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News24 | The 2026 Eat Out Awards winners have been announced: Here’s the full list

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Johannes Richter of The LivingRoom was named Chef of the Year, and FYN won Restaurant of the Year at the 2026 Woolworths Eat Out Awards.
FYN was celebrated for its fusion of Japanese techniques with South African identity, led by executive chef Bea Malherbe.
The awards also introduced three Green Star sustainability categories and marked Eat Out’s move to News24.

In a dazzling celebration of South Africa’s culinary talent, the country’s top chefs traded their kitchen whites for evening wear when they gathered at Cape Town’s Baxter Theatre Centre on Monday, 23 March, for the 2026 Woolworths Eat Out Awards ceremony.

FYN claimed the coveted Restaurant of the Year title while Johannes Richter of The LivingRoom was named the Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Chef of the Year.

FYN received acclaim for fusing Japanese techniques with an authentic South African identity.

FYN’s executive chef, Bea Malherbe, is at the heart of this triumph. She has spent seven years with acclaimed chef-patron Peter Tempelhoff, culinary director Ashley Moss, and drinks and service virtuoso Jennifer Hugé. Together, they have shaped FYN into one of South Africa’s most internationally celebrated fine-dining destinations.

FYN has received top honours for elevating indigenous ingredients and heritage flavours. The restaurant weaves the Cape’s natural abundance into its dishes, using edible plants and seasonal specialities with precision and creativity.

“The judges said FYN delivered a world-class dining experience defined by precision, creativity, and balance,” said Abigail Donnelly, Eat Out’s culinary director.

Rising stars and industry luminaries

Richter received recognition for his leadership and inspiration, based on criteria highlighting vision and influence.

Aren Pollack at Embarc in Parkhurst, Johannesburg, claimed this year’s Eat Out Rising Star Award. This award recognises exceptional young talent, innovation, skill, and promise for a thriving culinary career.

The Eat Out S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna Chefs’ Chef award went to Chef Ryan Cole, a testament to the respect and admiration of his peers.

While the Eat Out House of Suntory Lannice Snyman Lifetime Achievement Award honoured industry legend winemaker Ken Forrester, whose decades of passion, innovation, and hospitality continue to shape South Africa’s culinary landscape.

READ | Cut the ego, stir in the soul: Here’s what happens when SA chefs lead with humility - not hype

The evening saw 66 restaurants receive stars following an eight-month judging process by seven anonymous culinary experts, who assessed food, service, ambience, and value across South Africa’s finest restaurants.

Donnelly said: “The Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards celebrate the talent, passion, and dedication that make South Africa’s food scene extraordinary. It is about more than food; it is about the people, stories, and community that bring it to life. We are thrilled to see the number of starred restaurants rise to 66, reflecting our culinary landscape’s continued excellence.”

Eat Out Woolworths three-star restaurants

Three stars are awarded to restaurants scoring more than 90 out of 100:

• FYN, Cape Town;

• La Colombe, Constantia, Cape Town;

• La Petite Colombe, Franschhoek;

• MERTIA, Stellenbosch;

• Pier, Cape Town;

• Salon, Cape Town;

• Salsify at the Roundhouse, Cape Town; and

• The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate, Pinetown, Durban.

Eat Out Woolworths two-star restaurants

Two stars:

• Belly of the Beast, Cape Town;

• Beyond, Constantia, Cape Town;

• Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia, Cape Town;

• COY Restaurant, Cape Town;

• Dusk, Stellenbosch;

• Epice, Franschhoek;

• FABER at Avondale, Paarl;

• Fermier, Tshwane;

• Good to Gather, Stellenbosch;

• Hōseki, Stellenbosch;

• Meraki by Charlie Lakin, Hillcrest, Durban;

• Ouzeri, Cape Town;

• Post & Pepper, Stellenbosch;

• Protégé, Franschhoek;

• Rust en Vrede Restaurant, Stellenbosch;

• The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira, Stellenbosch;

• The Pot Luck Club Cape Town, Cape Town;

• The Table at De Meye, Stellenbosch;

• The Waterside Restaurant, Cape Town;

• Vuur, Stellenbosch; and

• Wolfgat, Paternoster.

Eat Out Woolworths one-star restaurants

One-star restaurants:

• BLOEM at Paul Clüver Family Wines, Elgin;

• Cavalli Restaurant, Somerset West;

• Chefs Warehouse at Maison, Franschhoek;

• Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic, Cape Town;

• CHORUS, Somerset West;

• Creation Wines Tasting Room, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley;

• CURATE at Ellerman House, Cape Town;

• Cyra, Johannesburg;

• Eike, Stellenbosch;

• ëlgr, Cape Town;

• Embarc, Johannesburg;

• Ember & Oak, Constantia, Cape Town;

• Galjoen, Cape Town;

• Kapokbos Restaurant, Bonnievale;

• Le coin Français, Franschhoek;

• Leeto, Paternoster;

• Les Créatifs, Johannesburg;

• Marble Restaurant Johannesburg, Johannesburg;

• Melfort, Stellenbosch;

• Merchant Bar & Grill, Cape Town;

• Nevermind, Cape St Francis;

• Ongetem, Cape Town;

• Orangerie at Le Lude, Franschhoek;

• Qunu, Johannesburg;

• Reverie Social Table, Cape Town;

• Saint Restaurant, Johannesburg;

• Seebamboes, Cape Town;

• Spek & Bone, Stellenbosch;

• Table Seven, Cape Town;

• Terrarium, Cape Town;

• The Bistro at Brookdale Estate, Paarl;

• The Chefs’ Table, Umhlanga;

• The Pot Luck Club Johannesburg, Johannesburg;

• The Red Room by Chefs Warehouse, Cape Town;

• The Test Kitchen Fledgelings, Cape Town;

• Tyler’s, eMdloti; and

• Upper Union, Cape Town.

A new chapter begins

This year marked a milestone with the launch of three new Green Star categories. Judges awarded these prizes for sustainability, resource management, ethical sourcing, and community impact.

The Urban Green Star honours city restaurants that excel in sustainability despite high traffic and complex infrastructure, with no access to land for growing food or for waste management, and was awarded to Dusk in Stellenbosch.

The Rural Green Star recognises restaurants in remote areas that leverage their land access for sustainable practices, such as rearing animals and growing food while serving their local communities, and was awarded to the Livingroom at Summerhill in Pinetown.

The Emerging Green Star celebrates newcomer restaurants that show momentum by embedding strong sustainability principles from day one, regardless of location, and was awarded to Terranium.

Roy Bagattini, Group CEO of Woolworths Holdings, said: “The Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards reflect what we stand for at Woolworths: quality, innovation, sustainability, and community. The introduction of the three Green Star Awards is an important step in recognising real progress toward a more responsible food industry.”

The awards also marked the beginning of a new era.

Eat Out announced its move to News24 to expand its reach and connect with more South Africans.

The winners of the 2026 Eat Out Woolworths Special Awards are:

• Eat Out Callebaut Dessert Award: Catherine Adonis at Qunu;

• Eat Out Patrón Mixology Award: Beyond and FYN (sister restaurants);

• Eat Out Best Destination Restaurant: The Table at De Meye;

• Eat Out Wine Service Award: Elton Damon at La Petite Colombe;

• Eat Out Woolworths Financial Services Service Excellence Award: MERTIA;

• Eat Out VISI Style Award: Amura;

• Eat Out Woolworths Best New Restaurant: Amura; and

• Eat Out Woolworths Trailblazer Award: Margot Janse, the celebrated chef and former Eat Out chief judge.

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