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About
Housed in the old cow shed, Babel Restaurant is a wonderful mix of Cape Dutch architecture and contemporary glass walls that makes for a simple yet edgy environment in which to try our tasty yet often unconventional combinations. We have a farm-to-fork philosophy which means we like to serve food that is seasonal and that reflects our “pick, clean and serve” approach.
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
CUISINES
Healthy
FEATURES
Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Reservations, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Digital Payments, Accepts Credit Cards, Wine and Beer
Reviews (1,248)
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1,102 results
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657
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LanguageEnglish
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Traveller rating
657
213
120
63
49
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Reviewed 21 July 2023 via mobile

Our lunch experience at Babel Restaurant was amazing! The farm-to-fork approach made for a wonderful experience and a truly delicious meal. I loved that the gardener came to our table to inform us about some of the fresh fruits and vegetables as well as the...featured vegetable dishes. She even gave us some fresh clementines to enjoy (and they were delicious!). It was such a nice touch. The wine and food were delicious, and it was reasonably priced for the amount of food we received. I had the chiana and mustard which was incredible! My husband had the Glen Oaks pork and it was just as tasty. We ordered a side of the slow-braised cabbage which was delicious. In addition to what we ordered, they also brought us some amazing bread with a tomato spread and the best radicchio salad I’ve ever had (my husband doesn’t even like radicchio and he loved the salad!). To end the meal, they gave us a little bottle of olive oil to take home that was made right there on the farm. It was truly a fabulous experience. Definitely go if you are visiting Franschhoeck!More

Date of visit: June 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Babylonstoren Farm, Other at Babel Restaurant, responded to this reviewResponded 24 July 2023

Good day Thank you for your positive feedback. We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful dining experience. See you again soon! Warm wishes The Babylonstoren team

Reviewed 30 May 2023 via mobile

Today I had an unfortunate experience at a restaurant that left me quite disappointed. After hearing positive reviews about the place, I decided to give it a try. However, my experience was far from satisfactory due to several reasons. Firstly, the lack of responsiveness from...the restaurant's staff was concerning. I made several attempts to contact them by phone before my visit, hoping to inquire about their availability and make a reservation. Unfortunately, despite numerous calls, no one answered the phone, which left me feeling frustrated and unsure about the situation. Undeterred, I decided to take a chance and visit the restaurant in person. To my surprise, I had to endure a 35-minute drive on a rainy day only to be informed upon arrival that the establishment operates solely on a reservation basis. While I understand the importance of reservations for managing customer flow, it would have been helpful if this information was communicated clearly on their website or through a voicemail message when I called earlier. What added to my disappointment was the fact that there were vacant tables available for the next 1.5 hours and the restaurant was almost empty. Despite this, the staff refused to serve us, stating that they were already booked for the evening. It was disheartening to see that they were unwilling to accommodate us, especially when we were prepared to dine within the time frame before the next reservation arrived. This refusal to accommodate walk-in guests, coupled with the lack of responsiveness and communication, left a sour taste in my mouth. As a customer, I value transparency and good service, both of which were lacking in this experience. It is crucial for restaurants to ensure they have efficient communication channels in place, such as a responsive phone system or an online reservation system, to avoid frustrating situations like the one I encountered. Additionally, a more flexible approach to walk-in customers, especially when there are available tables, would greatly improve customer satisfaction and foster a positive dining experience. Regrettably, based on my encounter, I cannot recommend this restaurant. It is my hope that they take these shortcomings into account and make the necessary improvements to provide a better experience for their potential patrons.More

Date of visit: May 2023
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Babylonstoren Farm, Other at Babel Restaurant, responded to this reviewResponded 22 June 2023

Good day Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are sad to hear that you had a disappointing dining experience, as this is not what we are known for. The management team has been informed and we will do...More

Reviewed 20 May 2023

We had an incredible lunch the service was absolutely wonderful, the food amazing and the staff a dream, I can highly recommend Babel, we will definitely be back soon

Date of visit: May 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Babylonstoren Farm, Other at Babel Restaurant, responded to this reviewResponded 29 May 2023

Thank you for the kind recommendation. We hope to welcome you back to Babel very soon! Warm regards, The Babylonstoren team

Reviewed 11 May 2023 via mobile

The farm to table food was fresh, inventive, and generous. But the real superstar of this restaurant is Reggie, who is passionate about elevating the customer experience — and he delivered, big time.

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Babylonstoren Farm, Other at Babel Restaurant, responded to this reviewResponded 29 May 2023

That's great to hear! Thank you for sharing your experience. Hope to welcome you back very soon! Farm greetings, The Babylonstorean team

Reviewed 9 May 2023

It was my birthday weekend so I thought it will be nice to do something unique and different. I needed to be away from hustle and bustle and have good food. This was a great choice indeed. The walk in the gardens gave me that...sense of nature healing and as you walk along you gain hope. The food was so nice and refreshing. This is definitely a hidden gem.More

Date of visit: May 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Babylonstoren Farm, Other at Babel Restaurant, responded to this reviewResponded 29 May 2023

We are thrilled to read your positive feedback! It's always great to hear that our guests have enjoyed their time at Babel restaurant. Hope we can welcome you back again soon! Farm greetings, Babylonstoren team

Reviewed 21 April 2023

This restaurant is a wonderful experience, as is the estate itself. The food is fantastic and much of it grown onsite. Amazing.

Date of visit: May 2022
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Reviewed 6 March 2023 via mobile

We really enjoyed our lunch at Babel, it was one of the meals we enjoyed most during our stay in the Cape. The ethos here is clear, it shines through in the dishes and the staff. We had some amazing tomatoes and wonderful bread (so...we bought a loaf to take with us!). The meat dishes were also great. Service was upbeat, passionate and relaxed at the same time. Thank you for a great lunch!More

Date of visit: March 2023
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Reviewed 25 February 2023 via mobile

Nice and good, very fresh and unusual food. nice taste, very nice setting, lovely staff (Aeesga and Jonathan) we were offered free grapes, bread, butter, figjam and cheese to start the menu. then got a bag full of fresh figs as present.

Date of visit: February 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 9 February 2023 via mobile

Lovely produce straight from the farm and garden, but less impressed with the service. The servers seemed tired and curt. At breakfast there were flies gathering on the buffet food and nobody seemed to care. Disappointing compared with the rest of Babylonstoren, where the service...and food were wonderful.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed 30 January 2023 via mobile

We enjoyed several hours on the property. We did not stay at the hotel. The fruit and vegetable gardens were amazing. Imma curate gardens. Very cute gift shops. Wine tasting was just that. Wines were ok. Then we moved to dinner. We had made reservations...( very difficult to get through our American Express Concierge service) at the Babel restaurant. Worth all the difficulty. Exceptional food and wine. Exceptional service. It was an A la Carte menu but wine pairings were suggested. SIMPLY FANTASTIC FOOD!More

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Reviewed 9 January 2023

This is a tourist trap of note. Expectation was for a quiet, quaint lunchtime dining experience but the reality was far from it. The courtyard where we sat was far too noisy ( as was the case elsewhere ) , the food mediocre at best...and definitely not value for money. The only redeeming feature was Jonathan our waiter who was attentive and perhaps the bottle of Babel red which was affordably drinkable. Perhaps an experience for an overseas visitor . But for South Africans there are far better dining experiences in the Franschhoek/Paarl valley.More

Date of visit: January 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 5 January 2023

Had lunch at your establishment today. The food was incredible. Service was remarkable. However one of my guests had plastic in his lamb and we asked for management. The way the situation was handled was with so much class and attentiveness it stuck with me...throughout the rest of the afternoon. Thank you for taking care of us and accomodating us without a booking.More

Date of visit: January 2023
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Reviewed 28 December 2022

You know that restaurant where the food was really good but a week later you really don't remember what you ate, just that it was really good, but then the staff at the restaurant was so amazing that you totally remember how much you loved...the whole experience! Well that is Babel, met at the door by Muranda like we were old friends, old best friends!, she made us feel so welcome. There were 2 guys playing jazz in the courtyard, Suzi was obviously entranced so our 7 o'clock reservation turned into 730 while we sat at a table in the courtyard with a glass of wine provided by Muranda. Once dinner got going we were enthusiastically greeted by Ailene the "garden chef" who provided not only entertainment but fascinating concoctions out of the restaurant garden. The wait staff was friendly and attentive and perfect. Oh yea, the food, we had salads and the pork chops, both wonderful, but ask me in 6 months and I will tell you to go there for the people.More

Date of visit: December 2022
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Reviewed 15 December 2022 via mobile

Great restaurant - fine dining with a rustic twist. Trish, our waitress, was very knowledgeable and made us all feel very welcome. The food was delicious. Vegetarian starters and fresh local farmed meats for main. We were too full for puddings. The gifts to take...home from the farm were a lovely finishing touch.More

Date of visit: December 2022
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Reviewed 6 December 2022 via mobile

An amazing restaurant on a top winnery. The food, the atmosphere, the extreme kindly service… Thank you very much for the experience!!

Date of visit: November 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Questions & Answers
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Lorraine A
19 January 2021|
AnswerShow all 3 answers
Response from Babylonstoren F | Property representative |
Our farm is a wonderful playground for kids! There's lots to explore and they can help feed our donkeys, collect eggs from our hens and lots more. Hope to see you soon.
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Kayla093
9 February 2020|
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Response from David K | Reviewed this property |
Casual but sporty. Nice shirt and pants for men and the equivalent for women.
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Babel Restaurant, Simondium - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Babel Restaurant

Babel Restaurant is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5