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Cape Town has no shortage of incredible restaurants - and the latest 50 Best Restaurants 2026 rankings have given foodies another reason to celebrate the Mother City's world-class dining scene! After weeks of anticipation, Constantia's acclaimed La Colombe has made a spectacular return to the world's top 50 restaurants, landing at No.35 this year.
For La Colombe and its team under executive chef James Gaag, it's a particularly sweet victory, as the new ranking, up 20 places from No. 55 in 2025, sees it return to the top 50 after a year on the extended 51–100 list.
READ: The 10 most expensive restaurants in Cape Town
The inclusion in the Best 50 restaurants also means La Colombe has been crowned The Best Restaurant in Africa, making it the highest-ranked restaurant on the continent.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, 4 November, at the prestigious awards ceremony in Lima, Peru, where some of the world's leading chefs and restaurateurs gathered to celebrate the best in global gastronomy.
Cape Town's fine-dining scene is on the rise
La Colombe's achievement completes an impressive showing for Cape Town in this year's rankings. Last month, two other Mother City restaurants celebrated significant gains when the extended 51–100 list was announced.
FYN climbed 17 places to No.65, while Salsify at the Roundhouse rose to No.71, also gaining 17 places. That means all three South African restaurants featured in the world's top 100 have climbed the rankings this year, with La Colombe leading the charge.
READ: Cape Town restaurants soar in World's Best Restaurants rankings
La Colombe
- 2025 ranking: No.55
- 2026 ranking: No.35
FYN
- 2025 ranking: No.82
- 2026 ranking: No.65
Salsify at the Roundhouse
- 2025 ranking: No.88
- 2026 ranking: No.71
More good news for Salsify
Cape Town also featured in another announcement at the awards ceremony. Doris Lam, winner of The 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship 2026, will undertake a paid culinary internship at Salsify at the Roundhouse, working with chefs Ryan Cole and Nina du Toit.
She will also spend time at The Fat Duck in Bray, England, the legendary restaurant led by Heston Blumenthal.
It's another nod to the growing international influence of South Africa's fine-dining scene. And with three Cape Town restaurants moving up the global rankings, there's plenty to toast in the Mother City.
Who took the world's top spot?
This year's biggest honour went to Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, which was named The World's Best Restaurant 2026.
The restaurant, renowned for chef-owner Victor Arguinzoniz's mastery of wood-fire cooking, climbed from second place in 2025 to claim the top spot.
Bangkok's Gaggan followed at No.2, while Copenhagen's Alchemist took third place.
The annual ranking is compiled from votes cast by more than 1,100 international restaurant industry experts, including chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and culinary specialists.
- Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo
- Gaggan, Bangkok
- Alchemist, Copenhagen
- Quintonil, Mexico City
- Wing, Hong Kong
- The Chairman, Hong Kong
- Kjolle, Lima
- Kadeau, Copenhagen
- Diverxo, Madrid
- Plénitude, Paris
- Atomix, New York
- Sorn, Bangkok
- Mérito, Lima
- Sühring, Bangkok
- Odette, Singapore
- Tuju, São Paulo
- Mingles, Seoul
- Nusara, Bangkok
- Jan, Munich
- Piazza Duomo, Alba
How are the World's best restaurants chosen?
Who gets to decide which restaurants are the best in the World? More than 1,100 international food experts, as it turns out. The World's 50 Best Restaurants rankings are determined by votes from chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and culinary specialists across 28 regions, with at least a quarter of the voting Academy refreshed annually.
But the influential rankings aren't without their critics. With fine dining dominating the list, questions remain about how accurately it reflects the diversity of global food culture. Still, for South Africa's restaurant industry, the recognition is a significant achievement and another boost to its growing international reputation.
Read the full rankings at The 50 Best Restaurants.
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