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- The results of the second annual Dineplan Reviewers' Choice Awards are out.
- More than 290,000 diners nationwide reviewed over 1,300 local restaurants.
- For more lifestyle news, go to the News24 Life front page.
Avid diners seem to share a belief that the Western Cape has the best restaurants, and a new survey of more than 200,000 South African diners agrees with this sentiment.
Between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, more than 290,000 diners nationwide reviewed over 1,300 local restaurants, rating their food, value, service and ambience on the Dineplan platform.
Dineplan has ranked the data and shared the results of the second annual Dineplan Reviewers' Choice Awards, which aim to shine a light on SA's most-loved restaurants – regardless of size, style, category or cuisine.
Dineplan is a restaurant reservation platform founded in 2011 by Martin Rose and Greg Whitfield. Restaurants and venues use the platform to manage reservations, deposits and guest databases while streamlining their front-of-house operations.
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It also gives diners and eventgoers an easy way to make bookings at old favourites and new discoveries, with its current list containing more than 1,300 South African restaurants.
Who came out tops?
A tiny farm-to-table restaurant on Rozendal Farm at the foot of the Botmaskop mountain in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape called Good to Gather is the number one restaurant as rated by Dineplan users.
"After taking second place in 2022, this year the eatery not only ascended to become the country's overall number one choice, but also took top honours in the ambience and food categories," said Dineplan in a statement.
Good to Gather is owned by husband-and-wife duo Jess and Luke Grant, and it offers a three-course menu that changes weekly and incorporates seasonal ingredients locally sourced from small-scale farmers.
Diners can savour these culinary delights under the oak trees in the courtyard throughout summer or in the vinegar tasting room during colder months amid views of the cellar packed with the farm's botanical-infused red wine vinegars.
- Good to Gather – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
- Reverie Social Table – Observatory, Cape Town
- Rust en Vrede – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
- The Table at De Meye – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
- Stettyn Family Vineyards Tasting Room – Villiersdorp, Western Cape
- Belly of the Beast – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
- Schneider’s Cape Floral Kitchen – Stanford, Western Cape
- Faber at Avondale – Paarl, Western Cape
- Newstead Lund Family Vineyards – Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
- Klein Roosboom Tasting Room – Durbanville, Cape Town
- Jewell’s at Spice Route – Paarl, Western Cape
- The Restaurant at Newton Johnson – Hermanus, Western Cape
- BluVines District – Montagu, Western Cape
- The Fat Butcher – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
- Addis in Cape Ethiopian Restaurant – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
- Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
- Homespun at the Andros – Claremont, Cape Town
- Orangerie at Le Lude – Franschhoek, Western Cape
- Le Siemma Café Bistrot – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
- Stellenzicht Wines – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
"Words cannot express how honoured we are to receive such a wonderful accolade! We started our business three years ago, through all the trials and challenges of 2020, and turned an old dairy room into a kitchen. We now also have a farm shop that makes all the produce we source available to guests and the local community. Our focus has always been on creating an experience that is a reflection and extension of who we are, our love for gathering the best produce we can find and the joy of sharing it with our guests," commented the couple on their win.
The Reverie Social Table in Cape Town (last year's first place winner), Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch, The Table at De Meye also in Stellenbosch, and Stettyn Family Vineyards Tasting Room in Villiersdorp round out the top five and they are all based in the Western Cape.
The diners decide
The awards' founders are proud that the restaurants are assessed by diners themselves – not by critics, judges, or voting systems.
"All reviews are generated by diners who have made and honoured a booking via the restaurant reservation platform, thereby eliminating fake reviews and ensuring authenticity," said Dineplan.
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Dineplan Growth Marketing Manager Paige Errera said the Awards are intended to guide other diners to establishments renowned for quality food, service, ambience, and value, as well as to hidden gems and unique dining experiences.
"We also use the review data to provide insights and feedback to restaurants about their offerings."
21. Kunjani Wines – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
22. Pier – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
23. Homespun by Matt – Table View, Cape Town
24. De Grendel Restaurant – Panorama, Cape Town
25. 16th by Koi – Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria
26. PepperTree Restaurant – Constantia Park, Pretoria
27. The Farm Eatery at Diemersdal – Durbanville, Cape Town
28. De Eetkamer – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
29. The Station on Bree – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
30. Noop Restaurant – Paarl, Western Cape
31. Royal Tea at The Silo Hotel – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
32. FYN Restaurant – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
33. Steenberg Vineyards Tasting Room – Tokai, Cape Town
34. The Happy Uncles – Salt River, Cape Town
35. Post & Pepper – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
36. Jakkalsvlei – Herbertsdale, Garden Route
37. The Wild Side – Randburg, Johannesburg
38. The Waterside – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
39. Deux Lions – Franschhoek, Western Cape
40. Arkeste – Franschhoek, Western Cape
41. The Melting Pot – Elgin, Western Cape
42. The Woodlands Eatery – Vredehoek, Cape Town
43. Beefcakes Pretoria – Hazelwood, Pretoria
44. 1777 at The Old Rectory – Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
45. Protégé at Le Quartier Français – Franschhoek, Western Cape
46. Ba-Pita – Norwood, Johannesburg
47. Waterford Estate Experiences – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
48. Epice – Franschhoek, Western Cape
49. Tea at Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa – Sandhurst, Johannesburg
50. The Pot Luck Club – Woodstock, Cape Town
Reputation matters
"Restaurants which make it onto the top 100 list benefit from the recognition they receive for being one of SA's top-rated eateries, which in turn helps them boost their reputations, get their names out there and attract new guests while also boosting staff morale," she added.
"In fact, the top 10 restaurants in the 2022 Awards experienced a 48% increase in the number of bookings over the past 12 months on average. While this isn't just because of the Awards, we think they played a role in highlighting these incredible restaurants."
Julia Hattingh, Chef Patron of Reverie Social Table, concurs.
"It was great to be able to welcome more local guests to Reverie due very much to receiving the award. Personal guest feedback is so important, and we love reading about their experiences," she said.
During the review period, Dineplan facilitated more than 4,6 million reservations – seating more than 21 million diners at restaurants nationwide.
52. One Park – Gardens, Cape Town
53. Kay and Monty Wines – Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
54. Oku – Franschhoek, Western Cape
55. Idiom Tasting Centre & Restaurant – Somerset West, Cape Town
56. Obi Restaurant – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
57. Melkbos Kitchen – Melkbosstrand, Cape Town
58. La Colombe at Silvermist – Constantia, Cape Town
59. Glenwood Vineyards – Franschhoek, Western Cape
60. Harringtons Cocktail Lounge – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
61. Les Créatifs Restaurant – Sandton, Johannesburg
62. Gold Restaurant – Green Point, Cape Town
63. Turn ‘N Tender Parktown North – Parktown North, Johannesburg
64. Bloemhof Bar & Grill – Bellville, Cape Town
65. Priva – Waterkloof, Pretoria
66. De Vette Mossel Hermanus – Hermanus, Western Cape
67. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia – Constantia, Cape Town
68. La Petite Colombe at Leeu Estates – Franschhoek, Western Cape
69. Siba – The Restaurant – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
70. Bodega Ramen – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
71. The Taproom at Jack Black Brewing Co – Diep River, Cape Town
72. Lupa Osteria Meyersdal – Alberton, Gauteng
73. The Foodbarn Café & Tapas – Noordhoek, Cape Town
74. Delheim Restaurant & Tasting Room – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
75. The Station Parkhurst – Randburg, Johannesburg
76. Lupa Osteria Midstream – Midstream, Gauteng
77. Lupa Osteria Little Falls – Little Falls, Johannesburg
78. African Peninsula Restaurant – Bluff, Durban
79. Salsify at the Roundhouse – Camps Bay, Cape Town
80. George’s Grill House Bedford – Bedfordview, Johannesburg
81. Zest – Sea Point, Cape Town
82. TTK Fledgelings – Woodstock, Cape Town
83. The Grillhouse Rosebank – Rosebank, Johannesburg
84. Café Monroe – Berea, Durban
85. Guardian Peak Winery & Grill – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
86. Restaurant at Glen Carlou – Klapmuts, Western Cape
87. Salsa Mexican Grill Bedfordview – Bedfordview, Johannesburg
88. The Hussar Grill Morningside – Sandton, Johannesburg
89. Wolfgat – Paternoster, Western Cape
90. Insights at Sanctuary Mandela – Houghton, Johannesburg
91. Create Wolwespruit – Erasmuskloof, Pretoria
92. Haute Cabrière – Franschhoek, Western Cape
93. Silver Orange Bistro – Hartbeespoort, Gauteng
94. The Charles – De Waterkant, Cape Town
95. Gåte at Quoin Rock – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
96. Appetito Pizza and Pasta – Germiston, Johannesburg
97. Trumps Grillhouse & Butchery – Sandton, Johannesburg
98. The Hussar Grill Kimberley – Kimberley, Northern Cape
99. De Vette Mossel Grootbrak – Grootbrak, Garden Route
100. The Grill Room at The Oyster Box Hotel – Umhlanga, Durban
Only eateries that had been on the reservation platform for the entire 12-month evaluation window were considered for inclusion.
However, those who joined during this time were eligible for the Newcomer Reviewers' Choice Awards, which saw five winners emerging in each of the following regions: Cape Town & Winelands, the Garden Route, Johannesburg, Pretoria and KwaZulu-Natal.
"The Awards continue to grow, and competition intensifies each year. We anticipate further growth and evolution, but at its core, the Awards will always be about the diner experience," concluded Errera.
To see the full list and find out more about the awards, click here.
