A total of 65 restaurants in the Western Cape have been awarded the sought-after Diners Club Winelist Award. The annual awards, which are more than two decades old, recognise eateries that take great care in their wine selection and pairing of food with wine.
This year saw a variation of restaurants vying for top honours including Brasseries and Bistros, Cafés, chain restaurants, destination and fining dining eateries.
Twenty-five restaurants achieved diamond status, the highest accolade with a total score of 91% or higher, while 24 restaurants were awarded platinum, gold winners tallied to 13 and silver three.
Diners Club Winelist Awards do not only attract restaurants eager to gain recognition for their class and style, it also attracts an ever growing number of patrons who understand that the perfect meal is greatly enhanced by a matching fine wine.
This year a panel of judges led by by veteran wine critic and author Dave Hughes assessed hundreds of restaurant menus that had been submitted by licensed local restaurants that met the entry criteria.
Commenting on the quality of the entries, head judge Dave Hughes said: “Each year it becomes increasingly difficult to select the best restaurants that offer outstanding wine lists. However, the cream always rises to the top and this year has been no different. The winning restaurants are tenacious, almost pedantic, in ensuring that their offering continues to excite the palettes of their customers.”
The Diners Club Winelist Awards acknowledge excellence in participating restaurants in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western and Eastern Cape.
How restaurants are judged
Restaurant wine lists are evaluated according to four criteria:
- Content: Content includes the number of wines on the list, number of wines served by the glass, original and innovative choices, and cultivars sourced from appropriate regions.
- Balance: Balance relates to the relationship between modestly and expensively priced wines, overall value, presence of local and imported varieties, and balance between established and new labels.
- Suitability: Suitability measures the suitability of the wine list with the cuisine, as well as the fit with the image of the restaurant.
- Presentation: Presentation is judged according to vintages, regions, accurate information, correct spelling and a clear design that is easy to read and navigate.
Western Cape Diners Club Winelist Award Winners
Diamond Winners
| Pierneef a La Motte |
| Karibu Restaurant |
| One and Only Cape Town – Reuben’s |
| Birkenhead House |
| Grande Roche Hotel |
| Aubergine Restaurant |
| Grootbos Proivate Nature Reserve |
| The Square Restaurant – Vineyard Hotel |
| Greek Fisherman |
| Meloncino |
| City Grill Steakhouse |
| The Mount Nelson Hotel |
| Bombay Brasserie |
| Kitima at The Kronendal |
| Bientang’s Cave |
| Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness Reserve |
| Azure Restaurant |
| B’s Steakhouse |
| Indochine Restaurant, Delaire Graff Estate |
| Den Anker Restaurant |
| Ellerman House |
| The Marine Hotel |
| Signal at The Cape Grace Hotel |
| Karoo Art Hotel |
| The Raj Camps Bay |
Platinum Winners
| One and Only Cape Town – Nobu |
| The George Restaurant, Romney Park |
| Pigalle Greenpoint |
| Pastis |
| The Andros Deluxe Boutique Hotel |
| Hussar Grill – Green Point |
| Hussar Grill – Steenberg |
| Hussar Grill – Somerset West |
| Hussar Grill – Rondebosch |
| Hussar – Grill – Paarl |
| Hussar Grill – Camps Bay |
| Hussar Grill – Willowbridge |
| Hussar Grill – Stellenbosch |
| Planet Bar at The Mount Nelson |
| Mint |
| Blowfish Restaurant |
| La Pentola – Hermanus |
| Abalone House & Spa |
| The Garden Lounge at the Vineyard Hotel |
| French Connection Bistro |
| The Greenhouse Restaurant |
| The Wild Fig Restaurant |
| Table Bay Hotel |
| Lanzerac Hotel & Spa |
Gold Winners
| The Rusty Oak Bistro |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Blouberg |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Camps Bay |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Canal Walk |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Cape Town |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Cavendish |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Franschhoek |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Hermanus |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Stellenbosch |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Westlake |
| Col’Cacchio pizzeria – Willowbridge |
| Equus |
| Mezepoli Meze & Wine Bar |
Silver Winners
| Lagoon Beach Hotel |
| The Piano Bar |
| Quayside Cabin |
