La Colombe climbs 20 places to No. 35, wins Best Restaurant in Africa

La Colombe climbed 20 places to No. 35 in The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 and won Best Restaurant in Africa, giving the Cape Town restaurant its second continental title across three consecutive appearances on the annual list.

At the Wednesday-evening awards ceremony in Lima, Peru, Executive Chef James Gaag accepted the honor on behalf of the La Colombe team. The 2026 placing improved on No. 55 in 2025. La Colombe had ranked No. 49 in 2024, when it also won Best Restaurant in Africa.

Gaag said: “We are incredibly honoured to be recognised among the world’s best restaurants. It is a very special moment for the entire team, whose dedication and passion make La Colombe what it is.”

He added: “To be able to represent our home city of Cape Town and South Africa on this international stage is something we never take for granted. We are grateful to the judges, our guests and everyone who has supported us along the way. This recognition belongs to every member of our team.”

The 50 Best Restaurants, previously called The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, brings together leading dining destinations worldwide. Its annual list offers a snapshot of the talent, creativity and innovation shaping international restaurants. La Colombe’s latest result extends its presence on that list.

A two-year climb

The clearest measurable change is the 20-position rise from No. 55 in 2025 to No. 35 in 2026. La Colombe also moved 14 places from No. 49 in 2024 to No. 35 this year, while earning a second Africa title in three listed editions.

The announcement did not disclose a check average, revenue, unit count, food cost, labor percentage, margin or ownership structure. It therefore supports conclusions about reputation and visibility, not a quantified improvement in restaurant economics. For operators, the award signals international brand strength, but the announcement offers no sales or covers data showing how much commercial benefit followed.

What does the award change for La Colombe?

For La Colombe, the practical effect is a larger international platform for a dining operation that Executive Chef Gaag leads with a team of chefs and hospitality professionals. The announcement describes the restaurant’s international reputation as built over years through a distinctive approach to dining, though it names no menu, supplier, sourcing or pricing initiative behind the result.

Scot Kirton, Chef Proprietor, said: “It is a wonderful honour to see La Colombe recognised among the world’s best restaurants. I am incredibly proud of James and the entire team. It takes a great deal of commitment from everyone involved to deliver what we do, day after day, and this recognition is a reflection of their hard work.”

Kirton also thanked everyone involved in the restaurant’s journey and its guests for their continued support. His comments, like Gaag’s, placed the team’s daily consistency ahead of any financial or expansion claim.

The ranking and second Africa award can strengthen La Colombe’s profile with international diners and the wider hospitality industry. Whether that visibility becomes sustained cover growth remains unproven because the announcement provides no booking, pricing or operating benchmarks.

The next test for La Colombe is whether it can preserve its improved position and convert the 2026 recognition into measurable demand while maintaining the team commitment both executives cited.