In the South African dining scene, Eat Out stands as the trusted guide to the country’s best restaurant experiences. We celebrate and elevate culinary excellence, recognising restaurants that embody the highest standards of quality, innovation, and service. If you believe your restaurant deserves to be highlighted among the best, here’s your opportunity to shine. 

Eat Out is dedicated to guiding diners to remarkable dining experiences where every detail matters. If your restaurant was awarded a star in 2026, you are already included on the judges’ shortlist, and any restaurants awarded stars in previous years are pre-vetted and included in our scouting process. 

For other restaurants, the process begins with a submission. Here’s how it works: 

1.Initial submission
Submit your restaurant for consideration. This is the first step to getting on our radar. 

2. Research and scouting
Once your submission is received, the Eat Out team will conduct comprehensive research on the establishment before going into the scouting process. 

3. Judges’ evaluation
If two judges give a score of 70 or above, the remaining anonymous judges will then visit to provide their evaluations. 

To ensure a comprehensive and standardised assessment, the Eat Out judges use the following criteria, each weighted to reflect its importance: 

– Taste and Technique: 35%
– Service: 25%
– Menu Composition: 10%
– Presentation: 10%
– Beverages: 10%
– Ambience: 5%
– Perceived Value: 5% 

You can find an explanation of the judging scorecard here.