South Africa’s food sector scored 94.26% in Time Out’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, earning a place among the world’s best countries for food and standing out as the only African nation on the list. Thousands of readers rated their favourite destinations in the poll, and the score reflects how the country’s culinary offering performs in the eyes of travellers who have experienced it first hand. The result places South Africa’s restaurants, food traditions and wine regions alongside some of the most established culinary destinations in the world.
What that score measures in practice is a food scene spanning everything from traditional home cooking to contemporary restaurants and internationally recognised dining experiences. The country’s culinary identity blends indigenous flavours, European influences, and local traditions into a distinctive whole, and the recognition suggests this offering is translating successfully for visitors from abroad.
At the heart of the food culture sit two pillars. The first is Cape Malay cuisine, particularly visible in Cape Town, where aromatic curries and spices define a cooking tradition that includes bobotie, a baked minced-meat dish often topped with an egg-based custard. The second is the braai, a social institution built around grilled meat and boerewors that remains central to how people across the country gather and eat. Neither is a marketing construct; both are living practices that visitors encounter directly.
Beyond these traditions, the operational side of the food economy shows breadth. Coastal destinations supply fresh seafood drawn from their surroundings, while cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg have built restaurant scenes combining local ingredients with international techniques. These urban dining sectors are what put South African food in front of international audiences, and their presence on a global list indicates they are delivering at a standard that competes internationally.
Meanwhile, the country’s wine-producing regions add a further dimension, attracting visitors specifically interested in food and wine experiences. Together with the restaurant sectors in the major cities, they form a complete service chain for culinary tourism, from the plate to the glass.
South Africa does not sit at the top of the table. That position belongs to Italy, which claimed first place with 96.92%, recognised for its rich regional food traditions. Italy’s strength lies in specialties that vary sharply from one region to another: pizza in Naples, cannoli in Sicily, risotto in Milan and northern Italy. The country’s food culture extends well beyond pizza and pasta, taking in seafood along the coast and a wide range of regional pastries and dishes. The gap between Italy’s 96.92% and South Africa’s 94.26% is narrow, which for the only African country on the list is a significant signal about how its offering is being received.
The broader picture is one of growing international appeal. South Africa’s food culture has been shaped by indigenous traditions, European influences, and the culinary heritage of the communities living across the country. The 2026 recognition captures that blend at a moment when the country’s dining and wine sectors are functioning as genuine drawcards for visitors.
For the operators, restaurateurs and producers behind the score, the ranking serves as external validation that what they deliver daily, from weekday braais to fine dining in Cape Town and Johannesburg, meets a global standard. The challenge going forward is maintaining that delivery as international attention grows. On the evidence of this poll, the foundation is already in place.