson Hotel) has turned this historical building into a wonderful gourmet retreat.

* Terroir (Stellenbosch)
Terrior won last year's Best Restaurant and Best Service Award. However with partner Nic van Wyk's departure to run his own show at the Barnyard Brasserie and Tapas Bar, it will be interesting to see if this will influence Terrior's performance.

* The Showroom (Cape Town)
The Showroom took Cape Town by storm with its über trendy setting while grabbing the attention of diners with open innovative cuisine.

Zachary's at the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa (Knysna)
Chef Geoffrey Murray dishes up global flavours and a spot in the top ten will compliment will his illustrious list of kitchen-conquering accolades.

* Restaurants that featured on the top ten list last year.

Post your top ten in our comment box

Top 10 Best SA Restaurant 1. Auberge Michel (Johannesburg) 2. La Colombe (Costantia) 3. Roots (Krugersdorp) 4. The Tasting Room at Lequartier (Franschoek) 5. Grande Provence (Franschoek) 6.Jadine (Cape Town) 7. Linger Longer (Johannesburg) 8. Ninth Anenue Bisro (Durban) 9. Terroir (Stellenbosh) 10. The Showroom (Cape Town) - Kiriya Munemo   My top favs La Colombe, Terroir, The Tasting Room, Reubens, Ginja - Gill   Top 10 Rstaurant Awards The Top 20 list looks more like the Top 20 of people only familiar with Cape Town and Johannesburg, the self selected A-list?. I dare to say the more "French", and the better the surroundings, the better the chance to get on the list.Where is the rest of the country, e.g PE, Garden Route,Karoo, Free-State,South Coast,West Coast,Limpopo,etc. or are there only steak houses? Is traditional venison,curry,bobotie, skaaptjops and melktert not "cool"? Stop destroying our palettes with imported ideas.Do tourists truly "taste" South Africa, or are they bombarded with South Africa's idea of European cuisine? - Cobus de Jager   restaurants what about spur?! - piet   Top 10 I am so pleased to see Ritrovo in Waterkloof PRETORIA is not on the list. Maybe Fortunato lost his voice...or he didn't put his prices up high enough. All these restaurants in my mind are TOTALY over rated and ridiculously priced. (Please sent me a government credit card) - Sarel Swanepoel   home food I can tell you Cobus, Piet and Sarel are so right in what they say.Why spend money on these rest. if you can eat so much lekkerder at home. - Nico   Top 20? No restaurants in Pretoria? Over the years Pretoria has produced some of the best restaurants in SA. Have they gone down the toilet? - Pieter   Linger Longer Godd food but horribly over-priced. Gauteng's most expensive eatery..??? More food, less price please! - gary   TOP RESTAURANTS You guys have omitted the: Spice on Florida, Morningside Durban. If this restaurant is good enough for Bill Gates and Bill Clinton, why isn't it under the top 20? - Daniel Wassenaar   Performance based selection I would like to suggest that we just simply move away from the idea that food stacked by hand (the thought of that? Ugh) is good, as long as it is expensive. Lets look at it like this-What makes a restaurant great? 1. It makes a profit. 2. It has a loyal customer base. 3 They develop excellence in their employees. 4. They are the best at producing the best eating out experience in their category in the country. So what if it happens to be Spur etc. How many of those nominated can say that they could one day have a branch in every town?? That is excellence based on performance. - Carl   Go the distance I'm with Cobus on this. I understand that this type of competition goes out of its way to cater to the areas where the majority of people live, but then it should be specified. Call it the "Eat Out Top 10 in JHB/CTN" In fact, it almost feels as if a couple of JHB places were tacked on to make sure it wasn't all Ctn. - Bibi   The Highlander Hi, I'd like to see the Highlander Restaurant in McGregor being nominated, and winning a top 10 award. I've been to Reubens and La Cartier Francais, that are listed in the top 10, and the highlander restaurant can give the both of them a run for their money! How does one nominate a restaurant? I would like to invite the guys who make these decisions to go to this newly opened restaurant, and everybody else for that matter... - Iddi   Spriggs and Cafe 1999 I would have added Spriggs in Kloof to the list. But my vote goes to Cafe 1999. - Shellique       Name Email Subject Comment