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Epice

Reviewers' Choice 2025 - Top 100 Reviewers' Choice 2024 - Top 50
Location Pointer Berg St & Huguenot St, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
4.7
(2358 reviews)
RRR+
Favourite

Attributes

  • Romantic
  • Gourmet Guide Plated
  • Reviewers' Choice 2022 - Top 20
  • Reviewers' Choice 2023 - Top 50
  • Reviewers' Choice 2024 - Top 50
  • Reviewers' Choice 2025 - Top 100

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Favourite

Epice – derived from the French word Épice meaning spice (and is pronounced eh-peace) - is an intimate fine dining restaurant located at Heritage Square, Franschhoek (opposite Leeu House)

"The restaurant menu will revolve around spices, but that doesn’t necessarily mean spicy hot - think of vanilla and saffron, or cinnamon and nutmeg, too," says Scot Kirton, Chef Proprietor of La Colombe.

Heading up the kitchen, head chef Charné Sampson is no stranger to refined, cutting edge cuisine- until recently she was the sous chef at La Colombe and is another one of Scot’s protégés to spread her wings. A graduate of Silwood, Charné also honed her craft in the kitchen of The Restaurant at Waterkloof and The Test Kitchen.

Gourmet Guide™ Description

Take a magic culinary ride to the iconic space in the old Le Quartier building in Franschhoek for a captivating treat at Epice (French for ‘spice’). The interior’s understated spice hues juxtapose perfectly with the bright sunshine and greenery outside, or you can appreciate the
crackling fire in winter.

Chef Charné Mouton is unapologetic about her passion for spices and the depth they impart to all dishes, whether sweet or savoury. She delights in introducing the full spectrum at your table from the start. The uninitiated may think of curry, but there’s true intellect in how she has married every ingredient with her first-choice spices. This spice queen celebrates each ingredient personally, drawing from her Cape heritage, with both her vindaloo sauce and fabled bread course creating a come-back-for-more scenario.

Choose from a traditional wine pairing, cocktail, or in-house tonic pairing. Whilst marrying beverages with spicy foods can be challenging, the team has worked hard to ensure successful surprises. Expect a little showboating with dry ice and tableside service, which all adds to the fun. Food is tasty and well-executed, and guests rave about the sweet potatoes with cumin, beef dripping, and berbere. In ‘feeding with passion’, La Colombe converts will be overjoyed to devour octopus cooked in passion fruit, cutting it open with scissors. You’ll leave with a spice box, some seeds to plant, and indelible memories.

Opening Hours

  • Monday CLOSED
  • Tuesday 18h30 - 22h00
  • Wednesday 18h30 - 22h00
  • Thursday 18h30 - 22h00
  • Friday 12h00 - 15h00, 18h30 - 22h00
  • Saturday 12h00 - 15h00, 18h30 - 22h00
  • Sunday 12h00 - 15h00, 18h30 - 22h00

Reviews (2358)

4.7 out of 5.0
Based on the past 12 months
Food 4.9
Value 4.6
Service 4.9
Ambience 4.7
  • Richard B. Dined: 4 days ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Thu 09 Apr 26
    A wonderful meal. The food was beautifully presented and quite delicious. Lots of imaginative combinations, and the construction of the menu was thoughtful and well balanced. Hard to choose a favourite, but the lamb main and crayfish and chicken ‘taco’ stood out. Service was exceptional too.

  • Chris H. Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 05 Apr 26
    Fantastic food experience. Tasty and very creative. One of the best restaurants ever!

  • Julia T. Dined: 1 week ago
    4.8
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sat 04 Apr 26
    Beautiful setting with fun and interesting food presented beautifully. Really enjoyed our experience.

  • Snehal S. Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sat 04 Apr 26
    Fantastic food and service ! Worth the experience

  • Fanny M. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    4.5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 3.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 30 Mar 26
    It's a beautiful place where the Spices are at their best!

  • Jacques v. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    4
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 3.0
    Ambience 4.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 29 Mar 26
    Only the 9-course menu, The Spice Journey, can be found on the website, but there is no information about wine pairings. We had made a reservation and paid a deposit. We wanted to have a nice lunch, but not nine courses. Initially, that was not possible; it only worked out after the manager intervened.

  • Andrew J. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    2.5
    Food 3.0
    Value 1.0
    Service 3.0
    Ambience 3.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 29 Mar 26
    Dining at Épice began with genuine promise — the concept of a curated spice journey is exciting and, at its best, the opening courses reflected that vision well. There were moments of creativity and thoughtfulness that showed what the kitchen is capable of. However, as the experience progressed, the balance of spice became inconsistent. What started as nuanced and intriguing gradually tipped into being overpowering, particularly towards the later courses, where subtlety was lost and flavours became less refined. The wine offering, while undoubtedly curated, felt disproportionately expensive, especially given the relatively small pours — something that stood out more considering the restaurant’s location in a world-renowned wine region. One of the more surprising elements was the atmosphere at the pass. Being invited into the kitchen is typically a highlight, offering insight into the energy and passion of the brigade. On this occasion, however, the team appeared somewhat disengaged, which detracted from what could have been a memorable interaction. There was a sense that the experience lacked the vibrancy and pride you might expect at this level. Overall, Épice delivers flashes of excellence and a strong concept, but the execution felt uneven. For the price point, there is an expectation of consistency from start to finish — and while the meal began well, it ultimately didn’t quite sustain that standard through to the end.

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