Celebrating South African restaurants’ excellence, here’s who went home with gold plates at the 2025 RASA Restaurant Awards!
Johannesburg, South Africa (20 March 2026) – The Restaurant Voice of SA (RASA) has been celebrating the people who make our food world special for two decades now!
RASA’s Top Restaurant Awards, marking its 20th year, shone the spotlight on local chefs, teams and restaurants in a ceremony held on 17 March in Fourways.
Winners spanned a wide range of categories this year, from Cafe Culture and Bistro to Elegant Dining, Cosmopolitan Dining, Family Restaurants, Lifestyle Dining, Upmarket Eateries, and more.
Individual awards also went out on the night, recognising excellence in service, creativity, and innovation – including SA’s Best Service Award, The Creative Factor Award, The Artistry in Vegan Dining, and The Showstopper Award.
The night wrapped with the announcement of South Africa’s Top 10 Best Restaurants and Restaurant of the Year, which went to Journey Urchin Restaurant the Hyatt Regency in Cape Town!
“Your restaurants are more than just places to eat – they’re gateways to connection, the storybooks of people’s lives, the boardroom table of peoples businesses, the Wedding chapel of people’s I do’s, the first dates, the anniversaries, the birthdays and the Friday night happy hour.” shared Wendy Alberts CEO of the Restaurant Voice of SA.
Here it is! The full list of winners at this year’s RASA Top Restaurant Awards:
Best In…
Best Café Culture – Chocólat et Café
Best in Bistro Buzz – Cut and Craft Bistro
Best in Upmarket Eateries – Casa Bella Montecasino
Best in Modern Relaxed – Social Grill
Best in Food on the Move – Tacokombi
Best in Family Restaurants – Joy Jozi
Best in Grillhouse & Steakhouse – The Grillhouse
Best in Lifestyle Dining – Arum
Best in Elegant Eating – Peppertree
Best in Cosmopolitan Dining – Chief Boma
Best Experiential Restaurant – The Royal Countess Zingara
Best International Flavours – Nikos Montecasino
Best in Fine Dining Flair – Qunu at Saxon
Individual Awards…
Best Service Award – Papachinos
Best Social Media Mastery – Ashleys
Most Creative Factor – Railways Cafè
Artistry in Vegan Dining – Vanessa Jarvis-Findlay
Best Kept Secret – Mrs Simpsons
Best Wine Experience – Fortis Bistro
Best Township – Secret Location
Best New Restaurant – The Salt Road
Lifestyle Pioneer Award – Tang
Best Restaurant Group – Olives & Plates
Operational Excellence GM Award – Terrace @ Van Gaalen (Shantall Welgemoed)
Top 10 Restaurants…
- Qunu
- Aurum
- Social Grill
- Tang
- Kream
- Ukko
- Peppertree
- Journey Urchin
- Grillhouse
- Casa Bella
Restaurant of the Year 2025
Journey Urchin Restaurant @ Hyatt
Rosetta Awards – Silver Plate 2025
Cavalli, Chorus, Culinary Table, Eike by Bertus Basson, Marble, Meraki Deli Café, Mertia Stellenbosch, Restaurant Klein Jan, Post & Pepper
Rosetta Awards – Gold Plate 2025
Epice, Faber, Farrow, Fermier Pretoria, Les Creatifs, Urchin Cape Town, Rust & Vrede Stellenbosch, Chefs Warehouse, Wolfgat Paternoster, Saxon Sandhurst, Cyra Houghton, Arkeste Franschhoek
Rosetta Awards – Platinum Plate 2025
Fyn, La Colombe Constancia, Le Petite Colombe, Pier, Dusk Stellenbosch, Salsify at the Roundhouse
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