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The LivingRoom at Summerhill

Reviewers' Choice 2024 - Top 20 Reviewers' Choice 2023 - Newcomer
Fine Dining South African Vegetarian Friendly
9 Belvedale Rd, Cowies Hill, Pinetown, 3610, South Africa
(329 reviews)
RR

Attributes

  • Romantic
  • WiFi
  • Fireplace
  • Gourmet Guide Plated
  • Reviewers' Choice 2023 - Newcomer
  • Reviewers' Choice 2024 - Top 20

The LivingRoom’s aim is to showcase our provinces culinary diversity from product to plate.

Additionally, we strive to be one of the country’s flagships regarding sustainability and community development.

Gourmet Guide Description

Here’s a refined, immersive dining experience that blends sustainability with fine dining, seamlessly. Situated in the lush surroundings of Cowie’s Hill, this restaurant, helmed by chef Johannes Richter, is celebrated for its deliberate commitment to being environmentally responsible, using seasonal fare sourced from its own garden or nearby farms. Johannes, with his fine French culinary training and passion for Asian techniques, crafts tasting menus that rotate based on the freshest ingredients available, ensuring every visit is a unique gastronomic expedition.

Dining is intimate and personal, with seating for only 30 guests, fostering a curated and interactive encounter where Johannes often presents the dishes himself. Diners can choose between a five- or seven-course tasting menu, paired with wines carefully selected by Johannes’ wife, Johanna. One standout plate is the guava, fermented acacia honey, and bitter green sorbet. Inspired by the chef’s childhood memories of guava roll, this dish brings back those sweet and tangy tastes in a nostalgic, yet sophisticated, way.

The most evocative moment comes with the mabele sour porridge and amasi granita. This clever take on a South African staple whisks one back to childhood while demonstrating the chef’s ability to reinvent traditional flavours within a fine-dining context. It’s followed by another playful reinterpretation of a TV bar, made with amasi and sorghum, leaving guests with indelible epicurean memories, old and new.

Reviews (329)

4.9 out of 5.0
Based on the past 12 months
Food 5.0
Value 4.8
Service 4.9
Ambience 4.9
  • Elizabeth M. Dined: 4 days ago
    4.8
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 13 Apr 25
    Love everything about it.

  • Colette K. Dined: 4 days ago
    4.8
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 13 Apr 25
    We had six delicious courses over a long lunch. An absolute celebration of local foods done exceptionally well. High recommended.

  • Sarit S. Dined: 1 week ago
    4
    Food 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 3.0

    Reviewed on: Fri 11 Apr 25
    Great service, intimate setting. Should have comfortable seating for long service. Good wine list. Food was good, the vegetarian option was okay. Rather than trying to give similar veg as non veg in style, give more authentic veg option.

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

    Reviewed on: Thu 10 Apr 25
    Had an excellent evening. Food and service were exceptional. I would highly recommend

  • Michelle John Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Tue 08 Apr 25
    So I finally got to experience my birthday gift for a 6 course fine dining and wine pairing at Summer Hill Estate, The Living Room a year later. Now that's patience for the best things come to those who wait. And indeed was it the best and was I blessed. On arrival we were greeted by the friendly smile of Johanna, who we later deduced was chef Johannes bubbly wife, and sommelier, as she did all of the wine explanations and pouring at the dinner table. As it was a full month or more of birthday celebrations for me, again blessed, we were bumped up to a newer suite that had a king-size bed, a bath tub overlooking the balcony terrace, a walk in glass shower and just the most cosiest spacious sitting room and dinette. The view from the terrace was spectacular luscious green trees and a sneak peak to the estates own fresh produce garden.On the way to our suite I spied the lemon tree the only one on the grounds that I was later to learn the fruits of which had inspired one of our courses. We had a leisurely afternoon, as Johanna had accommodated us to book in at lunch time just after our drawn out breakfast at Bellevue Cafe. So we enjoyed our balcony view with Lemoncello shots , snacks and engaging banter and an afternoon siesta to build our appetite to the long awaited, anticipated dinner.We arrived at the pop up Library and chose the table next to the kitchen so we had the direct view of chef Johannes and his sous chef team preparing the meals. Each course was masterfully designed, sourced from a variety of local South African ingredients from the fresh produce garden down to the guavadilla, from St Lucia, to the potatoes from the Midlands, the the imbuya leaves to the tropical mango and the delectable watermelon as well as the selectfuly sourced Miso. Chef Johannes is an alchemist, a wizard, a sorcerer of cuisine. He skillfully takes the raw fruit or vegetable and masterfully curates it into a beautiful masterpiece of fusion of flavors and concoction of delicacies and so painstakingly decorates the plates or presents his dish with such artful passion and elegance, that just keeps you enthralled as to how does he get the flavours, the soft to the crunchy the mild to the tangy in every bite or mouthful. He uses the entire raw fruit or vegetable the peel, the stalk the bean the leaf the juice the puree to give us an explosion of divine delectable cuisine that just leaves you spellbound and mesmerized. A genius truly remarkable from one course to the next , let alone the pairing of the wines that Johanna skilfully selects each glass to hold the body and the bubbles of each wine. I'm not a wine connoisseur but I did pay careful attention to each wine the region , the farm, the notes of each wine and my companion was so engaging as to let me indulge in my scent, taste and summary of each wine. I know I like my dessert wine and my companion who turned their nose up at it, actually drank all mine. The courses were so aptly designed and curated flavour after flavour that built up to a crescendo of the most decadent divine heavenly dessert of rice pudding with mango in 3 magical mystifying variations that actually was the cherry on top to the most exquisite well executioned masterfully created meals I've ever had the absolute honour of dining on. And yes of course the birthday girl got her mini lemon sponge cake with granadilla puree and i think a buttercream icing. Truly a cuisine genius, a magical gift that I was not expecting that exceeded all of my expectations. Having a beautiful stay and also having the bountiful breakfast the next morning with a antipasto selection of salmon, variety of cheeses, curried olives and my favourite the tomatoes relish, that I requested Johanna bottle and sell as soon as possible! And an English breakfast selection as well as a hot breakfast just made us feel like we were also part of the family that were having their Sunday breakfast next to us. Having Johannes mum share some of her family photos on display and her story of how SummerHill began.was just so heart warming and special. Truly a gem of a place especially because Johannes skilfully and thoughtfully, sources all his produce and meats & wines from local producers, his expert and intrinsic knowledge of each ingredient that makes up the meal, the way he fuses the flavors and ensures that all 6 senses of the diner is triggered, teased, tantalized, awakened and allured by the taste, textures, the colours, the plating of the meals, the artistry of the dehydrated fruits the crunchiness of the ingredients, truly amazing. If you are a lover of exquisiteness you need to gift yourself this truly once in a lifetime experience.

  • Tracy V. Dined: 4 weeks ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Thu 20 Mar 25
    We had the most amazing experience at The LivingRoom. Couldnt recommend them more !

  • gersende r. Dined: 4 weeks ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Wed 19 Mar 25
    Wonderful and insightful meal, amazing service

  • Sandra H. Dined: 1 month ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sat 22 Feb 25
    Top notch experience all round. Unique flavors, creative and beautiful plating served with understated theatre!

  • Pradheep D. Dined: 1 month ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Fri 21 Feb 25
    From the moment we walked in, we were enveloped in an atmosphere of warmth and sophistication. The food was outstanding – each dish was a masterpiece, bursting with flavor and showcasing the chef's incredible talent. The wine selection was equally impressive, and our sommelier expertly guided us to the perfect pairing. What truly set this experience apart was the impeccable attention to detail. Every aspect, from the beautifully arranged table settings to the thoughtful presentation of each course, was meticulously executed. Finally, the service was nothing short of excellent. Our server was attentive and friendly ,ensuring we had a memorable dining experience. This restaurant is a must-visit for anyone seeking an unforgettable culinary journey.

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Opening Hours

  • Monday CLOSED
  • Tuesday 18h30 - 21h30
  • Wednesday 18h30 - 21h30
  • Thursday 18h30 - 21h30
  • Friday 18h30 - 21h30
  • Saturday 12h00 - 21h30
  • Sunday CLOSED