Cape Town Restaurant Named in World’s Top 50 Restaurant List

Congratulations to Cape Town’s The Test Kitchen which is the only restaurant in South Africa to be included in the World’s Top 50 Restaurants list, announced yesterday in London.

The South African restaurant was also named the Best Restaurant in Africa. In fact it is the only restaurant on the continent to make it into the Top 50.

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek is the only other restaurant from Africa to make it onto the Top 100 list, coming in an no. 88.

The Test Kitchen has received several awards and is a favourite destination for international guests. On a recent trip to South Africa, ‘Breaking Bad’ actor Aaron Paul tweeted that he’d had “one of the best meals of my life” at the Cape Town venue and called it “a must”.

Chef Luke Dale-Roberts told South African media from London that he was “over the moon” with the restaurant’s listing which is 20 position’s higher than last year’s 48.

The British-born chef trained in Switzerland and England before heading to Asia where he launched several restaurants.

The restaurateur, who also has The Pot Luck Club,  opened The Test Kitchen at The Old Biscuit Mill in November 2010. He plans to open a third venture, Naturalis, in July 2015 where he intends to experiment with culinary dishes and preparation, and will hold only a few special dinners and events for the public.

According to The Test Kitchen’s website Luke’s “culinary creations are for the discerning diner in search of imagination and superb technique.” His mantra, he says, is “taste, taste, taste”.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is sponsored by San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, and is based on votes from The Diners Club World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, a group of almost 1 000 international leaders in the restaurant community.

Top spot in this year’s 50 Best Restaurants list went to the Roca Brothers from El Celler De Can Roca in Spain, followed by chef Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. Last year’s winner, Rene Redzepi dropped to third place with Noma in Denmark. Sepia in Sydney, Australia, was named as the ‘one to watch’. (The Test Kitchen was named as the ‘one to watch’ back in 2013.)