Fancy a culinary experience of note? Johannesburg is home to a restaurant that offers the best fine dining experience in the country.
Cyra, located at The Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg, has been named the Best Fine Dining Restaurant in South Africa at the 2025 Luxe Restaurant Awards. The awards were held on February 18 at The 11th Floor restaurant in Bedfordview. It was an unforgettable night, and the best South African chefs and restaurateurs came together to honour the country's most prestigious restaurants and exceptional chefs.
The restaurant also received the Two Luxe Stars award, and Candice Philip, its founder and head chef, won the Chef of the Year award.
Another Johannesburg restaurant that has proven to offer some of the best meals in the country is the Culinary Table, a garden-to-table restaurant in Lanseria. It won the Family Restaurant of the Year award. The restaurant is unique due to its set-up and uses fresh produce picked from its own garden.
The Sin + Tax bar in Johannesburg won the Bar of the Year award, proving that Johannesburg is the best city to enjoy cocktails, beer or wine.
Proud Mary restaurant in Rosebank won the Hotel Restaurant of the Year.
The Club Como in Sandton won the International Restaurant of the Year. The Gemelli restaurant, also in Sandton, was honoured at the awards ceremony. It won the Lifestyle Restaurant of the Year.
La Tarte restaurant has yet again secured the Patisserie of the Year award after it received the same recognition at the 2024 award ceremony.
The Rooftop Restaurant of the Year award went to The 11th Floor.
List of all the winners:
Restaurant of the Year – Salon
Chef of the Year – Candice Philip
New Restaurant of the Year – Coy
Pioneer Award – Liam Tomlin
Culinary Innovation Award – Carla Schulze
Culinary Media Personality of the Year – Zola Nene
Culinary Rising Star Award – Amori Burger
Hidden Gem Award – Good to Gather
Pastry Chef of the Year – Keshia Louw
Service Excellence Award – Mertia
Style Award – Marble Cape Town
Sustainability Award – Reverie Social Table
Bar of the Year – Sin + Tax
Bartender of the Year – JJ Hendricks (Fable Bar)
Mixology Rising Star Award – Caitlin Crockart
Bistro of the Year – Mill St Bistro
Burger Joint of the Year – Brash
Caterer of the Year – Vicky Crease Catering + Events
Coffee Shop of the Year – La Cotte Mill House
Cafe of the Year – Ground Art Caffe
Casual Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year – Elgr
Contemporary Restaurant of the Year – Upper Union
Family Restaurant of the Year – Culinary Table
Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year – Cyra
Grillhouse of the Year – Tyler’s
Hotel Restaurant of the Year – Proud Mary
International Restaurant of the Year – Club Como
Lifestyle Restaurant of the Year – Gemelli
Patisserie of the Year – La Tarte
Pop-Up Restaurant of the Year – Edge at Vue Short Market
Restaurant Group of the Year – Tashas
Rooftop Restaurant of the Year – The 11th Floor
Street Food Restaurant of the Year – Yatai Ramenbar
Tapas Restaurant of the Year – De Eetkamer
Luxe Starred Restaurants
One-Star Restaurants
• Belly of the Beast
• Beyond by Peter Tempelhoff
• Epice
• Fermier
• Hōseki
• Le Coin Français
• Les Créatifs
• Post & Pepper
• The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira
Two-Star Restaurants
• Arkeste by Richard Carstens
• Coy Restaurant
• Cyra by Candice Philip
• JAN Franschhoek
• Mertia
• Rust en Vrede Restaurant
• The Living Room at Summerhill Estate
• 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
• Restaurant Klein JAN
• Salsify at The Roundhouse
• Salon
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