A more casual alternative to Babel (nominee for 2012 Top 10) on the Babylonstoren Estate in Klapmuts, the Green House pairs a country atmosphere with award-winning design. The charming Victorian glass house and its botanical design touches won the Boschendal Style Award in association with Visi at the 2012 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards. But does the food measure up? We think so.

Food
Don’t let the handful of unfussy options on the menu fool you: this food will fill you up with goodness, letting the incredible ingredients – mostly harvested from the estate’s considerable gardens – shine. Make your own sandwiches with a choice of bread baked on site, cheese and charcuterie, served with salad and fragrant herb oil. Seasonal vegetables and fruit (don’t be surprised to find figs, plums and nectarines) bring salad plates to life. Boeries are deeply satisfying with their tangy home-made chutney and freshly baked rolls, and the accompanying potato wedges, served in a twist of paper, are sensational. Clear plastic cutlery emulating ornate silver knives and forks, glass condiment dishes, and blue and white Delft china let the food do the talking. The scones with vanilla cream will change your life – definitely not for sharing. After your tea, make sure you stop to get meats cured and matured in the white-tiled butchery, as well as top cheeses from the area.

Drinks
Order a freshly squeezed yellow, green or red juice made from the garden’s bounty, with garnishes of beetroot, carrot or whatever’s seasonal. Cordials and iced teas are flavoured with herbs from the garden.

Service
The waitrons are polite and swift but not terribly sophisticated; this is farm-style eating with service to match. Summoning up impatience in this tranquil setting is pretty much impossible anyway.

Ambience
It’s beautiful under the trees outside the greenhouse. Benches and little tables are often occupied by families and youngsters, so it’s easy for anyone to fit in. Take a turn inside the glass structure to admire the plants and charming nostalgic touches like old green medicinal bottles and a Victorian cabinet of drawers, some of which are pulled open to display Delft china – one of the signatures of the estate.

And…
Go for a stroll around the gardens after your meal to pluck the odd lemon, rub the leaves of herbs and walk barefoot – and lie down! – in the dedicated thyme and camomile gardens. The shop is also a must, filled with estate honey, cordials, printed cloths, platters with Babel’s signature bull, and fruit preserves.

By Linda Scarborough
Photo credits: Babylonstoren and Debbie Penderis

Have you been to the Green House at Babylonstoren? Let us know what you thought by writing a review.

If you enjoy outdoor settings and rustic meals, see our guide to the best country-style restaurants in SA.