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Helena's Restaurant

Contemporary South African
33 Church Street, Stellenbosch
(1181 reviews)
RRR

Attributes

  • Romantic
  • WiFi

Rated #4 of 236 restaurants in Stellenbosch as voted for by client reviews on the leading global restaurant review platform. Rated #1 African Restaurant in Stellenbosch. Helena’s Restaurant aims to serve heritage food with finesse, often with a subtle twist in the detail – turning the familiar into the spectacular. The menu is designed to reflect the bounty of the Cape, with specific emphasis on freshness and food provenance. At Helena’s, good unpretentious food and special wine add to the pleasures of life.

Reviews (1181)

4.6 out of 5.0
Based on the past 12 months
Food 4.7
Value 4.6
Service 4.8
Ambience 4.5
  • Yolanda W. Dined: 6 days ago
    4.8
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Wed 26 Mar 25
    A lovely setting and ambience which was perfect for celebrating my graduation. Would highly recommend it.

  • Volker W. Dined: 1 week ago
    3
    Food 4.0
    Value 2.0
    Service 3.0
    Ambience 3.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 23 Mar 25
    The restaurant has probably seen its best days. The dining room looks like it's from another era, which would be fine if it had a cosy charm, but it doesn't! The lighting is cold and uncomfortable and yet so bad that you can hardly read the menu. As for the food and wine on offer. The wines are all a little more expensive than you are used to. This may be due to Stellenbosch's status as a tourist destination or its status as a hotel. Unfortunately, the food on offer was not as expected. The springbok carpaccio was unfortunately very light on meat and only spiced up by a salad that was not dressed. The line fish a Kingklip was not much, but of good quality, but unfortunately without a sauce that would have brought the flavour. My shortribs were well cooked and the sauce was good. Unfortunately we had to ask for the bill three times. All in all, not a speciality for which you have to travel to Stellenbosch.

  • Gordon J. Dined: 1 week ago
    4.5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 3.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 23 Mar 25
    Excellent vale . Superb service . Authentic well curated food

  • Sybil F. Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0
  • Ann K. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    4.8
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 4.0

    Reviewed on: Fri 14 Mar 25
    Helena’s is a restaurant that I save for last part of our month stay in South Africa. Saving one of the best for last! Excellent food, superb service and just a very special dining experience. Only problem was it was a bit warm in the dining room, way to windy to eat outside… but we still had a truly enjoyable evening!

  • Marcel D. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    3.8
    Food 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 4.0
    Ambience 3.0
  • Karin H. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    4.5
    Food 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 4.0

    Reviewed on: Wed 12 Mar 25
    The food was very good. Our waitress, KG, was excellent. Her recommendations were spot on. We had a great ti.e

  • Allen H. Dined: 3 weeks ago
    2.5
    Food 2.0
    Value 3.0
    Service 2.0
    Ambience 3.0

    Reviewed on: Tue 11 Mar 25
    We were a large group and this review is the feedback from the group The set-up of the tables was poor with 11 people at one table and 4 at another. Had chairs without arm chairs been used everyone could have been accommodated at one table. Starters: The Springbok carpaccio & gnocchi was excellent however the watermelon salad not Main: The fish (kingklip) was very good however the braised shortrib & lamb neck was chewy. Dessert: The Malva pudding was brilliant but the Coconut & passion fruit panna cota was tasteless )except for the Pina Colada ice cream). General. The level of service was below standard. From a venue like Helena's one expects a higher degree of consistency regarding food quality as well as attention to detail in general.

  • Dennis S. Dined: 3 weeks ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 10 Mar 25
    Another great meal on the veranda. We eat here twice a year (every time we visit the town).

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Opening Hours

  • Monday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30
  • Tuesday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30
  • Wednesday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30
  • Thursday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30
  • Friday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30
  • Saturday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30
  • Sunday 12h30 - 14h30, 18h00 - 21h30