The South African culinary community gathered at the Baxter Theatre Centre last night for the 2026 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards, and the message was clear: the heart of South African fine dining beats strongest in the Western Cape.
In a glittering ceremony that felt like a victory lap for local talent, FYN, the City Bowl’s Japanese-African fusion powerhouse, was named the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year. It was a night defined by regional excellence, as the province claimed almost every major title and the lion’s share of the coveted star ratings.
The Three-Star Standard
The rigorous Eat Out star-rating system—South Africa’s “Gold Standard”—saw the number of starred restaurants grow to 66 this year. However, the prestigious three-star tier remains an exclusive club, and the Western Cape currently holds the keys. Of the eight restaurants nationwide to achieve a perfect three-star status (scoring 90+), seven are located right here in our province.
From the consistent brilliance of La Colombe in Constantia and Pier at the V&A Waterfront to the innovative MERTIA in Stellenbosch, the Western Cape continues to set the benchmark for world-class dining.
Innovation and Sustainability
The 2026 awards introduced a significant shift toward conscious dining with the debut of the Green Star Awards. While the “Rural Green Star” went to KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape swept the other sustainability categories. Dusk in Stellenbosch took home the Urban Green Star, while the V&A Waterfront’s Terrarium secured the Emerging Green Star, proving that local chefs are as committed to the planet as they are to the palate.
Individual accolades also stayed close to home. Ryan Cole (Salsify at the Roundhouse) was honored with the Chefs’ Chef award—a “peer-reviewed” nod that carries immense weight. Meanwhile, the legendary Ken Forrester received the Lifetime Achievement Award, a fitting tribute to a man who has shaped the Cape’s hospitality identity for decades.
A Gastronomic Destination
For Western Cape residents, these awards are more than just a list of places to eat; they are a map of our cultural identity. Whether it’s the “Best Destination Restaurant” (awarded to The Table at De Meye in Stellenbosch) or the “Service Excellence Award” (won by MERTIA), the level of hospitality in the province is currently unmatched.
As Abigail Donnelly, Eat Out’s culinary director, noted, the local scene is undergoing a “continued evolution.” For the Western Cape, that evolution has cemented our status as one of the world’s premier dining destinations.
If you haven’t booked your table yet, move fast—the 2026 stars are officially out, and they are shining brightest in the Cape.
The Newspaper
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