Reviewers Choice Awards
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Reviewers’ Choice Awards 2023: SA’s 100 most-loved restaurants

by | 12 October 2023

We’re thrilled to announce the results of our second annual Dineplan Reviewers’ Choice Awards, which ranks the Top 100 restaurants in South Africa based on your reviews!

With over 290,000 reviews for the 1,300+ local eateries on Dineplan, the awards celebrate restaurants of all sizes, categories and cuisines. Over the past year, there were over 4.6 million reservations made using Dineplan, seating over 21 million guests at restaurants around the country. Here are South Africa’s 100 most-loved restaurants for 2023, as rated by you!

Reviewers’ Choice Top 100

Top 1 – 20
  1. Good to Gather – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  2. Reverie Social Table – Observatory, Cape Town
  3. Rust en Vrede – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  4. The Table at De Meye – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  5. Stettyn Family Vineyards Tasting Room – Villiersdorp, Western Cape
  6. Belly of the Beast – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  7. Schneider’s Cape Floral Kitchen – Stanford, Western Cape
  8. Faber at Avondale – Paarl, Western Cape
  9. Newstead Lund Family Vineyards – Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
  10. Klein Roosboom Tasting Room – Durbanville, Cape Town
  11. Jewell’s at Spice Route – Paarl, Western Cape
  12. The Restaurant at Newton Johnson – Hermanus, Western Cape
  13. BluVines District – Montagu, Western Cape
  14. The Fat Butcher – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  15. Addis in Cape Ethiopian Restaurant – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  16. Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  17. Homespun at the Andros – Claremont, Cape Town
  18. Orangerie at Le Lude – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  19. Le Siemma Café Bistrot – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  20. Stellenzicht Wines – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Top 21 - 50
  1. Kunjani Wines – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  2. Pier – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
  3. Homespun by Matt – Table View, Cape Town
  4. De Grendel Restaurant – Panorama, Cape Town
  5. 16th by Koi – Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria
  6. PepperTree Restaurant – Constantia Park, Pretoria
  7. The Farm Eatery at Diemersdal – Durbanville, Cape Town
  8. De Eetkamer – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  9. The Station on Bree – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  10. Noop Restaurant – Paarl, Western Cape
  11. Royal Tea at The Silo Hotel – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
  12. FYN Restaurant – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  13. Steenberg Vineyards Tasting Room – Tokai, Cape Town
  14. The Happy Uncles – Salt River, Cape Town
  15. Post & Pepper – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  16. Jakkalsvlei – Herbertsdale, Garden Route
  17. The Wild Side – Randburg, Johannesburg
  18. The Waterside – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
  19. Deux Lions – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  20. Arkeste – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  21. The Melting Pot – Elgin, Western Cape
  22. The Woodlands Eatery – Vredehoek, Cape Town
  23. Beefcakes Pretoria – Hazelwood, Pretoria
  24. 1777 at The Old Rectory – Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
  25. Protégé at Le Quartier Français – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  26. Ba-Pita – Norwood, Johannesburg
  27. Waterford Estate Experiences – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  28. Epice – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  29. Tea at Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa – Sandhurst, Johannesburg
  30. The Pot Luck Club – Woodstock, Cape Town
Top 51 - 100
  1. The Dining Room at La Residence – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  2. One Park – Gardens, Cape Town
  3. Kay and Monty Wines – Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
  4. Ōku – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  5. Idiom Tasting Centre & Restaurant – Somerset West, Cape Town
  6. Obi Restaurant – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  7. Melkbos Kitchen – Melkbosstrand, Cape Town
  8. La Colombe at Silvermist – Constantia, Cape Town
  9. Glenwood Vineyards – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  10. Harringtons Cocktail Lounge – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  11. Les Créatifs Restaurant – Sandton, Johannesburg
  12. Gold Restaurant – Green Point, Cape Town
  13. Turn ‘N Tender Parktown North – Parktown North, Johannesburg
  14. Bloemhof Bar & Grill – Bellville, Cape Town
  15. Priva – Waterkloof, Pretoria
  16. De Vette Mossel Hermanus – Hermanus, Western Cape
  17. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia – Constantia, Cape Town
  18. La Petite Colombe at Leeu Estates – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  19. Siba – The Restaurant – V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
  20. Bodega Ramen – Cape Town CBD, Cape Town
  21. The Taproom at Jack Black Brewing Co – Diep River, Cape Town
  22. Lupa Osteria Meyersdal – Alberton, Gauteng
  23. The Foodbarn Café & Tapas – Noordhoek, Cape Town
  24. Delheim Restaurant & Tasting Room – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  25. The Station Parkhurst – Randburg, Johannesburg
  26. Lupa Osteria Midstream – Midstream, Gauteng
  27. Lupa Osteria Little Falls – Little Falls, Johannesburg
  28. African Peninsula Restaurant – Bluff, Durban
  29. Salsify at the Roundhouse – Camps Bay, Cape Town
  30. George’s Grill House Bedford – Bedfordview, Johannesburg
  31. Zest – Sea Point, Cape Town
  32. TTK Fledgelings – Woodstock, Cape Town
  33. The Grillhouse Rosebank – Rosebank, Johannesburg
  34. Café Monroe – Berea, Durban
  35. Guardian Peak Winery & Grill – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  36. Restaurant at Glen Carlou – Klapmuts, Western Cape
  37. Salsa Mexican Grill Bedfordview – Bedfordview, Johannesburg
  38. The Hussar Grill Morningside – Sandton, Johannesburg
  39. Wolfgat – Paternoster, Western Cape
  40. Insights at Sanctuary Mandela – Houghton, Johannesburg
  41. Create Wolwespruit – Erasmuskloof, Pretoria
  42. Haute Cabrière – Franschhoek, Western Cape
  43. Silver Orange Bistro – Hartbeespoort, Gauteng
  44. The Charles – De Waterkant, Cape Town
  45. Gåte at Quoin Rock – Stellenbosch, Western Cape
  46. Appetito Pizza and Pasta – Germiston, Johannesburg
  47. Trumps Grillhouse & Butchery – Sandton, Johannesburg
  48. The Hussar Grill Kimberley – Kimberley, Northern Cape
  49. De Vette Mossel Grootbrak – Grootbrak, Garden Route
  50. The Grill Room at The Oyster Box Hotel – Umhlanga, Durban

Book At The Top 100

Good to Gather, a tiny farm-to-table restaurant on Rozendal Farm in Stellenbosch, is the number one restaurant on our Top 100 list for 2023. After taking second place in 2022, the eatery not only ascended to become the country’s overall number-one choice this year, but also took top honours for their ratings for “food” and “ambience”.

Words cannot express how honoured we are to receive such a wonderful accolade! Our focus has always been on food that is seasonal, our love for gathering the best produce we can find (and, in some cases, grow ourselves), and the joy we have in sharing it with our guests. – Jess and Luke Grant, Good to Gather

Next time you’re looking for a great place to eat, visit the Dineplan app or website and check out the Dineplan Reviewers’ Choice Award winners. You’re sure to find a restaurant that you’ll love!

Newcomer Awards


Congratulations to the six 2022 Newcomers who made it into the Top 100 this year! Special recognition goes to Stettyn Family Vineyards, Le Siemma Café Bistrot, and Post & Pepper for placing in the Top 50, and to One Park, Lupa Osteria in Little Falls, and Insights at Sanctuary Mandela for earning a spot on the Top 100 list.

The 2023 Newcomer Awards: The winners by region

Introducing the best Dineplan newcomers around the country, as voted for by you, their guests! These eateries are already making waves in the short space of time that they’ve been with Dineplan. Be sure to check them out!

About the Dineplan Reviewers’ Choice Awards


The Reviewers’ Choice Awards are purely based on real guest reviews and recognise the 100 top-rated restaurants on Dineplan, as these restaurants have consistently provided exceptional guest experiences.

Only restaurants that have been on Dineplan for the past year were eligible, but new restaurants could compete for the Newcomer awards.

After you eat at a restaurant on Dineplan, you’ll be invited to rate and review it, giving it a score between 1 and 5 for food, value, service, and ambience. Only guests who have actually booked and dined at the restaurant through Dineplan can rate it, which helps to keep the reviews honest and authentic.

These reviews help other diners find the best restaurants for their needs, and they also give restaurants valuable feedback about their offerings. Dineplan collects all of the rating and review data to give restaurateurs actionable insights into their businesses.

How winners are selected


To be eligible for a 2023 Dineplan Reviewers’ Choice Award, a restaurant or hospitality venue:

  • Must have been using the Dineplan platform for the entire 12-month review period (1 Oct 2022 – 30 Sep 2023)
  • Must still be using Dineplan and accepting online bookings at the time of the awards.
  • Must have received at least 60 reviews on Dineplan within the review period.

However, those restaurants that joined Dineplan during this time were eligible for the Newcomer Awards, which saw five winners emerging in each of the following regions: Cape Town & Winelands, the Garden Route, Johannesburg, Pretoria and KwaZulu-Natal.

How to support your favourite restaurant


If you want to see your favourite restaurant on next year’s list, take a minute to rate and review your restaurant experience on the Dineplan app after every meal. This will help other diners find the best restaurants in their area and provide feedback to restaurants about their offering.

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