The Test Kitchen voted Restaurant of the Year

South Africa, Cape Town, 20 November 2016; THEY’VE done it again! World class chef Luke Dale-Roberts has cemented his position as ‘the best in the business’ with his incredible win for The Test Kitchen at the 2016 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Awards. Sommelier Tinashe Nyamudoka also walked away earlier at the awards ceremony with the Eat Out Wine Steward Award.

The Eat Out judging panel, led by chief judge and Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly, voted The Test Kitchen as Restaurant of the Year for an astonishing fifth consecutive year. The final and most anticipated announcement of the awards ceremony, the award was received by an understandably thrilled Dale-Roberts and team, who have recently reopened the restaurant to showcase an entirely new dining concept.

In the year since Luke and his team last won this coveted award, much has happened. From the opening of “Luke Dale Roberts X the Saxon” in January 2016 at the Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa in Sandton, Gauteng, to the restaurant’s outstanding 22nd place at the World’s Best Restaurant Awards, the opening of The Shortmarket Club, a recent sell out collaboration with Mexico’s most lauded chef Jorge Vallejo and the reopening of The Test Kitchen after a short break, Luke and The Test Kitchen’s ever-enthusiastic brigade of chefs and front of house team have been working tirelessly in their quest to excite and inspire their patrons with ground-breaking flavour combinations and techniques.

The latest menu and dining concept from Luke features The Light Room and The Dark Room and plays host to a mere 40 guests per evening. Diners begin their culinary journey in The Dark Room, sharing exquisitely prepared and presented tapas-style offerings. From here, things progress to a more formal fine dining space – The Light Room. With twenty-one (21) courses in all, each plated on a specifically chosen plate or vessel, a visit to the new The Test Kitchen is something of a pilgrimage – a sensory journey. The equally arresting visual aspect of the experience was conceptualised by Luke’s talented designer wife Sandalene who worked with a number of local artists and architect Maurice Paliaga to create a space worthy of the extraordinary food.

At The Test Kitchen, it really is the details that Luke puts in place that make the difference. Couple this with an unfailing dedication to his craft, a tireless desire to push culinary boundaries and a playful approach and willingness to explore possibilities, and you have a winning combination – something Abigail Donnelly and the Eat Out team have continued to recognise year on year.

Says Luke of his win, “while recognition is always gratefully received and we are absolutely thrilled, what drives us is the chance to offer a truly extraordinary and entertaining food experience for our guests”. And there’s no doubt about, the public and judges alike agree that The Test Kitchen truly is an exceptional and award winning experience.

The Test Kitchen is located at Shop 105a, The Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town. Booking has switched to an online reservations system. This means that reservations can only be made independently via their website. Their online reservations system opens one month prior to the preferred date (e.g. from the 1st July you are able to book for the month of August and from the 1st of August you are able to book for the month of September). Bookings open at 08h00 (South African time).

They no longer take reservations via email, however, they will still be able to assist telephonically on + 27 (021) 447 2337.

The Test Kitchen is open for dinner only between 18h30 – 22h00. However, bespoke event bookings are open for lunch from Wednesday to Saturday, for a minimum of 12 guests.  For these exclusive reservations, please call (27) (21) 447 2337 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.