Award Winners

For this brand-new set of awards, we kept the judges out of it and gave you the power. The 2015 Best Everyday Eateries are the restaurants with the highest average ratings on eatout.co.za from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015 – that’s a full year of reviews and star ratings. We also celebrated the eateries that were crowd favourites but didn’t quite receive enough reviews to win with ‘highly commended’ certificates. In categories where insufficient votes were received no awards were announced. Without further ado, here are the winners:

• Gauteng
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Mpumalanga
• Western Cape
• Eastern Cape

GAUTENG

Best African Eatery

La Terrasse Rooftop Cafe & Deli (winner)

“They transport you back into another culture and time with heady spices, mint, pomegranate, olives, chermoula tomato sauce, platters of hummus and, of course, the traditional tagines. Truly a place of magic!” – Lizel Stemmet

Best Asian Eatery

The Great Eastern Food Bar (highly commended)

Best Bistro

Boston Bistro (winner)

“What a wonderful experience. It gives you the impression that you’re visiting a roadside farm stall somewhere in the countryside, with tables outside on the small stoep and those inside with a lovely, warm feel. Karin and staff treat you like family. The spread allows you to help yourself to delicious, traditionally hearty ‘boerekos’ in charming surroundings. I would go back anytime... ” – Carolyn Milsom

Licorish Bistro (highly commended)

Best Burger Eatery

Beefcakes Illovo (highly commended)

Best Coffee Shop

Afro-boer (highly commended)

Best Indian Eatery

Geet Indian Restaurant (highly commended)

Best Italian Eatery

Café del Sol in Randburg (winner)

“They really do have something so special, it’s almost impossible to put into words. You get an incredible, unique and worthwhile experience of awesome food, service and total happiness!” – Brian Carter

Ritrovo Ristorante (highly commended)

Best Steakhouse

The Local Grill in Parktown North (winner)

“A superb operation: delicious food and impeccable service. The care taken in sourcing and creation of every dish is to be admired, and my lunch of tender, succulent lamb, great fries and béarnaise, accompanied by cold beer and chilled wine, was a welcome respite on a warm day in Johannesburg.” – Lew Rood

Wombles Steakhouse Restaurant (highly commended)

KWAZULU-NATAL

Best Asian Eatery

Nam Jai Sushi & Thai Restaurant (winner)

“A treat of note. After having a few drinks and cocktails, we sat down for supper. We had a super time with great food, lots of laughter, great service and very friendly staff. The chocolate spring rolls were to die for. Thank you for a fabulous evening.” – Erika Bennett

Best Bistro

Boiler Room Café (winner)

“A great experience from the moment you see the gorgeous space. Open and airy, perfect for soaking up a gorgeous Durbs morning. Quick and friendly service, awesome coffee, and a playful and ever-changing menu. It's on our Saturday morning rotation, and never disappoints! If Graham is featuring anything Mexican when you're there, don't miss it – he must have tequila running through his veins!” – Liz Hawthorne

Best Country-Style Eatery

Oaklands Country Manor (winner)

“Locally sourced produce, perfectly prepared, and the flavours... Oh my. The staff are friendly, the atmosphere stunning and the food is absolutely delicious. It has become like a second home for us. Try the fresh asparagus with Hollandaise and a poached egg for breakfast, with a side of bacon or local sausage. The Dargle Valley pork is simply amazing, and the hamburgers, well, they’re the best.” – Tessa Graham

Best Indian Eatery

Jeera at Suncoast Towers Hotel (highly commended)

MPUMALANGA

Best Coffee Shop

The Food Fundi (highly commended)

WESTERN CAPE

Best African Eatery

Addis in Cape Ethiopian Restaurant (highly commended)

Best Asian Eatery

Tjing Tjing Torii (winner)

“Food and setting is excellent. Delicious, innovative Asian tapas complimented with a superb wine selection. Add to that the super-trendy décor, spectacular cocktails and great vibe. This must be one of the best spots in Cape Town for a night on the town.” – Wallie van der Walt

Active Sushi on Hudson Street (highly commended)

Best Bistro

Karoux (winner)

“Unexpectedly (which is a shame; we should give our small town more credit) superb. We were blown away by dishes which evoke all manner of superlatives, complemented in no small part by Aimee's attentive serving touch. The lamb tongue was the most tender and tasty I've had; the pork shoulder prepared to a delicious crisp; and the crème brûlée perfectly rounded off. Highly recommended.” – Martin Hattingh

Joostenberg Bistro (highly commended)

Best Burger Eatery

Inside & You’re Out (winner)

“A phenomenal experience all around, from the laid-back vibe of the restaurant to the easy ordering service and the most deelish burgers you'll find in Cape Town! IYO is always filled with people smiling and laughing. Such a win!” – Tessa Robb

Jerry's Burger Bar in Gardens (highly commended)

Best Coffee Shop

Tribe 112 (winner)

“Tribe is much more than just coffee. The town branch with its raised view over the street and great food would be enjoyable on its own, but the addition of beautiful motorbikes is a coffee/petrol head's dream come true. Tribe rocks!” – Richard Leif

Truth Coffee on Buitenkant Street (highly commended)

Best Country-Style Eatery

Fresh at Paul Cluver (winner)

“Fantastic country spot that's a scene straight out of Stealing Beauty: long leisurely lunches on the lawn, superb food, fabulous wine and Niki's incredible hospitality make you feel as though you’re visiting a close friend for lunch. One of my favourite restaurants in the Overberg with a unique brand of magic all of its own.” – Scarlet Nguni

The Table at De Meye (highly commended)

Best Indian Eatery

Maharajah South Indian Restaurant (highly commended)

Best Italian Eatery

Il Leone Mastrantonio (winner)

“Wonderful dinner last night. Fantastic food, great service and wonderful atmosphere.” – Caroline Bayly

Massimo's (highly commended)

Best Seafood Eatery

The Deckhouse Crab Shack and BBQ (winner)

“The deck outside is lit by candlelight with long wooden benches and tables giving a great beachy atmosphere. We went as a big group and decided to share 1kg baby back ribs (some of the best in Cape Town for sure), popcorn shrimp (cooked perfectly with a nice crispy crumb), a snow crab leg (steamed with a delicious dipping butter; simple but perfectly executed), and a blue swimmer crab bucket (also delicious but a bit harder to eat). The food overall was excellent and great value for money. Looking forward to going back!” – Emma Hof

Kalky's (highly commended)

Best Steakhouse

Pirates Steakhouse and Pub in Plumstead (winner)

“I wish I could give them 10 stars. Their steaks are the best and so succulent. My all time favourite is the Blackbeard rump. My whole family – including my seven-year-old son, always enjoys meals there, as it caters for all our needs. We never wait long for our food and the portions are quite generous, which we all love :)” – Esther Appels

The Eatery Wood Fired Grill in Claremont (highly commended)

EASTERN CAPE

Best Asian Eatery

Fushin Sushi (highly commended)

Best Bistro

Bridge Street Brewery (highly commended)

Title Sponsor

Premium luxury vehicle manufacturer Mercedes-Benz aims to live up to its unmistakeable strapline – “The best or nothing” – by showcasing not only its luxury products, but the Mercedes-Benz lifestyle. To this end, Mercedes-Benz has entered into not only the fashion arena, but the world of fine dining, with its sponsorship of the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards.

In practical terms, the brand aims to be the market-leader across all premium automotive segments, and at the same time, bring to the fore what it is like to live in the world of the three-pointed star. This latter point can be achieved through the Mercedes-Benz online lifestyle portal,www.mblife.co.za, which focuses on art, design, fashion, travel, food, trends, technology and motoring.

In line with the changing face of its market, Mercedes-Benz is reaching out to a new, younger audience through increased online activities. Its sponsorship of the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards is another step into bringing the lifestyle of Mercedes-Benz to a wider audience.

Judging

Eat Out fans directly influence the results with their star ratings when they review a restaurant on the site. Stars are awarded from one (poor) to five (excellent), for food and drinks, ambience and service. Users need to log in to write a review and give a rating. The restaurants with the highest average star rating in each category in each province for the eligible period will win.

The details:

• The awards period is 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015.
• Individual restaurants need to have received a minimum of 5 reviews in the awards period to qualify. A prize will not be awarded if the highest-rated restaurant in that category has an overall rating lower than 4 stars.
• In the event that the above criteria are not met in a specific category, the judges may announce a 'highly commended' restaurant, but not announce a winner.
• Ratings are done based on ambience, service, and food and drinks, in a 20:20:60 ratio to give precedence to food.
• In the event of a tie, restaurants’ written reviews will be taken into consideration.

About

For the first time in 2015, Eat Out will host a new set of restaurant awards: the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries, with the winners in each category in each province voted for by you.

For the past four years, the ‘Best of’ winners have been chosen by the restaurant awards judge(s). This year, in line with international reviewing sites, Eat Out is letting the fans choose their own Best Everyday Eateries. There will be winners for each category in each province. (The Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards remain focused on the Top 10 restaurants in the country, and are judged by a panel of experts.)