Review Epicure Restaurant - Sandton

Wish I could give it more than 5 stars!!! The most excellent meal experience I've had in SA. Delicious Pan-African menu was clearly described by our waiter and we chose a selection of starters and mains. Such brilliant flavours and a variety of textures and a luscious taste extravaganza! Our waiter was quietly efficient and the sweeping decor was just beautiful. Such an wonderful experience - highly recommended. This fabulous jewel puts Joburg on the fine-dining map!

One of the best meals I've had. I went with some friends and I do not regret it. The food was delicious, the portions generous. The staff friendly and so was the owner. We ordered different dishes and I sampled each of my friends' dishes as well. They were all delicious. Definitely a place to visit again. Oh, and the chocolate mousse cake with chilli .... yum

An exceptional restaurant in the extremely competitive Sandton area. I came here for breakfast with my partner, after checking scores of restaurants online, this was our choice out of all the places in Sandton. The food was delicious, the coffee bold and the aesthetic incredible. The menu has a wide range of dishes that have roots deep in Africa, with an added touch of flair. The wine list is the most extensive and informative I've ever seen. I had Grandma's Gift (Ouma bread french toast with fresh whipped cream and apricot compote). My partner had the Bosveld Breakfast (Vetkock fritters with boerewors mince and chakalaka relish). Both were delicious, and fairly priced. When we got there just before 9 am we weren't very pleased to find the staff still busy cleaning. We had to sit outside, which is fine, but I believe that when you come to a place like this, there shouldn't be such inconveniences. This made us want to leave at first, but we decided to stay... my initial perception changed for the better with every passing minute. Even with the inconvenience, I'm still rating this 5 stars... which should tell you something.

My husband and I had our joint 40th last night at Epicure. Chef Coco went above and beyond to make the evening an experience our friends will remember forever! The food was spectacular, drinks pairing absolutely perfect and the service second to none. From start to finish this was the most phenomenal experience! We are so grateful that we decided to have our 40th here...can’t recommend it highly enough! Thanks Chef Coco to you and your staff for an unforgettable evening!

Chef Coco and Épicure An epicure is a person who takes particular delight in fine food and drink, here we were calling ourselves foodies, we should've called ourselves Epics. Spot on as this definition is properly suited to describe Chef Coco and his elegant restaurant Épicure. This new restaurant opened right in the heart of Sandton. Luckily Chef Coco, formerly from Sel et Poivre, stayed in South Africa to share his African journey through food with all of us epicureans. You walk into a very intriguing Afro-chic décor setting, with rich fabrics in a wide range of textures, woven into each other to create vivid geometric designs. It is lit more than well enough to see your food and other people around the table, but the tables and pillars are arranged in such a way that you are not too close to anyone else, which makes the evening more romantic and private. They even have a walk-in wine hallway, if you will, where you can go to choose your wine for the evening. This area is enclosed with glass to separate the smoking from the non-smoking areas. Epic Food Épicure is definitely a step outside of your comfort zone as most dishes are odd sounding, to say the least, but the flavours are all that matter, and this place really did pack a punch. As we sat down we were given this little bowl with a tiny chicken leg in a chilli relish that would have you singing Africa from Toto, we kid you not. For our starter, we were greeted by Moroccan-style duck samosas with dry fruit chutney. The only bad part about this dish is that we had to fight over the last piece because these little pieces of heaven are why we got into this business. Next up is what made us fall in love with the place. The first main was the Flic and Flac Magic, which was truly magical. It is a Vadouvan-spiced sea bass with black rice and tamarind, and if we had no self-discipline we would've drank the tamarind just like that. Not only was the sea bass perfectly cooked, it paired so well with the rice to make it our dish of the evening. Our next main was the Dukkah Delight, an Egyptian dukkah-spiced rib eye with bulgur wheat and roasted baba ganoush. What a mouthful indeed. This was a dish on the richer side but also, just as tasty as the sea bass. We cannot forget about dessert, now can we? This was quite an interesting and an all-over-the-place plate. This dessert brought together three different countries, Zanzibar, the DRC and Senegal. Épicure sure is out there with there dishes but this one takes the cake. This dish contained vermicelli, a type of pasta, with rum and raisin ice-cream, peanut butter and bissap ice-cream on top of sweet fritters, and caramelized ripe plantain. Phew, that was a plateful indeed and certainly containing something you will enjoy. Everything else The waiters were attentive but it would have been nice if they understood the story and ingredients behind every dish. Épicure is all about the African food journey and contains a lot of new flavours to a lot of people. It is something small but would make us appreciate the dishes even more if we knew where and how they were born. On the point of value, phew *wipes the sweat off forehead*! It is quite expensive to dine here. Also, don't be fooled into going into the wine closet and picking a wine without asking the price. It would have been nice to be able to afford more evenings here to experience their entire menu. TTT’s rating out of 5: Food - 4.5 | Service - 4 | Atmosphere – 5 | Value – 4 Epicure gets a 'Fist Bump' from Two Tasty Tummies You go Chef Coco!

Absolutely an amazing restaurant. Food, service, wine, decor, atmosphere, location and overall vibe is great. I highly recommend it.

Really good Pan-African Fusion. From nyama choma to rolex, suya to oysters. I loved how they reimagined African cuisine. The plantain gnocchi was delicious as well as the oysters. Fantastic wine selection. A must visit in Joburg.

Absolutely amazing african food. Surprisingly, there are not many venues in Johannesburg when you can taste african food taken to a higher level but this is definitely one of them. Their menu is full of inspirations from the whole african continent and this is a real fine-dining. Prices are quite high so is the quality of food and service. In my opinion, it's a must-go when you are in Sandton, especially if you feel like trying something else than classical steak.

“The Man” and I have now been in the position to take advantage of “The Epicure Restaurant” multiple experiences. The sumptuous restaurant with its innovative, interesting yet not overwhelming menu; to the bar area which like the restaurant, can open right up weather permitting , to open air seating and garden surrounds . Further exploration you’ll find yourself in the “cigar lounge” decadently decorated in African silk and satin oversized sètees, couches, pillows, just inviting you to stay and stay and while away your time in the best possible way ( and comfortably so ! Epicure has covered all bases in that it also has their outlet “the deli” which is adjoined to the Epicure kitchen. Tho not actually providing the restaurant menu food it does give access to one and all out about during office hours, a variety of “takeaway ( or eat in ) takes on the familiar such as wraps and salads but with the epicurean chefs flair definitely predominant. “The Man” and I were very keen on trying out the restaurant having had just moved in ( Nov 2018) as a vegetarian I wasn’t disappointed with the variety to choose from and had to enlist the wait staff to assist in my decision making ! Aside from the menu itself, it’s physicality impressive being of solid wood and opening up like a box with hinges, it’s your drink being served with a frozen metal straw to ensure that to the very last sip that there is no variance in temperature ( plus they look SO cool!) In keeping with public demands and needs Epicure has now introduced a Friday night “special” in the bar area where you can kick back after your hectic week with your fav beverage and the staff will come round with trays of complimentary canapès, epicurean themed of course ... and listen to the dj of the weeks grooves. It all sets the mood for a great weekend to come ... I enjoy how the staff now remember what cocktail I have AND how I prefer it and not just Gossett, the wait person who seemingly appears magically every time we frequent Epicure , but all the staff remember our preferences , I enjoy how attentive yet unobtrusive they are.and it’s this attention to detail , the courteous friendly manner that is applied to every aspects & every detail with regards to the Epicure Restaurant and that’s why we’ll keep going back ! As a footnote, one day after posting this review we have indeed returned to Epicure ( being a Friday night and all ) and armed with the knowledge of a menu revamp, more clientele but an assurance of on par quality ...

Exquisite décor, superb service and fine food. Awesome experience

Very enjoyable... interesting and varied takes on African diaspora staple food... but nothing boring .. will be back to enjoy

Our party of five had a wonderful experience. This recently opened African treasure owned by acclaimed chef Coco is simply exquisite! Having grown up in different parts of the African continent, we enjoyed all time favorites such as grilled fish and achecke from Côte d'Ivoire to cassava leaves and fried plantain. The injera fro Ethiopia went down well as did the Moroccan tangine of mutton and couscous. Great wine list and cellar. Food is reasonably priced for a five star treat and the wine selection is great , but rather pricey. The apricot cake was the only disappointment - it just did not do it for us. Other than that service, food, wine décor and ambience was sublime!

Love the scenery, calm and relaxing a place to take the family out and hang out with friends and loved once.

It's a fantastic venue with high quality food and drinks options. The wait staff and owners are welcoming and friendly. The event I attended was a success and the venue played a big part in that.

Beautiful place, beautiful food, how does it taste? Gorgeous! Definitely will be coming back

best African gastonomy...explosion of tasteful flavour in the mouth...Chef CoCo is the new Horizon of African cuisine.....P.S: don't leave that place without trying the desert...

The food is always amazing! It's only my second time and I am yet to be disappointed.

Exotic and unique cuisine by Chef Coco at this upmarket venue located in the heart of sandton. The vibe is great and staff very friendly

Review of Epicure Restaurant Valentines Day Menu - overall score 2/5<br/><br/>We went to the Restaurant as a table of 4. We were sent the menu before the evening and got very excited seeing the food and wine on offer! However once seated and the menu was presented on the table, we noticed all the wines had been changed on the menu, upon asking why that was the case, we were informed that unfortunately the wines arrived around 4pm and could not be chilled in time to be served for the evening. We were slightly disappointed as we really enjoy the Rupert farm, but moved on swiftly from that. <br/><br/>There was a nice welcome with a champagne and rum pre dinner drink which was enjoyable. The staff were overall welcoming and friendly, throughout the evening.<br/><br/>Food - on two occasions we had to request for them to slow down on bringing out the next course, as we felt like we were being rushed. The first course was the Duck Tagine, which tasted lovely and everyone on the table enjoyed it, great flavor and textures. <br/>The second course being the Prawn Tails were bland, overcooked and was served with raw tomatoes, which showed lack of creativity and laziness, it was not a salad. <br/>The third course was plated beautifully but that’s were it ended. The sole was overcooked and dry, plus some on our table had a cold servings and also very bland in taste. <br/>The fourth course, Venison, was inconsistent across the table, as some portions were cold and extremely tough to eat and dry and another being ok, the chocolate sauce was tasty. My husband called over the waiter and sent his plate back due to being cold and inedible, they apologized and offered to bring another portion, which he declined. There was no follow up from management or Chef Coco himself, who could be seen from our table leaning against the front counter eating a plate of food. The night luckily ended on a high with a very nice dessert, best meal of the evening. <br/><br/>During the evening we requested to buy a bottle of wine as the wine pairings were minimal. They suggested we get a bottle of the Rupert Rothschild Nadine as we had mentioned that it was one of our favorites while questioning why the wine pairings had changed, why it was available for purchase and now subsequently chilled. <br/><br/>Unfortunately, we wouldn’t recommend this restaurant.

Compliments to the chef. My taste buds fell in love at first bite! The chef made stellar recommendations from the starter to the main and I was not disappointed! The burst of flavours from my jallof rice,hints of beetroot and other amazing flavours end with the brown skin girl for dessert. I wanted to cry lol! The staff was very attentive however I did Il arrived when it was fairly empty regardless it was worth every penny. Thank you Epicure I will definitely be returning.

The food was amazing.

Great ambiance and service but the menu could do with a wider vegetarian offering. All on offer was the vegetable tagine which itself was a bit of a let down. Looking forward to more vegan/vegetarian options next time.

Inviting classy decor. Welcoming staff. Service is really good. I would recommend Epicure for a romantic dinner. If you are a wine person then this is a restaurant for you - a booklet of many to choose from. Toilets are classy and neat. <br/><br/>We were a party of 11 and ordered nearly all the starters as a meze which was good. Mains and desserts were average. Dishes are plated tastefully. <br/><br/>Will I go back - 🤔 - I don’t think so as I found the food to be okay but not all that good.

Hidden in the heart of Sandton, Epicure is a wonderful surprise hidden inside a gorgeous but almost inconspicuous apartment building.<br/><br/>The ambience and decor is glamorous without being over the top. Service was efficient and prompt (could maybe do with a smile and and a dash of humour).<br/><br/>My wife and I enjoyed a quite dinner, and we were pleasantly surprised by the African dish inspired menu. For starters we enjoyed the spicy Angolan-inspired spicy chicken gizzards which were a delight. For mains my wife had the lamb tagine, while I had the Dukkah delight which is a Egyptian dukkah spice rubbed rib-eye steak. Both dishes were a hit and we were very happy with the portion sizes. This place is definitely worth a visit, if in the mood for excellent African cuisine.<br/><br/>Update - we went back again, in our attempt to dodge load shedding. The service could be a lot LOT better. No attention to detail. We got served main course while our starters were still on the table. Waiter didn't really bother to check on us.<br/><br/>Food 4.5/5<br/>Service 3/5<br/>Overall 3.8/5

I was sold by the first cocktails! The “Epic” truly lives upto it’s name both in terms of presentation and in taste. There is a bar section for those who want to swing by to sample the cocktails, the use of fresh ingredients is noticeable.<br/><br/>No detail has been spared in the look and feel, from the live edge bathroom sinks, to tooth picks in branded wooden boxes. <br/><br/>If I had to break down what I look for when I eat out, I’d say 20% look and feel, 40% experience and 40% food. This place delivered and had a great ambiance on a Saturday night.<br/><br/>Things to look out for, a little tricky to find from the road and Be sure to book. Oh and I noticed almost half the patrons were dressed in African attire which might be a fun thing to do. Dress up and have a pretty drink at Epicure, def worth it.

This restaurant is beautifully designed, plush and spacious. The service is excellent. <br/><br/>African inspired food that is well presented but my tastebuds didn’t enjoy the experience. We ordered a variety of starters and had the lamb burger as a main meal. I was disappointed with the flavors of all the meals. <br/><br/>I may revisit the restaurant for the cocktails and nice setting but won’t order a meal there again.

Very pretty restaurant. Attentive and friendly staff . The food was okay. I ordered the fillet, it was a bit salty and slightly over cooked but tasty.

Absolutely loved the food. Very professional. Will definitely call again. Just realised as we were there that there isn't a place in Johannesburg with fine African dining quite like Epicure.

21 African dishes.....amazing!!!! If you want to experience African cuisine to the fullest then this spot is for you!!! I will definitely be frequenting the place given the extensive menu. What a brilliant idea to really celebrate African cuisine....the ambiance is great and given that i love love wine.... they have a wine menu in a form of a magazine, like wat more would i b looking for.....still intrigued!!!

Finally tried it out... and was so pleasantly surprised....<br/>The deco is chic and neat, the service is good and the menu totally conquered me.<br/>Visited with a group so got to taste a little bit of everything.<br/>However, only an avid traveler and food adventurer can fully enjoy and realize the mastery of most of the dishes. Turning Congo streets doughnuts, white bait fish or the plain and simple Senegalese tieboudienne into gastronomic meals is very brilliant by Chef Coco.

Amazing african Cuisines, great service from staff, fantastic decor and the most chilled place for any occasion. Chef Coco takes pride in serving the wonderful dishes. I really appreciated the environment and the welcome. <br/> Will recommend Epicure to anyone who wants to experience find dining.

Absolutely fabulous! The ambience was lovely, the food delicious and the service top quality. The booking was effortless, the hostess was pleasant on the phone and in person. Our waitress, Lulu, was on point and made such a great effort to make our experience a pleasure. We met Chef Coco which personalised the experience. Fantastic team and experience all around.

A "vibe" requires people. Is there even a saying such as that?!? Well, I won't fault them on that. Maybe people aren't Monday morning people.<br/><br/>I went to Epicure for brunch on Monday morning. The place barely had people. It was us and probably 4 other tables. That did not dampen our spirit though. We loved every minute. Will most definitely go back on a weekend night for food and drinks.<br/><br/>I absolutely love the decor. Epicure is beautiful. So is their food. We went for the breakfast menu. We had the Shashuska - a normal and vegan one and both dishes were well received. I had the crossing something, added egg and avo to eat and it was divine. I am addicted to tomatoes sauce (which they do not have - I instead got a mayonnaise sauce thing which went down as well, if not better).<br/><br/>Getting to Epicure is a bit of a mission with no signs to guide you. I drove into the wrong parking lot and had to drive out and back in. It was unnecessarily time consuming. Once I got in the building, I had to ask at reception, again another labour intensive activity that could have been avoided had a clear sign been put up. Having said that, It was worth the effort.<br/><br/>We paid R550, including a questionably deserved tip for our meals, 1 hot and 1 cold drink for each of us. The service and landmarkings are points of improvement.

What an amazing experience ! The food was delicious, lots of flavor. Overall a beautiful restaurant. The attention to detail on the decor is evident. Lovely ambiance. Would definitely go again

Chef Coco and Épicure<br/><br/>An epicure is a person who takes particular delight in fine food and drink, here we were calling ourselves foodies, we should've called ourselves Epics. Spot on as this definition is properly suited to describe Chef Coco and his elegant restaurant Épicure. This new restaurant opened right in the heart of Sandton. Luckily Chef Coco, formerly from Sel et Poivre, stayed in South Africa to share his African journey through food with all of us epicureans.<br/><br/>You walk into a very intriguing Afro-chic décor setting, with rich fabrics in a wide range of textures, woven into each other to create vivid geometric designs. It is lit more than well enough to see your food and other people around the table, but the tables and pillars are arranged in such a way that you are not too close to anyone else, which makes the evening more romantic and private. They even have a walk-in wine hallway, if you will, where you can go to choose your wine for the evening. This area is enclosed with glass to separate the smoking from the non-smoking areas.<br/><br/>Epic Food<br/><br/>Épicure is definitely a step outside of your comfort zone as most dishes are odd sounding, to say the least, but the flavours are all that matter, and this place really did pack a punch.<br/><br/>As we sat down we were given this little bowl with a tiny chicken leg in a chilli relish that would have you singing Africa from Toto, we kid you not.<br/><br/>For our starter, we were greeted by Moroccan-style duck samosas with dry fruit chutney. The only bad part about this dish is that we had to fight over the last piece because these little pieces of heaven are why we got into this business.<br/><br/>Next up is what made us fall in love with the place. The first main was the Flic and Flac Magic, which was truly magical. It is a Vadouvan-spiced sea bass with black rice and tamarind, and if we had no self-discipline we would've drank the tamarind just like that. Not only was the sea bass perfectly cooked, it paired so well with the rice to make it our dish of the evening.<br/><br/>Our next main was the Dukkah Delight, an Egyptian dukkah-spiced rib eye with bulgur wheat and roasted baba ganoush. What a mouthful indeed. This was a dish on the richer side but also, just as tasty as the sea bass.<br/><br/>We cannot forget about dessert, now can we? This was quite an interesting and an all-over-the-place plate. This dessert brought together three different countries, Zanzibar, the DRC and Senegal. Épicure sure is out there with there dishes but this one takes the cake. This dish contained vermicelli, a type of pasta, with rum and raisin ice-cream, peanut butter and bissap ice-cream on top of sweet fritters, and caramelized ripe plantain. Phew, that was a plateful indeed and certainly containing something you will enjoy.<br/><br/>Everything else<br/><br/>The waiters were attentive but it would have been nice if they understood the story and ingredients behind every dish. Épicure is all about the African food journey and contains a lot of new flavours to a lot of people. It is something small but would make us appreciate the dishes even more if we knew where and how they were born.<br/><br/>On the point of value, phew *wipes the sweat off forehead*! It is quite expensive to dine here. Also, don't be fooled into going into the wine closet and picking a wine without asking the price. It would have been nice to be able to afford more evenings here to experience their entire menu.<br/><br/>TTT’s rating out of 5: Food - 4.5 | Service - 4 | Atmosphere – 5 | Value – 4<br/><br/>Epicure gets a 'Fist Bump' from Two Tasty Tummies<br/><br/>You go Chef Coco!

Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful restaurant. I haven't been in one of those for ages. <br/><br/>Friendly staff, who were always helpful and knowledgeable about the dishes. Excellent ambience as well. These two made the evening worthwhile for us.<br/><br/>The food was really unpleasant with plantains in two of the dishes that I chose, it was just unpalatable for me and that ruined the evening for me and left me gutted because we could see how much time, love and effort went into the making of this restaurant and the food which is why were are there, did not live up to the overall experience.

I love this place! Found myself feeling very happy in the surroundings of this new restaurant! Ordered the Epic cocktail (caution: this is a very strong drink), it came enclosed and smoke disembarked when the enclosing was removed. (Excuse the dramatic vocab) The menu was filled with African inspired dishes from the desserts of Northern Africa to the tip of SeaPoint, and they even added a few island items from Zanzibar - overachiever much). I had a lamb tagine done North African style with couscous. The dish was the kind of comfort food that is splendidly cooked, that is very difficult to find anywhere in Joburg. The waiters offered the best service I’ve seen in a long time. 👏🏾 it’s really worth a try!

Lunch at EpiCure, African style, simply excellent. Trendy deco, friendly and efficient staff and a menu to die for. Enjoyed it all. Crab, Goat, Lamb tangine and a scrumptious Lamb burger. Becareful of the chilli, it's crazy hot. The food is unique and so are the sauces that go with. A definite recommend for lunch.

The high rating is for the service and atmosphere. The restaurant is stunning and the waiters are excellent. The food is a bit of a hit and miss with some loving their meals and others finding it quite ordinary. I was happy with my selection. I had gone as part of restaurant week and found that it was very pricey which is my biggest complain about the place

I first experienced Burundian chef Coco Reinarhz' culinary genius many years ago at the likes of Le Petit Sel and Sel et Poivre, and I have been an avid fan ever since. In fact, to this day, I have found few meals to rival his 'Roulade de Truite Saumonee Fumée' and it cemented Chef Coco in my heart (and stomach) forever. <br/><br/>Chef Coco:<br/>Chef Coco started off his career at Ecole Hotelière de Namur in Belgium, and with awards like the prestigious Trois Fourchette Michelin under his belt, it is hard not to have immense respect for this gracious host and his new African-influenced venture (complete with its own rum bar) in the form of Épicure by Chef Coco.<br/><br/>Interiors:<br/>On arrival, plush royal blue booths complete with dark wood and gorgeous lighting greeted me. For me, the bar area is particularly special, with lots of personal touches (be sure to ask about the story behind the recycled wooden speech waveforms featured above the bar). <br/><br/>Food:<br/>On being seated, the first thing I noticed (as a Zimbabwean) was that Chef Coco had taken the initiative to develop and feature a special menu for our Independence Day (which happened to fall on my visit).  The menu took me on a trip down memory lane, complete with 'Nyembwa' Soup, 'Matemba' (dried Kapenta) stew and 'Road Runner Dovi' (chicken and peanut butter) served with sadza.. Delicious! <br/><br/>Service:<br/>Sadly, the service really let the side down on my first visit, and is in fact what brought this review rating down (or it would have been significantly higher):<br/>- The waitress got our simple meal order wrong.<br/>- We struggled not once, but twice to get any waiter or waitress' attention simply due to the fact that they were all standing in plain sight having a group chat together (and not paying attention to patrons). <br/><br/>*Recommendation: Perfect for those of you wanting a taste of Africa, from Algeria to South African 'Boerekos'! <br/><br/>For more, find me on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter: LaurasWorldza

Its a beautifully decorated restaurant, with a glass wine cellar divider, velvet couches and light beige and browns furniture.<br/><br/>Interesting menu, african cuisine where you find items like goat, plantain, guinea fowl.. We ordered the crab croquettes, duck samoosa, lamb tajine, seabass, vermecelli and chocolate desserts. The lamb tajine was the standout. Beautiful to look at and flavoursome. Good portions as well.<br/><br/>Some oddities for me, no breads or butters were served on arrival, others tables did get this. Chef Coco chatted to every table except ours. Being part of Restaurant Week 2018 at R400 lunch or R500 supper, well lets just say no additional menu was preppared and prices were over menu, but we were charged a la carte so that was fine. No wine list, you go to cellar, and have to ask prices which isn't nice. No amuse bouche or palette cleanser, it usually on 3 course menus at fine dining restaurants. Nevertheless it was a fab lunch and I couldn't fault the food or service of staff.

Epicure... I was looking forward to it! Firstly just finding the place is confusing. Secondly, no wine list!? You are forced to go into the wine cellar without knowing the (exorbitant) prices for the wines. The food was a bit boring. Had the chicken gizzards for starters and it was bland and not Spicy at all. Had the venison for mains and it was ok. For dessert i had the chocolate mousse and that was at least tasty. We were given the amuse bouche at the beginning but the waiter did not even know what it was. After a few long minutes of waiting for the waiter to find out what meat it was, we were told it was beef and my sister does not eat beef so that was disappointing (What if your patron is vegetarian!?) Place was a lot louder than expected so you have to shout to one another. It's trying hard to be at a fine dining level, but it is falling short. I can see the place is young and going through some teething problems. Hopefully it will get better.