South Africa’s dining scene is thriving, with exciting newcomers offering everything from golden-hour fiestas to farm-to-fork feasts. Here’s our pick of the ten hottest new restaurants to book now.
Ocaso – Johannesburg
As Corona’s first dedicated South African flagship, Ocaso is more than a restaurant — it’s a golden-hour ritual. Located in Oxford Parks, this Mexican-inspired hotspot flows effortlessly from sun-drenched afternoons into late-night DJ sets under twinkling lanterns. The menu is rich with flavour, offering tableside guacamole, birria tacos, corn ribs, wagyu burgers, churros and Bananas Foster, while the interiors feature wicker bars, ocean-blue floors and macramé cushions crafted with artisanal flair. It’s the perfect place to transition from sundowners into midnight magic.
ROOI – Cape Town
Inside the One&Only Cape Town, ROOI is an ode to fire and flame. The sultry dining room glows with bronze fire tiles, carved woods and sculpted murals, while the menu is all about bold grilling and luxurious pairing. Expect dishes such as prime rib, Kalahari venison, wagyu beef, kingklip and rock lobster, accompanied by rare red wines and boutique cocktails. It’s an immersive sensory feast where food, drink and atmosphere burn bright.
Libertino – Cape Town
De Waterkant’s newest arrival is a cheeky, disco-infused trattoria that makes meat-free Italian food feel like a party on a plate. Libertino is a riot of leopard curtains, neon staircases and velvet textures, and the menu is as playful as the décor. From pumpkin pizza with Gorgonzola to charred artichokes, lemony prawns, grilled nectarines with burrata and tiramisu, each dish is bold, irreverent and utterly delicious. This is Italian indulgence with a vibrant, meat-free twist.
Curate – Cape Town
Hidden inside Bantry Bay’s Ellerman House’s sculptural wine gallery, Curate offers an intimate tasting menu that blends South African heritage with fine-dining artistry. Each course is carefully conceived, with standouts including salmon trout koeksister, amagwinya topped with caviar, mushroom melktert, springbok with samp, and Nguni beef with marrow. Paired with rare wines and set against the backdrop of an extraordinary wine-art installation, this is dining as theatre, where art and flavour intertwine.
The Wes Bistro & Bar – Cape Town
Stepping into The Wes on Shortmarket Street feels like stepping onto a Wes Anderson film set. Dusky pink ceilings, dreamy blue walls, a fountain centerpiece and a dramatic Grand Budapest Hotel mural create a whimsical, cinematic backdrop. The food, however, is rooted in the French bistro tradition, with classics reimagined through a Cape lens. Bouillabaisse is enlivened with Cape Malay spices, vegetables are charred for ratatouille, and roast chicken arrives with straw potatoes and rocket salad. A rack of lamb with dauphinoise potatoes is hearty yet refined, while desserts, like a delicate Paris-Brest filled with elderflower crème pâtissière, add a touch of lightness. Simple, soulful food meets playful sophistication in a space that feels magical.
Our Local Sea Point – Cape Town
The beloved Kloof Street café has found a little sister by the sea. Our Local Sea Point is nestled inside what was once the paint corner of an old hardware store, now transformed into a soulful, vintage-inspired haven. Mismatched tables, plants and market finds set the scene for a menu that balances nostalgic favourites with new discoveries. There are shakshukas, creamy chicken livers and toasties, alongside zucchini and spinach omelettes, gluten-free bircher bowls, and the now-iconic Posh Schnitz. Later in the day, the Chicken Limone and burgers like the OL Smashie or Spicy Korean Fried Chicken steal the show, while evenings bring homely dishes such as meatballs in napolitana, Cavolo Nero pasta and apple tarte Tatin. From iced teas and palomas to disco nights under a mirror ball, it’s a neighbourhood space with soul, flavour and fun.
Veld at Spier – Stellenbosch
At Spier, sustainability has always been more than a philosophy — it’s a way of life. Veld, the farm’s new dinner-only restaurant, takes this ethos from vineyard to plate, with Executive Chef Craig Paterson creating food that celebrates regenerative farming and ingredients grown on-site in a dedicated food garden. Starters include roasted beetroot with feta, spekboom and hazelnuts, or smoked snoek fishcakes with fennel and bokkom tartare, while mains range from springbok loin with citrus jus to masala-roasted cauliflower steaks and a daily cut of beef served with triple-fried chips. Desserts stay close to home, with rooibos ice cream and Amarula crème brûlée. The dining room, with its hanging ferns, indigenous orchids, contemporary art and roaring fireplace, is as inviting as the menu.
The Salt Road – Johannesburg
Reborn in Houghton, The Salt Road is a culinary playground where salt itself is the star. Chefs Craig Cormack and Beau du Toit use curing, fermenting and salt-slab baking to create dishes that explore flavour in surprising ways. From salt-fermented vegetables to meats cooked on Himalayan slabs, each plate becomes an exploration of ingredient and technique. Set within a serene urban retreat complete with lush gardens, it’s a dining experience that balances intimacy with innovation, turning salt into a storyteller.
Cyra – Johannesburg
Located at The Houghton Hotel, Cyra takes its name from a star and promises a dining experience just as dazzling. Led by award-winning chef Candice Philip, the restaurant offers sweeping sunset views and an exquisite eight-course tasting menu that has already earned Cyra recognition as Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year. Plates such as beef fillet with truffle jus and potato pavé exemplify the precision and artistry of the kitchen, while desserts and cheeses finish the experience with flourish. Romantic, refined and glamorous, Cyra shines brightly in Joburg’s fine-dining constellation.
Ongetem – Cape Town
Bertus Basson’s newest venture inside the Hilton Canopy in Gardens lives up to its name: “Ongetem” means untamed, and this urban eatery is all about bold, fire-driven flavour. The menu is hearty and relaxed, ranging from flame-grilled steaks and baby chicken to pork neck, soufflé and house-made soft-serve. The atmosphere is lively, with hip-hop beats, and cowhide accents colliding with contemporary comfort. Unpretentious yet confident, it’s a place made for regular visits — the kind of restaurant where you return again and again for the food, the vibe and the sheer fun of it all.
