Top South African Restaurants Honoured at the 2026 Eat Out Woolworths Awards in Cape Town

• South Africa’s culinary elite gathered in Cape Town for the 2026 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards to honour the country’s finest dining destinations
• FYN was crowned Restaurant of the Year, leading an impressive list of 66 restaurants that earned prestigious star ratings this year
• Sustainability took centre stage with the introduction of new Green Star awards, alongside individual honours for the nation’s most talented chefs

The gala evening at the Baxter Theatre Centre on 23 March 2026 celebrated the individuals who drive South Africa’s food scene. FYN claimed the top title for its world-class fusion of Japanese and South African flavours. Johannes Richter made history by winning the Chef of the Year award for the second year in a row. Ryan Cole received the Chefs’ Chef award, a special mark of respect from his peers. Aren Pollack at Embarc was named the Rising Star, and legendary winemaker Ken Forrester received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of dedication to hospitality.

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The three and two-star winners

The star rating system is the benchmark for excellence, with eight restaurants achieving the maximum three stars: FYN, La Colombe, La Petit Colombe, MERTIA, Pier, Salon, Salsify at the Roundhouse, and The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate.

The two-star category included standout spots such as Belly of the Beast, Beyond, Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia, COY Restaurant, Dusk, Epice, FABER at Avondale, Fermier, and Good to Gather. Other two-star winners were Hōseki, Meraki by Charlie Lakin, Ouzeri, Post & Pepper, Protégé, Rust en Vrede and The Jordan Restaurant. The Pot Luck Club (Cape Town), The Table at De Meye, The Waterside, Vuur Goose Island and the Wolfgat.

Celebrating One-star distinction across SA

A total of 37 restaurants earned one star, marking them as destinations of true distinction. These include BLOEM, Cavalli, Chefs Warehouse (Maison and Tinstwalo Atlantic), CHORUS, Creative Wine, CURATE, Cyra, Eike, ëlgr, Embarc, Ember & Oak, and Galjoen. The list continues with Kapokbos, Le coin Français, Leeto, Les Créatifs, Marble, Melfort, Merchant Bar & Grill, Nevermind, Ongetem, Orangie at Le Lude, Qunu, and Reverie Social Table. Other restaurants earning distinction were Table Seven, Terrarium, The Bistro at Brookdale Estate, The Chef’s Table, Saint and Seebamboes. The awards were rounded off with The Pot Luck Club, The Test Kitchen Fledgelings, Tyler’s, Upper Union, The Red Room, and Spek & Bone.

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Innovation, style and sustainability

This year saw a major focus on the environment with the first-ever Green Stars awarded to The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate (Rural), Dusk (Urban) and Terrarium (Emerging). Special category winners also included Catherine Adonis at Qunu for the Desery Award, while Beyond and FYN shared the Mixology Award. The Table at De Meye was named Best Destination Restaurant. Elton Damon at La Petite Colombe won the Wine Service award. Service Excellence went to MERTIA, while Amura scooped the Style Award and Best New Restaurant. Finally, Margot Janse was honoured with the Trailblazer Award for her incredible career.

Community celebration of culinary excellence

The 2026 awards showcased the incredible passion and talent within the South African food scene. The event also highlighted the brand's exciting move to News2, a step that will bring local culinary stories to a wider audience. This successful evening was made possible by Woolworths Financial Services, WCellar, Callebaut, and Patrón. Also on the list are the House of Suntory, S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, Boschendal and a few more.

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5 Briefly News Woolworths-related articles

• A content creator shared her amazing experience at the grand relaunch of Woolworths Tygervalley store in Cape Town, showcasing its stunning new design and unique features.
• A woman shared an exciting experiment she was conducting to test the shelf life of Woolworths' fresh fruits and vegetables, which still looked fresh on the second day.
• A digital expert explained that bold prices on food items trigger a comparison mindset in the brain, while subtle pricing allows the consumer to focus on the quality of the product, a clever marketing strategy used by Woolies.
• A local woman challenged herself to get lunch for under R30 at Woolworths and came back with chicken strips and a crusty bread roll, which she enjoyed at work with coffee.
• After the Cape Town Marathon was cancelled due to severe weather conditions, Woolworths donated the food they had prepared for the 24,000 runners to local charities.

Source: Briefly News