Looking at the September stats, it is clear that spring is here and summer is fast approaching. Foodies are slowly venturing out from under their blankets and take-away menus and feasting at fine dining restaurants, neighbourhood gems and buzzing new eateries. Here are the most viewed restaurants on our site in September 2015.

• Johannesburg
• Pretoria
• Durban and beyond
• Cape Town
• Winelands

Johannesburg

1. Pron (Linden)
Emma Chen of The Red Chamber is behind this unpretentious yet trendy noodle bar. Dishes include chaashou pork soup with noodles and the popular ‘hand-break-bread’ filled with fresh spring onion and salt.

Emma Chen’s Pron. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

2. Five Hundred (Sandton)
One of this year’s nominees for the Top 10 restaurants, Five Hundred continues to enthrall diners.

The chef’s table at Five Hundred. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

3. DW Eleven 13 (Dunkeld West)
Chef Marthinus Ferreira and his team are also nominees for the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes Benz Awards. One for the bucket list.

A dish at DW Eleven-13. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

4. Workshop 55 (Parktown North)
This brand-new gin, whisky and tapas bar offers beverages from smaller boutique estates and distilleries and small-batch wine farms. Try the gin from locals, Hope on Hopkins and Inverroche.

5. The National Eatery (Parktown North)
Expect dishes inspired by America and Cuba, such as smoked miso-glazed pulled pork or smoky mac and cheese with wild boar bacon.

6. Restaurante Parreirinha (La-Rochelle)
This Portuguese favourite serves up tasty authentic fare such as plump prawn dishes, salted cod fish or hearty steak trinchado.

7. Che Argentine Grill (Maboneng)
Situated in the trendy Maboneng Precinct, this restaurant offers delicious empanadas, perfectly wood-fired meat, homemade chimichurri and a dulce de leche desserts.

Light shining through a wiindow at Che Argentine Grill. Photos courtesy of Rupesh Kassen.

8. Café Hemingways (Kyalami)
Serving a fusion of bistro-style and fine-dining food, this stylish spot serves items such as gourmet sandwiches and burgers, elegant seafood, and homemade pastas.

9. The Grand (Rivonia)
This spot is predominantly a ‘gentleman’s club’ but the food offering is extensive – the buffet has over a hundred dishes!

10. Ace + Pearl Wine Bar (Craighall Park)
This new drinks spot by the Warm & Glad team serves hand-crafted wines and a French-inspired menu of cheese, terrines and cold meats.

Pretoria

1. Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient (Elandsfontein)
2014 San Pellegrino Chef of the Year Chantel Dartnall creates beautiful dishes that tell a story. The restaurant is also a nominee for this year’s Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards.

The interior at Restaurant Mosaic is inspired by the Parisian Belle Epoque.

2. Life Grand Café (Hazelwood)
A popular spot for breakfast, lunch and after-work drinks. Delicious tapas – think artisan charcuterie, dips and cheeses – is also on offer.

The interior at the Life Grande Café in Waterkloof. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

3. The Three Ducks – Le Trois Canards (Waterkloof)
The owners of L’épis Doré have opened this new restaurant just in time for the warmer months. Diners can enjoy French-bistro fare such as fish Provençale or duck confit. Desserts include the classic crème brûlée and mille-feulle

The interior at Afro-boer. Photo courtesy of the restaurant

4. La Terrasse Rooftop Cafe and Deli (Menlo Park)
Exotic Moroccan fare is the order of the day here. Indulge in hummus, baba ganoush, bountiful tagines and fragrant couscous.

5. Afro-boer (Die Wilgers)
This stylish café serves gourmet sandwiches, pies and baked goods with a South African twist.

6. Company Social Brasserie (Menlyn)
This trendy spot offers up sumptuous breakfasts, artisanal coffee, brunches, lunches and dinner. Enjoy their range of cocktails, craft beers on tap and great wine list.

7. Burger Bistro (Villeria)
Tuck into creative, tasty burgers, golden fries and creamy gourmet milkshakes. Behold their Elvis burger here.

8. Brasserie de Paris (Waterkloof Ridge)
Diners can enjoy elegant French cuisine at this popular spot. Think sole meunière, ratatouille, béarnaise fillet and tarte tatin for dessert.

9. De Kloof Restaurant (Waterkloof)
Expect creative, trendy food. A five- or seven-course tasting menu with wine pairings is on offer.

The interior at De Kloof. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

10. Stone Cradle (Dornkloof)
Enjoy the hearty buffet at this game reserve spot in Doornkloof.

Durban and beyond

1. Old Town Italy (Umhlanga Rocks)
Authentic Italian food, top-quality imported products and a beautiful space are what keeps this place buzzing.

The bar at Old Town Italy. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

2. Jaipur Palace (Durban Central)
Feast on a curry buffet with aromatic options like crab and prawn, lamb, chicken and lentils.

3. S43 Home to That Brewing Co. (Berea)
This Durban brewery serves up refreshing craft beers and tapas – mini malay-style bunny chows, ginger and soy chicken skewers, mini doughnuts filled with salted caramel, and many more.

4. Four15 (Durban North)
Dive in to warm corn tortilla chips and San Franciscan-style burritos at Durban North’s new fast-casual eatery.

The festive interior at Four15. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

5. Capsicum at the Britannia Hotel (Durban Central)
Spice lovers flock here for authentic curries, rotis and hearty bunny chows.

Capsicum Restaurant at the Britannia Hotel. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

6. Spoonful Eatery (Windemere)
MasterChef winner Roxi Wardman’s café with great coffees and bakery fare.

7. Neo Café (Durban North)
The casual spot celebrates flavoursome Mozambican cuisine with an extensive menu.

The interior at Neo Café. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

8. Sagewood Café (Pietermaritzburg)
This quaint café serves a wide variety of sweet and savoury meals using farm-fresh, local, seasonal and organic ingredients.

9. 9th Avenue Bistro (Morningside)
One of Durban’s best restaurants, 9th Avenue turns out dishes like charcoal roasted pork chop with spring onion croquette or smoked tomato, fennel and sweetcorn risotto.

9th Avenue Bistro. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

10. Surf Riders Food Shack (Addington Beach)
All-day breakfasts, gourmet burgers and wood-fired pizzas are what diners can expect at this beachfront spot.

Cape Town

1. The Deckhouse Crab Shack and BBQ (Gardens)
Wolf down Gulf Coast grub like crayfish tails, crab-and-shrimp nachos, crab cakes, crab-and-mussel pots and shrimp popcorn at this Kloof Street spot.

A dish at The Deckhouse Crabshack and BBQ. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

2. Charango (City Bowl)
Bree Street’s new Peruvian-inspired grill offers delicious dirt-rubbed tuna tacos, ceviche and succulent beef. Cocktails to quench the thirst include pisco sours, mojitos and margaritas.

The interior at Charango. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

3. Village Idiot (City Bowl)
This buzzing hipster haven serves up trendy South African pub gub and a range of beers, bubbles and wines.

Inside The Village Idiot. Photo by Laura McCullagh.

4. The Test Kitchen (Woodstock)
South Africa’s number one restaurant for three years running, serving world class food that delight all the senses.

Food at The Test Kitchen. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

5. Junior (Tamboerskloof)
‘Fast food made well’ is the motto of Kloof Nek’s newest take out spot. The menu is simple with burgers, sides and gourmet shakes on offer.

The ‘fast-casual’-style space means that queues are prone to developing inside the restaurant

6. La Mouette (Sea Point)
This Sea Point favourite never disappoints. The current tasting menu boasts dishes such as citrus cured kob, turnip spaghetti and a strawberry and pine crunch.

La Mouette’s interior. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

7. El Burro Taqueria (Tamboerskloof)
Green Point’s favourite donkey has a newer sibling on Kloof Nek. Tuck in to smaller plates of tacos and ceviche packed with flavour.

Tacos at El Burro Taqueria. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

8. The Pot Luck Club (Woodstock)
This must-visit restaurant atop The Old Biscuit Mill offers innovative tapas. Our personal favourites include the smoked beef fillet with truffled café au lait sauce and the fish tacos. The sweeping Cape Town views are an added bonus.

The Pot Luck Club. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

9. Kaprinos (Brooklyn)
A Halaal buffet restaurant that is great for functions as well as a laid-back lunches.

The exterior at Bistro Sixteen82. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

10. Bistro Sixteen82 (Tokai)
Serving tapas and bistro-style food, this stylish eatery in Tokai makes for a great weekend lunch spot.

Winelands

1. Hudsons (Stellenbosch)
This latest addition to the chain of burger restaurants is busy and buzzing and serves up tasty gourmet burgers, craft beers and cocktails.

A burger from Hudson’s Burger Joint. Photograph by Quintin Mills.

2. Jordan Restaurant (Stellenbosch)
Another nominee for the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes Benz Restaurant Awards, George Jardine’s restaurant serves delicious fine-dining fare.

3. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek)
Award-winning Chef Margot Janse’s restaurant uses local ingredients in a playful African surprise menu.

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

4. The Thirsty Scarecrow (Stellenbosch)
This buzzing spot serves a range of dishes to partner with craft beer or local wine. The ceviche fish taco is a winner.

5. The Restaurant at Newton Johnson (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)
This beautiful restaurant serves up dishes that are bursting with flavour. Book your seat by the window for breathtaking views of the valley.

A view of the Boland mountains at The Restaurant at Newton Johnson. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

6. Terroir (Stellenbosch)
Michael Broughton’s more casual winelands restaurant is known for innovative versions of classic dishes and beautiful sauces.

Interior of Terroir restaurant. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

7. De Warenmarkt (Stellenbosch)
The perfect combination of an artisanal food market and a friendly local restaurant, this buzzing destination is housed in a beautiful heritage building.

8. Tokara (Stellenbosch)
With a gorgeous setting and fine dining food by chef Richard Carstens, this winelands restaurant is also a nominee for the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards.

The interior at Tokara. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

9. Bread & Wine (Franschhoek)
A beautiful spot for a warm, lazy lunch. Tuck in to chef Neil Jewell’s fine-dining country fare while sipping on Môreson wines.

The interior at Bread & Wine. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

10. Makaron (Stellenbosch)
Expect whimsical and elegant dishes such as delicate starter of ancient grains, served with a silken cauliflower velouté and dainty shavings of courgette and romanesco broccoli.

The terrace at Makaron. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.