Two South African restaurants ranked among the world’s top 101 for their steaks
Two South African restaurants have been selected once again for the 2026 World’s 101 Best Steak list, with Stellenbosch’s VUUR restaurant ranking 52nd and Johannesburg’s The Blockman ranked 98th.
Both South African restaurants, including The Blockman in Johannesburg, were selected out of over 1,200 restaurants that were evaluated.
The restaurants were both selected in 2025; however, Stellenbosch’s VUUR was ranked 87th, while Johannesburg’s The Blockman was ranked 97th.
This year, The Blockman was selected for the list yet again, but in 98th position, while VUUR in Stellenbosch moved significantly closer to first place, ranking 52nd out of 101 restaurants.
The World’s Best Steak Restaurants list is published by Upper Cut Media House in London, and created by founder Ekkehard Knobelspies.
The team of anonymous experts follow a 29-criterion when evaluating the restaurants, which includes meat quality, sourcing, ageing, cooking technique, service and experience.
Key components of the selection procedure:
- Anonymous Assessments: Independent reviewers conduct unannounced visits to restaurants 1–2 times each year.
- Essential Criteria: Evaluators assess restaurants based on 29 critical factors, such as the quality of raw meat, breed, ageing techniques, cooking accuracy (employing various methods), service excellence, and the quality of wine selections.
- Worldwide Evaluation: Experts review establishments across five continents to ensure a broad, diverse selection.
- Independent Process: The list reportedly focuses on integrity and high standards.
- What They Seek: A premier steakhouse must offer outstanding meat quality (including marbling, flavour, and terroir), extensive staff expertise, and a unique, high-quality atmosphere.
“They’ll look at the wine offering, the sommeliers that come to the table, the waiters and the service and the presentation, the cleanliness, design of the restaurant, and again it’s all down to the quality of the food that you’re serving them,” Blockman head chef, Vassilios “Basil” Holiasmenos, said in aninterview.
Holiasmenos said that the cattle procurement process is important to the restaurant, prioritising factors such as how and what the animal is fed when selecting it.
“We go from looking at the beef and what cattle it was bred down from to the marbling and the colour of the beef, and most importantly, the consistency.”
The Blockman
The Blockman is owned by Vassilios “Basil” Holiasmenos, who is also the head chef and butcher, focusing on dry-aged steaks and whole-animal butchery.
Holiasmenos also founded the Kolonaki Greek Kouzina and Modena Italian Eatery in Parkhurst, all in the same area as the Blockman in Parkhurst.
The other Blockman restaurant is in Bryanston. Both Blockman restaurants are in Gauteng.
The steak-focused restaurant, founded in 2021, has won the South African Steakhouse of the Year title in the 2022 Luxe Restaurant Awards.
The Blockman offers experiences, including chef tasting, private dining, and wine tasting, exclusive to the Bryanston location only.
The chef’s tasting is a selection of seasonal dishes, boasting a variety of flavours, cuts, and techniques.
The wine-tasting experience offers a selection of curated South African wines and vintages.
“For those looking to elevate their experience, our Wine and Food Pairing takes things further. Here, exceptional wines are carefully matched with a variety of tartares – from aged meats to fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables – creating a unique harmony of taste and texture,” the restaurant said on its website.
The private dining is for customers looking for an “intimate and exclusive” dining experience, with a private dining area that provides an “elegant and secluded” atmosphere.
“Obviously we won last year, which was you know, which was an incredible achievement, and we were incredibly lucky to be on that list,” said Holiasmenos.
“So from last year to now, we’ve been working really hard and obviously trying to make the new one, and it was a very big surprise that we got on again, and we’re so so thrilled to be able to be on that list.”
Photos of VUUR restaurant:
Photos of the Blockman restaurant:
Loading ...