Khayelitsha restaurant given top award thanks to secret international food

Photo Credit: 4Roomed eKasi Culture / Facebook

A food and travel critic secretly travelled the world in partnership with magazines Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine to find the very best in the world.

Cape Town, South Africa – Award-winning writer Besha Rodell travelled to 24 different countries and ate at 81 restaurants all to curate a list of the best restaurants in the world for the Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine magazines.

In South Africa, she ate at two restaurants that made her list. She listed the 4Roomed eKasi Culture in Khayelitsha, Western Cape and the Le Wine Chambre in Illovo, Johannesburg.

4Roomed eKasi Culture in Khayelitsha has earned a world best title for serving delicious food! It was founded by Abigail Mbalo who previously worked as a dental technologist. Abigail was a contestant on South Africa’s Master Chef. Today she has embraced all her talents and works in design, food and photography.

She was inspired to base the restaurant on a four-roomed eKasi home. The restaurant tells a story about the eKasi home and how it was used to support more than one family at a time. It is a celebration of South African heritage and history.

Khayelitsha’s tourism is booming as more tourists are keen to learn about the township. There are more bed and breakfasts popping up as well as Airbnb listings too!

The 4Roomed eKasi celebrates food, decor and art. If you visit, you will have the best time. Thankfully, if you can’t get to Khayelitsha, there is also a 4Roomed food truck!

Take a look at some of the delicious food served below.

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Repost check details on @eating_habits_nl thanks culinaire reizen for post and the photo… . . Enkosi @abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi for taking 4ROOMED Iconic Mqa to the world. . ・・・ Gisteren was ik uitgenodigd door @anniepannie_nl en @crowneplazadenhaag voor een exclusief bloggersdiner in het kader van Food Festival South-Africa. En heel misschien denk je: euh, jij schrijft toch alleen maar over eten in Europa en Azië? Ja klopt, maar het ziet ernaar uit dat ik volgend jaar naar Zuid-Afrika ga voor een diëtistencongres. Als ik daar dan toch ben, plak ik daar nog wat daagjes (weekjes) aan vast. En ik vond dit diner wel een mooi voorpretmomentje. Ik heb echt heerlijk gegeten. Wat dacht je van Boerewors woll, vetkoek (op de foto), mqa en biltong? Mmm! Wist je trouwens dat de Zuid-Afrikaanse keuken heel veel buitenlandse invloeden heeft? En dan chef Abigail Mbalo. Super inspirerend hoe zij over eten en haar Zuid-Afrika kan vertellen. Ik heb nu nog meer zin gekregen in een trip richting Zuid-Afrika. Wil je het menu zelf uitproberen, dan kan dat nog tot en met zondag bij Restaurant Brut International Flavours van het Crowne Plaza in Den Haag. . . . #zuidafrika #southafrica #southafricanfood #southafricancuisine #africanfood #africancuisine #localfood #foodtrip #foodfestival #thehague #brutinternationalflavours #promenadefoodfestivals #instafood #igfood #foodblogger #streetfood #fingerfood #delicious #vetkoek #wanderlust #globetrotter #wanttotravel #wanttoeat #ikbendietist #uitgenodigd #4roomediconicmqa to the world #4roomedekasiculture #abigailmbalotheartist

A post shared by 4roomedeakasiculture (@4roomedekasiculture) on Sep 29, 2019 at 9:07am PDT

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Repost @visitsouthafrica_uk with @abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi ・・・ “I ate many good meals in and around Cape Town. But #4roomedekasiculture 4roomedekasiculture is unique- it’s an experience I could not have had anywhere else… What’s celebrated here is the food and culture of Africa, and South Africa in particular.” – @travelandleisure. 😋🍴🇿🇦. . It’s hard to believe you can dine at one of the ‘World’s 30 Best Restaurants’ for less than £20! But an 8-course shareable feast at 4Roomed The Restaurant within Khayelitsha township on the outskirts of Cape Town will cost exactly that. Pro tip: Arrive hungry! #MeetYourSouthAfrica #4roomedekasiculturecollection #abigailmbalotheartist #abigailmbalopoppyhuis @destination.africa @meetsouthafrica #abigailmbalosmicrophone #townshipandruraltourismdevelopmentdrive

A post shared by 4roomedeakasiculture (@4roomedekasiculture) on Nov 7, 2019 at 5:05pm PST

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@abi_the_creative_4roomedekasi the founder of 4ROOMED and her team were amazing @opendesignafrika . What a weekend it was. Food, her presentation and participation in panel discussion were amazing… . . . Don’t miss out 2020 Open Design Afrika. . . . #abigailmbalotheartist #abigailmbalopoppyhuis #4roomedekasiculture #4roomedekasiculturepoweringsatownships

A post shared by 4roomedeakasiculture (@4roomedekasiculture) on Oct 28, 2019 at 11:03am PDT