If anyone were to ask you the best places to eat out in Mzansi you could easily reference the 2015 Mercedes Benz Eat Out Awards 20 nominees and there you’d have a list of South Africa’s best restaurants.
We feel that this year’s judges have made fabulous calls with their choices, and as we do every year, we ponder those that must have nearly made the cut. Sometimes a restaurant does not qualify because they have moved premises, or because the chef hasn’t been there longer than 6 months. Such is the case with Equus at Cavalli Estate – where chef Hylton Espey is making waves as head chef. We feel they might have made the cut had they qualified.
Of course there are many amazing restaurants in South Africa and a lot of people probably feel that their favourite eatery should have or could have been nominated in 2015, but, there are not that many people out there who have had a chance to eat at all 20 of the nominated restaurants. That is why Eat Out has the respected panel of judges that they do. And that is also why this list is an accurate compilation of South Africa’s top restaurants. Recommend away!
Click here to find out more about this year’s Eat Out Awards judges.
From our point of view – we are super-chuffed that La Colombe made it onto the list – they moved premises just over a year ago and we were nervous they would not qualify this year. If any restaurant deserves to be there this year it is La Colombe. Chef Scot Kirton is doing amazing things with food, and their food and wine pairing menus are at another level. And their new home at Silvermist is stunning.
We are thrilled to see Foliage in Franschhoek there too. Chef Chris Erasmus opened this gem of a restaurant in 2014 and I don’t think there was ever going to be any doubt he’d be in the running in 2015. We are huge fans of this very talented chef, who has made foraging a household word, and we truly believe he deserves a place in the top 10.
Liam Tomlin’s Chefs Warehouse – also very deserving of a place on the Top 20 list this year after winning Best Everyday Eatery last year.
Those who didn’t make the list this year, but surely came close, are La Mouette in Sea Point, Bread & Wine in Franschhoek and Makaron in Stellenbosch. All fantastic restaurants and we hope to see them making a comeback next year.
Sunday the 15th of November is when it all goes down and the final Top 10 restaurants in South Africa will be announced at the Mercedes Benz Eat Out Awards lunch. We are super-excited to find out who is going to be the best in SA.
Watch this space foodies!