For the third year in a row, British-born chef Luke Dale-Roberts’ restaurant The Test Kitchen has been named SOUTH AFRICA’s Restaurant of the Year, cementing its reputation as the top dining destination in the country.

At the Eat Out Restaurant Awards, the Cape Town restaurant was named the best in class for the third time — a feat that’s all the more impressive given that the restaurant first opened its doors in 2010.

“Incorporating South African flavors and some serious Asian flair, every dish is technically precise, totally original and beautiful to look at.”

“More importantly, every mouthful, created under the watchful eye of head chef Ivor Jones, is delicious,” reads a critic’s review for Eat Out.

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In addition to training in Switzerland and England, Dale-Roberts also helped launch several restaurants across Asia in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and the Philippines during a five-year stint, which could explain the genesis of dishes like African Rosti, served with amasi curd; grilled scallop with miso and shiitake mushrooms; and Foie Gras Four Trees, flavored with oak, pine, chestnut and maple.

“My time in Europe taught me to cook; my time in Asia broadened my horizons,” says Luke.

This year, The Test Kitchen also snagged the 48th spot in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

Here are the top 10 restaurants at the Eat Out awards:

1. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town
2. Five Hundred, Johannesburg
3. The Tasting Room, Franschhoek
4. Restaurant Mosaic, Pretoria
5. Jordan Restaurant, Stellenbosch
6. Ouverture, Stellenbosch
7. Rust en Vrede, Stellenbosch
8. DW-Eleven 13, Johannesburg
9. The Restaurant at Newton-Johnson, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
10. Terroir, Stellenbosch