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Tokara Fine Dining

Contemporary South African
Location Pointer 3WJC+W3 Stellenbosch, South Africa
4.7
(7023 reviews)
RRR+
Menu
Favourite

Attributes

  • Romantic
  • Great Views
  • Gourmet Guide Plated

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Menu
Favourite

Tokara Restaurant, situated 400 meters above sea level on top of the Helshoogte Pass outside Stellenbosch, offers its guests terroir focused contemporary cuisine, award-winning wines and dramatic views over Stellenbosch and False Bay. The building housing the restaurant is a Cape architectural icon utilising glass, steel and stone.

Tokara Restaurant opened its doors in October 2001 and was one of the very first iconic winery restaurants established in the Cape Winelands area of South Africa.

Within the first year of taking of the reigns of the Tokara Restaurant kitchen, chef Carolize Coetzee won the “Haute Performance Award” as South Africa’s most promising chef in the 2020 JHP Gourmet Guide, while the restaurant was included in the authoritative The World’s 50 Best Restaurants new “50Best Discovery” list for 2020.

We offer an à la carte menu for lunch and a set menu, either four or six courses, for dinner.

Gourmet Guide™ Description

Hogging the top spot on the winding Helshoogte Pass, Tokara Restaurant provides a breathtaking visual feast, from views to sensory plates. Under the expert guidance of chef Carolize Coetzee, the menu celebrates refined, modern dishes that honour South African flavours, traditions, and beloved home-cooked classics with innovative, authentic flair. Drawing inspiration from seasonal, locally sourced produce, Carolize has crafted a menu that epitomises her farm-to-table philosophy. Ingredients harvested from on-site kitchen gardens are showcased alongside Tokara Estate’s celebrated wines and olive oils.

A stellar start is the exquisite assiette of beetroot with goat’s milk cheese, grapefruit, caramelised walnuts, sorrel wood, sunflower shoots, and a citrus dressing. The main event, a faultless lamb rump with spiced butternut purée, lentil ragout, butternut crisp, Thai basil, and marsala jus, is superbly complemented by the Tokara Syrah, aged for two years in oak, elegantly displaying its complexity.

Dining at Tokara is an undeniable destination experience, not just for the exceptional food and wine, but also for the service, which balances effortless charm with a high level of care. Conversations with the chef reveal her deep connection to food, inspired by her family’s culinary traditions and her commitment to seasonality. Her love for creating core memories linked to her dining experiences shines through.

Opening Hours

  • Monday CLOSED
  • Tuesday CLOSED
  • Wednesday 12h00 - 14h30 - 18h00 - 20h00
  • Thursday 12h00 - 14h30 - 18h00 - 20h00
  • Friday 12h00 - 14h30 - 18h00 - 20h00
  • Saturday 12h00 - 14h30 - 18h00 - 20h00
  • Sunday 12h00 - 14h30

Reviews (7023)

4.7 out of 5.0
Based on the past 12 months
Food 4.7
Value 4.4
Service 4.8
Ambience 4.8
  • Fakazile T. Dined: 1 day ago
    4.8
    Food 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 31 May 26
    I had a wonderful birthday lunch here. The location is beautiful, the food was excellent, and the staff were incredibly kind, attentive, and welcoming throughout our visit. A special thank you for the complimentary birthday dessert—it was such a thoughtful touch and made the celebration even more special. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will definitely be visiting again.

  • Ilse Ismail Dined: 1 day ago
    4.3
    Food 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 4.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 31 May 26
    We had a very nice and pleasant lunch with great service of the staff and incredible view. Must visit!

  • Aphendulile Dined: 1 day ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 31 May 26
    10/10 - nothing 👌🏼

  • Candise Dined: 1 day ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 31 May 26
    The best experience we have had in a while. Thank you for an all round beautiful experience.

  • Tony B. Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Wed 27 May 26
    Our entire experience at Tokara was 5 stars. The grounds and amazing views of Table Mountain were unbelievable. The tasting was very well done in an area with floor to ceiling windows taking advantage of the beautiful views. We enjoyed the wines and our host did a great job of describing the wines and giving us time to enjoy them. We also had lunch there with was truly special. The service, presentation and quality of the food was outstanding.

  • Xeni D. Dined: 1 week ago
    4.8
    Food 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 25 May 26
    Wonderful dining experience, service and view

  • Benita V. Dined: 1 week ago
    4.8
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Fri 22 May 26
    What an awesome experience! The friendliness, professionalism, and atmosphere we experienced last night were exceptional and truly memorable. The waiters were excellent, and we would highly recommend the experience to anyone. Thank you for making it so special.

  • Daniel Nel Dined: 2 weeks ago
    3.8
    Food 4.0
    Value 3.0
    Service 3.0
    Ambience 5.0
  • Zain Dined: 2 weeks ago
    3.5
    Food 2.0
    Value 2.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 17 May 26
    Food average at best for the prise you pay. As a South African the meat dishes were standard. Might fool tourists but not me. Food was very disappointing will not visit here again.

  • Fernando C. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0
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