With a greater appreciation for destination dining than ever before, restaurant patrons are finding their way through the doors of a new wave of layered spaces around South Africa.

These eateries all tell their own unique story through close attention to detail, a stand-out design aesthetic and a diversified dining experience that lingers beyond the last bite. Here, our list of top restaurants worth making a road trip for:

PIER Restaurant | V&A Waterfront

Situated in the beautiful Pierhead Building at Cape Town’s iconic V&A Waterfront, PIER offers an intimate fine-dining experience not to be missed. Part of the La Colombe group, the Eat Out Awards three-star winner offers a seasonal menu, with a special emphasis on inspiration from the ocean.

Wolfgat  | Paternoster

Paternoster remains a favourite West Coast destination for many reasons, chief among them being Wolfgat! The restaurant is located in a 130-year-old whitewashed sandstone fisherman’s cottage on a hill overlooking the bay of Paternoster. Chef Kobus van der Merwe gives diners a unique taste of the surrounding environment with locally sourced ingredients from the ocean and Sandveld.

Dusk | Stellenbosch

The Winelands in the Western Cape arguably has some of the best restaurants in South Africa. Dusk, winner of the Eat Out Retail Capital New Restaurant Award, offers diners unusual ingredient and flavour pairings, with farmed abalone being a menu highlight. The sleek design of this new conceptual restaurant evokes a sense of worldly sophistication.

Farro | Bot River

If you’re planning a stay in Grabouw or Hermanus it’s worth taking a drive to the picturesque Gabrielskloof Wine Estate, where you’ll find Farro. Here, Chef Alex Windebank makes simple European-style food, including Farro’s famous chicken liver parfait served with perfectly toasted brioche.

Nevermind | Cape St. Francis

With its pristine ocean views, Chef Wesley Randles’ restaurant Nevermind champions seasonal produce and open-fire cooking. The restaurant, which won the Eat Out Stella Artois Best Destination Restaurant Award, has a relaxed atmosphere and exudes costal charm through it’s subtle nautical decor.

The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate | Pinetown

The LivingRoom is a must-visit if you find yourself in Durban. Chef Johannes Richter is skilled at transforming ordinary produce into works of art, with a unique African flair. Recently named as Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year for 2022, The LivingRoom’s offers contemporary fine-dining cuisine.

Zioux | Sandton

Named as the Eat Out VISI Style Award winner, Zioux offers a luxury fine-dining experience with a jaw-dropping interior theme. Designed to stimulate the senses, the idea was to play on the idea of Johannesburg as an urban jungle. The food is just as exciting with flavours from all over the globe, from South America to Mexico and North Africa.

Culinary Table | Lanseria

The Culinary Table offers farm-to-table dining, with the fresh ingredients singing on the plate. Take the kids along – they’ll love looking at the animals on the farm while you kick back with one of their delicious cocktails.

The post Feast For The Senses: 8 Local Destination Restaurants appeared first on Visi.

Marble Groups’s Zioux Restaurant in Joburg’s Sandton has nabbed first place in the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2022 Surface Interiors category for Africa and the Middle East.

The Marble Group’s latest addition to Johannesburg’s finer-dining offering has arrived in the form of a sensory restaurant-bar that’s a tongue-in-cheek interpretation of Johannesburg’s moniker, “the urban jungle”. Early 1900s Art Nouveau meets ’70s retro in a space that immediately invokes opulence, abundance and novelty.

From stained-glass doors and a backlit onyx-marble bar to an elevated VIP section and Krisjan Rossouw’s art series of human forms with animal heads, the space references an African take on Art Nouveau.

READ MORE: Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2022: Category Winners

Marble worked with design agency GRID, Reddeco and the Blackline Group to achieve this particular look and feel. “We all tend to be creatures of habit, controlled by insecurities, work and relationships, held captive like animals – so we created an environment where you can break free,” says interior designer and the group’s project manager Irene Kyriacou.

Situated across the street from its sister restaurant Saint, the more boujee Zioux (pronounced “zoo”) is a sophisticated bar, with a menu conceptualised by David Higgs and head chefs Mike van Rooyen (who has worked with Higgs for a number of years) and Moses Moloi (of FYN restaurant). A cocktail list by award-winning mixologist George Hunter complements the dining experience, which favours a Latin American flavour profile with strong Peruvian and Mexican influences. Expect dishes like ceviche and tiradito, a caviar service and an oyster bar, with an all-day brunch and high tea soon to be added.

Looking for more design inspiration? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here.

The post Local Restaurant Zioux Wins at The Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2022 appeared first on Visi.