Wolfgat, La Colombe and Fyn have earned spots on the top 100 of the World’s Best Restaurants… proudly South African!
Western Cape, South Africa (19 July 2022) – Wolfgat, La Colombe and Fyn are three proudly South African restaurants that have received an international nod from the team at World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Since 2002, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants (which lists the best 100) has reflected the diversity of the world’s culinary landscape. Thanks to its panel of 1,080 culinary experts, as well as its structured and audited voting procedure, the annual list of the world’s finest restaurants, provides a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique culinary experiences, in addition to being a barometer for global gastronomic trends.
“The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is more than just a list. It is a celebration of the universality and diversity of cuisines.”
Nestled between restaurants like Geranium in Copenhagen, Septime in Paris, The Clove Club in London and Cosme in New York, Wolfgat, La Colombe, and Fyn were the only featured restaurants from South Africa… and all three from the Cape province.
Take a look at the three incredible restaurants below. All are so deserving, and their food looks absolutely amazing too! After the two years (and then some) that our culinary industry has had, this is a great accomplishment.
Number 90 – Wolfgat
With a heavy focus on sustainability, Kobus van der Merwe’s restaurant in beautiful coastal Paternoster serves a seven-course menu built on local indigenous ingredients in dishes inspired by the surrounding landscape. With only 20 diners per sitting, the restaurant has an intimate atmosphere and, more importantly, maintains sustainability by keeping it small.
Apart from the restaurant building dating back some 130 years, the placement of Wolfgat is especially meaningful because of the location of the Wolfgat cave on the premises – a site of immense archaeological and geological significance.
According to leading archaeologist, John Parkington, the Wolfgat cave is “…a substantial chamber lying under an unusually large calcrete shelf. Almost certainly, the chamber, and passages leading into it, owe their origin to underground stream erosion that has removed softer sand from below the cemented shelf.”
Local legend has it that the underground passages of Wolfgat cave extend some kilometres inland, and some even say that it stretches all the way into Cape Columbine reserve, with more than one southern exit.
Number 56 – La Colombe
La Colombe is one of South Africa’s most iconic and internationally acclaimed fine dining establishments. Originally founded on the historic Constantia Uitsig wine estate, it relocated under new ownership to the picturesque Silvermist organic wine estate at the top of Constantia Nek, with breathtaking views overlooking the Constantia wine valley, False Bay and Hout Bay.
Chef Proprietor Scot Kirton’s philosophy and approach lie in the fusion of Asian and French cuisine and the pursuit of excellence and perfection on each plate, resulting in numerous local and international awards.
The freshest seasonal produce, uncomplicated, clean flavours and classical elegance are the essence of his inspiration and passion for food. Scot’s delivery of classic signature dishes and his endless array of sublime new inspirations form the mainstay of La Colombe’s Tasting Menu. With impeccable service and an award-winning wine list, La Colombe is a truly unforgettable experience.
Number 37 – Fyn
New to the party: Fyn – pronounced ‘fine’ – opened in 2018 on the fifth floor of a 19th-century silk factory and has been gradually growing prominence on the global gastronomic scene. In 2022, it breaks into The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for the first time, picking up The Best Restaurant in Africa award in the process.
The menu is Japanese at its core, using fish, poultry and meat from the best Cape Town farms and fisheries. Dishes frequently change; for a taste of what to expect, diners are generally greeted with guineafowl tsukune; tare tonkatsu; Iberico pork with okonomiyaki sauce; and cabbage and daikon maki with ponzu gel. This is always followed by a selection of outstanding sashimi, while the signature Outeniqua springbok, kabocha squash, Hokkaido pumpkin, shiitake and caramelised onion jus is the real show-stopper that exemplifies the Southern Hemisphere-meets-Japanese style.
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