WHO WAS CELEBRATING most after the 2019 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards? Chef James Gaag of La Colombe at Silvermist Estate in Constantia, voted the top restaurant in South Africa, Bertus Basson of Eike and Overture at Hidden Valley in Stellenbosch who was judged Chef of the Year, or Ivor Jones of Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia who was considered No. 1 by his peers, the Chefs’ Chef?

Perhaps the cheers were loudest among the La Colombe team, who were also celebrating Joseph Dhafana winning the Eat Out Wine Service Award. Plus, there was applause for Jewell’s of the Spice Route Destination in Paarl, winner of the New Restaurant of the Year award, with other top wine farm venues honoured including Somerset West’s Restaurant at Waterkloof and Camphors at Vergelegen, Franschhoek’s Chefs Warehouse at Maison and the restaurant at Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch.

For Eat Out’s choice of other top restaurants in the Cape winelands, see here, and for the full results and more info about the awards, click here.