AS INTERESTING as the choice of top laureates at South Africa's 2025 Eat Out Restaurant Awards in Cape Town were the names of the newcomers praised on stage. Big winners on the night were Salsify at the Roundhouse in Cape Town's Camps Bay (Restaurant of the Year), The LivingRoom in KZN's Pinetown (Chef of the Year Johannes Richter) and the Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia on Constantia Nek in Cape Town (Chef's Chef Ivor Jones). However, while a number of those lauded have been attracting rave reviews for many years already, the award for Best Destination Restaurant went to Kapokbos at the Weltevrede wine estate in Bonnievale which opened as recently as 2022. “More than worthwhile travelling to… More than just exceptional dining… Unique location, immersive experience, and distinctive charm…” The name inspired by the herb Kapokbos (Snow Bush) a.k.a. wild rosemary which is found on the koppies at the farm, the menu ever-changing, casual dining overlooking rose gardens and vineyards with the Riviersonderend mountains as a backdrop.
Three more fairly new eateries in the Cape winelands that were also star-rated for the first time included Rykaart's at Longridge and Vuur Goose Island at Remhoogte in Stellenbosch, as well as Scape at Vrymansfontein by Vondeling in Paarl.
In the 2025 edition of South Africa's Gourmet Guide published late-2024, the Eat Out rival hailed La Colombe on the Silvermist estate at Constantia Nek and FYN in Cape Town's city bowl as the country's two “globally iconic” standouts, but the publications are in agreement regarding five restaurants rated among the country's finest, namely, in alphabetical order: FYN, La Colombe, La Petite Colombe at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek, Pier at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and Salsify. Other Three Star establishments according to Eat Out include Dusk in the Stellenbosch CBD and The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, whereas the other Three Plate outfits reviewed in the Gourmet Guide are Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia and Klein Jan in the Tswalu Kalahari private wildlife reserve, Van Zylsrus.
The 2025 Eat Out Awards, sponsored by the Woolworths retail group, followed an eight-month period during which “a panel of eight anonymous, independent judges visited each shortlisted restaurant multiple times – during both peak and off-peak periods – to ensure a fair and all-encompassing assessment.” The nationwide culinary journey by the judges and scouts involved 690 restaurant visits across South Africa with all meals paid for. According to Abigail Donnelly, Eat Out’s culinary director: “Every star awarded truly reflects consistent excellence, from innovation on the plate to the overall guest experience. The criteria cover every aspect of the dining experience, from food quality and technique to service, ambience and value.”
For the all of the most highly rated restaurants in the Cape winelands, see below. For all of the accolades at the 2025 Eat Out Awards, click here, and for all of the ‘plated' restaurants in the 2025 Gourmet Guide, click here.
TOP SA WINE FARM RESTAURANTS
Beyond at Buitenverwachting
Constantia, Cape Town
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Cavalli
Helderberg, Stellenbosch
One Star at Eat Out Awards, One Plate in Gourmet Guide
Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia
Constantia Nek, Cape Town
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, Three Plates in Gourmet Guide
Chefs Warehouse at Maison
Franschhoek
One Star at Eat Out Awards, Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Chorus at Waterkloof
Sir Lowry's Pass, Somerset West
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, One Plate in Gourmet Guide
Clara’s Barn at Vergenoegd Löw
Faure, Stellenbosch
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Creation
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
One Star at Eat Out Awards, One Plate in Gourmet Guide
Delaire Graff Restaurant
Banghoek/Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
One Plate in Gourmet Guide
FABER at Avondale
Klein Drakenstein, Paarl
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, One Plate in Gourmet Guide
Farro at Gabriëlskloof
Bot River
One Star at Eat Out Awards
Gåte at Quoin Rock
Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Hōseki at Delaire Graff
Banghoek/Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
One Star at Eat Out Awards, Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Jordan with Marthinus Ferreira
Stellenbosch Kloof
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, One Plate in Gourmet Guide
Kapokbos at Weltevrede
Bonnievale
One Star at Eat Out Awards
La Colombe at Silvermist
Constantia Nek, Cape Town
Three Stars at Eat Out Awards, Three Gold Plates in Gourmet Guide
La Petite Colombe at Leeu
Franschhoek
Three Stars at Eat Out Awards, Three Plates in Gourmet Guide
Orangerie at Le Lude
Franschhoek
One Star at Eat Out Awards
Rust en Vrede
Helderberg, Stellenbosch
Two Stars at Eat Out Awards, Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Rykaart’s at Longridge
Helderberg, Stellenbosch
One Star at Eat Out Awards
Scape at Vrymansfontein by Vondeling
Suid-Agter Paarl
One Star at Eat Out Awards
Table at De Meye
Muldersvlei, Stellenbosch
One Star at Eat Out Awards, Two Plates in Gourmet Guide
Tokara Restaurant
Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
One Plate in Gourmet Guide
Vuur Goose Island at Remhoogte
Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
One Star at Eat Out Awards
• For all of the top places to eat at on South African wine farms together with contact details and links to their websites, click here.
• For the most highly recommended wines at the SA estates with the most highly rated restaurants, click here.