While the worlds of fine food and well-crafted beverages are inextricably bound, we tend to envision wine when we consider elevated pairings – or sake or soju, for Asian fare. The role of cocktails in elegant environs has long been ancillary to the act of breaking bread, bookending meals as aperitifs and digestifs rather than being part of the main course, so to speak.

Amplifying the dining experience

Of late, however, many South African establishments have been exploring mixed drinks as an avenue to enhance the dining experience itself, looking towards the synergy between food and cocktails. This is not only evident at an independent level, but as a trend among restaurant groups, who clearly see the business value of it. These include the likes of Kove Collection, Pan Collection Hospitality and the FYN, La Colombe and Marble groups, each of which have seen fit to employ in-house experts who run coordinated cocktail programmes across the consortiums.

Dalu Mahlangu-Dube, bar manager at Pan Collection Hospitality, focuses on the overall guest experience when designing cocktails. “This encapsulates many aspects, including the appearance of the drink, the aesthetic it brings, the flavour composition, and how it will complement and match the full package that the restaurant offers.”

The sorcery of cocktails – often crafted with showmanship in mind – also presents an opportunity to create wonder for guests, particularly at fine-dining venues where this is a priority. “Just like our culinary offering, we try to elevate our garnish to bring a bit of magic, so that guests have a real ‘wow’ moment when the drink arrives at their table,” says Andrew Duff, general manager at Eat Out three-star restaurant La Petite Colombe in Franschhoek, winner of the Eat Out Patron Mixology Award in 2025.

To read the full story, grab your copy of the 2025 Eat Out Magazine – on shelf at your nearest Woolies or online for R130.