Wine, dine and recycle: how hospitality is pouring back into glass recycling

South Africa’s reputation for fine wine and dining is well earned.

From the oak-lined lanes of Constantia to the bustling pavements of Johannesburg, the hospitality industry shapes how we eat, drink, and gather. But behind the plates of pasta, chilled Sauvignon Blancs, and sundowner cocktails lies an unsung story: how these very establishments are helping to keep glass bottles in circulation rather than in landfills.

Family values, recycled bottles

What’s striking about many of Johannesburg’s recycling-conscious restaurants is not just their menus but their ownership.  La Cucina Di Ciro (Ciro’s) in Parktown North, The Social Hub in Alberton, Dolci Café in Craighall Park and Honey Rock Motel in Honeydew are all family-owned businesses. Their decision to ensure they have glass recycling banks on their properties is not driven by corporate directives but by a sense of legacy. For these families, recycling is an extension of their values – teaching the next generation that ‘green’ is part of community life.

Glass is endlessly recyclable. By partnering with The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC), these venues essentially host drop-off points where their staff and locals can deposit empty glass bottles. An Aperol Spritz at Dolci Café or a plate of homemade gnocchi comes with the quiet assurance that empty bottles of wine, water and olive oil, are all on their way to a second life.

Wine estates: a natural pairing with circularity

Cape Town’s wine estates illustrate how tradition and sustainability can coexist. Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine farm, is home to Simon’s Restaurant and Jonkershuis Eatery. Both restaurants, set against rolling vineyards, have glass recycling bank on site. It’s a symbolic fit: the glass bottles used to serve Constantia’s celebrated wines are the very items most suited for continuous recycling.

At the nearby heritage Chapman’s Peak Beach Hotel and at some of the Mother City’s landmark hotels – the One & Only at the V&A Waterfront and the Mount Nelson, recycling schemes operate quietly but firmly. Tourists sipping a local beer or Cape sauvignon are participating, often unknowingly, in South Africa’s broader circular economy.

Pretoria’s green plates

Pretoria’s hospitality sector also shows what’s possible. Gecko Ridge Weddings & Functions and Casa Toscana bring recycling into the world of large-scale events. Meanwhile, long-standing eateries like Caraffa Restaurant in Alphen Park have taken up glass recycling as part of daily operations. The Blue Crane Restaurant and Bar, alongside a bird sanctuary, demonstrates how restaurants can align eco-tourism with practical recycling steps.

TGRC’s role: members make it possible

While it’s tempting to focus only on the romance of restaurants and wine estates, the logistics behind glass recycling are complex. TGRC’s 80-plus members – from glass manufacturers to well-loved FMCG brands – underpin this system. These include beloved beverage brands, wine producers and heritage sauces and condiments. Without their collective funding and infrastructure, the entire system that keeps glass in circulation would quickly lose momentum.

Members -pay EPR fees to TGRC which enable transport subsidies, collection logistics, and education that ultimately turns waste glass back into raw material. This collaboration ensures that when a waiter drops an empty local MCC bottle into a glass recycling bank at The Peech Hotel in Melrose North, it is not an isolated act but part of a nationwide loop linking hospitality to our circular economy.

Beyond fine dining: taverns, bars, hotels

However, recycling is not limited to white-tablecloth establishments. Taverns, bars, sports clubs, hotels, and casual restaurants – the backbone of South African social life – are certainly also important players. Taverns alone channel vast quantities of glass , which is recycled back into new glass products.

Hotels like the One & Only and Mount Nelson demonstrate how the luxury segment can lead by example, but the lesson is just as relevant for casual pubs and motels. Honey Rock Motel in Honeydew proves that recycling works wherever there’s glass – whether it’s a craft beer, a brandy bottle, or a bottle of bubbles.

Tourism and the global lens

Tourism is one of South Africa’s strongest economic engines. International visitors arrive expecting sustainability as part of the package. Recycling schemes in iconic establishments like Groot Constantia and the V&A Waterfront reassure them that their holiday indulgence comes with an environmental footprint. This matters because glass recycling is both a local and global responsibility. Every ton of glass recycled saves more than a ton of raw materials and reduces energy use significantly. Tourists who return home with the story of how their Cape wine was served in a bottle destined to be reborn and carry a message that extends well beyond South African shores.

Supporting restaurants that recycle

For diners, the choice of where to spend money is powerful. By supporting restaurants that host glass recycling banks, South Africans reinforce a culture of responsibility. Choosing renewable options from food to packaging, is not only a culinary decision but a vote for the circular economy. TGRC encourages consumers to ask simple questions: does your favourite restaurant recycle its bottles? Is there a glass recycling bank on site? These queries normalise recycling as part of hospitality. The more visible the glass recycling banks, the more natural it becomes to associate a good meal or a fine wine with sustainable practice.

The next course

South Africa’s food and wine scene is flourishing. But its future – like that of any industry – depends on sustainability. Recycling glass is one of the most effective ways to secure a cleaner, more sustainable future. It keeps resources in use, creates jobs in collection and processing, and strengthens the link between what we consume and how we care for the environment.

Each toast is more than a celebration of food and company — it’s a nod to sustainability. The hospitality sector has shown how glass can flow back into circulation. Now it’s time for more businesses from the hospitality sector to step in. DM

Click here to apply for a glass bank and be part of the cycle.