Mother City chefs shone brightly at the 2025 Luxe Restaurant Awards announced this week, with most of the top awards going to restaurants in the city and surrounding Winelands.
Top of the pile was SALON, which received the coveted Restaurant of the Year award, with Executive Chef Carla Schulze awarded the Culinary Innovation Award. SALON was also recently voted Africa's Best New Restaurant at the 2024 World Culinary Awards, and is high on the Time Out list of the Best Restaurants in Cape Town.
'SALON is a masterful expression of modern fine dining, where Luke Dale Roberts and Executive Chef Carla Schulze create a tasting experience that is both globally inspired and deeply refined,' says Chad Fourie, founder and head judge of the Luxe Awards. 'Every element, from the impeccable service to the thoughtful progression of dishes, reflects an extraordinary level of craftsmanship.'
COY, in the V&A Waterfront, won New Restaurant of the Year; a worthy accolade for chef Ryan Cole's latest venture. His regular kitchen – Salsify at The Roundhouse – also bagged a three-star rating. Marble Cape Town bagged the Style Award, while ëlgr – and we love this spot – walked away with Casual Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year. Liam Tomlin, founder of the Chefs Warehouse group, was honoured with the Pioneer Award.
It's not all about celebrating fancy food though.
Brash in Sea Point won Burger Joint of the Year – watch this space for our updated Best Burger Guide coming soon – and Upper Union won Contemporary Restaurant of the Year.
Whew, do you need a cuppa joe to keep you going through these awards? Ground Art Café bagged Café of the Year. It's also on our list of the Best Cafés and coffee shops in Cape Town.
Out in the Winelands, Stellenbosch continues its run as the gourmet centre of the region. Fine dining destination Mertia won the Service Excellence Award, Bistro of the Year went to Phil Carmichael's charming Mill St Bistro, while on the outskirts of town Good to Gather won (and rightly so) the Hidden Gem Award.
Beyond these Award winners, Cape restaurants made waves at the Luxe Restaurant Awards. Here's the full list of Cape restaurants making the grade:
One-Star Restaurants
Belly of the Beast
Beyond by Peter Tempelhoff
Epice
Hōseki
Le Coin Français
Post & Pepper
The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira
Two-Star Restaurants
Arkeste by Richard Carstens
Coy Restaurant
JAN Franschhoek
Mertia
Rust en Vrede Restaurant
The Pot Luck Club (JHB & CPT)
Wolfgat
Three-Star Restaurants
Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia
Dusk Restaurant
FYN Restaurant
La Colombe
La Petite Colombe
Pier
Salsify at The Roundhouse
Hungry? Look no further for the Best Restaurants in Cape Town