Basic Bistro

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Review

1,071 reviews

#8 of 261 Restaurants in StellenboschRR - RRR, African, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options

+27 21 883 3629+ Add website

Hours

Sun

9:00 - 22:00

Mon

7:30 - 22:00

Tue

7:30 - 22:00

Wed

7:30 - 22:00

Thu

7:30 - 22:00

Fri

7:30 - 22:00

Sat

9:00 - 22:00

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Ratings and reviews

4.5

1,071 reviews

#8 of 261 Restaurants in Stellenbosch

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

This business is unclaimed.

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PRICE RANGE

R 79.00 – R 237.00

CUISINES

African

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

meals, features

Location and contact

31 Church Street, Stellenbosch 7600 South Africa

+27 21 883 3629

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Does this restaurant serve Romagna food?

Yes

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About

Basic Bistro

PRICE RANGE

R 79.00 – R 237.00

CUISINES

African

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.5

1,071 reviews

Excellent

620

Very good

320

Average

Poor

Terrible

Lew R

176 contributions

A Great Choice Always, In The Heart Of Stellenbosch

Apr 2022 • none

We had a return visit to 'Basic Bistro' after an absence of some time, happily open on a Sunday evening, when it is mostly the 'chain' venues in Stellenbosch that are open. Apart from the convenient location, the hospitable welcome, warm friendly (and efficient) service, the menu offers a diversity of choices, which they just seem to get right, from a small kitchen along with an interesting drinks list, and good coffees. Delicious ciabatta with dips (hummus, dukkah and more), followed by tandoori chicken skewers and a great salad. From pasta to burgers, here they also take great care to provide low carb and vegan options. Desserts were memorable - their baked cheese cake with lemon ganache, as was the rich dark chocolate cake and chocolate sauce. A unique dessert is their 'Magic Mousse', but discover that when you dine there! It was filled largely with local residents, and apart from a happy 'buzz', the music is not too loud, and we'll certainly return - it is also affordable and it is just that, a bistro!

Written 4 May 2022

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.

Rico @ Basic

Hi Lew - thanks so much for you fabulous review! We really appreciate it and hope to see you again very soon. All the best. Rico

Written 4 May 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Stuart Basford

Sheffield132 contributions

Nice burger joint

Feb 2020 • none

Trouble with S.A is power outages at the moment however it just added to the evening.restaurants are now prepared We split a pasta starter and then a burger each. They advertise thin chips but in reality they are crisps.burger excellent The cheesecake was amazing Overall good value for £30 for 2 Sat outside .it was crowded and good job we booked Second visit and thought worth it

Written 16 February 2020

Rico_777786

Good Afternoon! ______________________________________________________________________ Thank you for review - we appreciate this! ______________________________________________________________________ We are overjoyed that you love our little bistro and we hope to welcome you again soon! __________________________________________________________________ Safe travels! ______________________________________________________________________ Rico Wessels

Written 17 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

thetraveljournals

London44 contributions

Stellar-bosch

Jan 2020 • friends

Came here during lunch of my full-day wine tour so despite visiting after 6 glasses of wine (and many more after), I remember my visit! The staff here were very welcoming and seated my party, got us some iced water and promptly took our drink orders. Ask for the specials - they're good deals and delicious. I went for the chilli chicken pasta and as something of a spice fiend was pleasantly surprised to find it DID actually have a kick - normally I laugh at spice warnings!

Written 18 January 2020

Rico W

Good Morning! ______________________________________________________________________ Thank you for the GLORIOUS review, we appreciate it! ______________________________________________________________________ We love it that you enjoyed our bistro and appreciate our Prego Kick :) ______________________________________________________________________ We hope to welcome you again soon! ______________________________________________________________________ Safe travels! ______________________________________________________________________ Rico Wessels

Written 20 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Brendon

Cape Town2 contributions

Beyond basic

Sept 2020 • none

Don't let its name mislead you, this character-filled, cosy eatery has plenty of good meal choices at very reasonable prices. Good service in a relaxed atmosphere. Great location on the vibey Church street.

Written 14 September 2020

Rico_Wessels_Basic

Good Day to You! __ Thank you for the fabulous review, we really appreciate it! __ We love it that you enjoyed our bistro! __ We hope to welcome you again soon! __ Safe travels! __ Rico Wessels

Written 17 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Byron31

Dublin310 contributions

Don't come for the wine

Feb 2020 • none

I booked this restaurant in advance, due to the good reviews online, but left disappointed. The food was just about okay. The low point was the wine and the service. We ordered a bottle of sauvignon blanc, and when tasting and finding the wine warm, said politely, oh maybe just leave it in the ice. The waitress responded with, 'Oh is it not cold?'. I replied 'No, it's warm', and she just shrugged, plonked the bottle in the ice bucket on the ground and walked off. Incredibly poor service. First off, we're in Stellenbosch: respect and chill the beautiful wine. Second, your customer is telling you politely the wine is not chilled: offer an alternative, or at least an apology. Would not recommend.

Written 29 February 2020

Rico_777786

Good day Byron We apologise for the poor service you received - I have addressed the matter immediately and I am having a meeting with the responsible waiter soon. All our white wines are chilled, but the bar lady must have packed your selection just prior to order, causing a non-optimal temperature - our waiters know to offer you a chilled alternative, making this oversight unacceptable. We have several Sauvignon Blanc's on offer and we would have gladly offered you a chilled one, had you brought this to management's attention during your visit. We hope to see you again soon for a better experience! Kind regards Rico Wessels, Manager

Written 2 March 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

RidwanHoosen P

Durban5 contributions

Incredibly Affordable Food

Dec 2021 • none

This quaint restaurant has zippy service, great food, and is extremely affordable. The choice is an eclectic mix of international cuisine. Right next door to the Coopmanhuijs Hotel this eatery is almost always buzzing

Written 3 January 2022

Rico @ Basic

Hi there and thank you so much for the great review, we really appreciate it! Look forward to dining with you again soon! Best regards. Rico

Written 13 January 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

London Peter

London1476 contributions

Very poor food

Mar 2022 • couples

We have been in SA for four months and use TA to guide us on our restaurant choices. So after two weeks in Stellenbosch we decided to try Basic Bistro. This was the worst meal we had by a long shot. The Santorini Burger was bland and smothered in a tzatziki type substance that was inedible. The fries were called waffle fries but when they came they were potato crisps dripping with balsamic glaze. The sirloin steak was bland,over cooked and the chips were soggy. The presentation was the worst! Superficially this place looks so inviting and based on other reviews others had a better experience than us. It certainly is a Basic Bistro in all the wrong ways.

Written 26 March 2022

Rico @ Basic

Hi - very sorry to hear you did not enjoy our food. Most of our valued guests enjoy our casual bistro-style meals and we don't cater for fine-dining clientele for example. However, we will investigate into the meals you ordered and improve where we can. Best regards. Rico

Written 29 March 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Anna

1 contribution

Great quality even in take away!

May 2020 • none

Since I've moved to Stellenbosch I would go and visit Basic Bistro regularly. Their wafer chips are to die for and last year they come up with the whole vegetarian/vegan menu that my green-friends love (I myself tried Vegan Burger and was amazed how tasty it was!). Since Basic re-open for deliveries and call & collect we've ordered three times to spoiled ourselves while on lockdown. I am happy to report that their food quality did not suffer even after being put in the take away box! Highly recommending also because of great service we receive there every.single.time! It's great to know that you can support friends in those challenging times.

Written 18 May 2020

Rico_777786

Thanks for the review - we really appreciate it! Hope to see you again very soon! - Rico Chef / manager

Written 6 July 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Crazyredpepper

Plattekloof719 contributions

Nothing basic about it

Feb 2020 • none

It is a small restaurant and quite popular but we managed to get a spot. Food took a little long but good food takes time as they say. I enjoyed the fact that they had smaller portions with some of the dishes. I always battle to finish the food on my plate. We had the pasta. The best I have had. So much so that I felt like going back for dinner. It reminded of the series Cheers. Most of the clients were on first name basis with the staff. If the locals are regulars then you know you are coming to the right place.

Written 12 February 2020

Rico_777786

Good Morning! ______________________________________________________________ Thank you for the GLORIOUS review, we appreciate it! _____________________________________________________________________ We love it that you enjoyed our bistro! ______________________________________________________________________ We hope to welcome you again soon! ______________________________________________________________________ ________ Safe travels! ______________________________________________________________________________ Rico Wessels

Written 17 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

roslyn105

Littlestone-on-Sea160 contributions

Great Bistro meal in old town Stellenbosch

Jan 2020 • couples

Great Bistro meal in central Stellenbosch, in the old town area, at the end of January. We booked online before we flew out and we pleased we had as they were full. The meal was very tasty and well priced. We would certainly go again if we are in Stellenbosch.

Written 3 February 2020

Rico_777786

Good Morning! ________________________________________________________________________________Thank you for the GLORIOUS review, we appreciate it! ______________________________________________________________________ _______ We love it that you enjoyed our bistro! ______________________________________________________________________ _________ We hope to welcome you again soon! ______________________________________________________________________ ________ Safe travels! ______________________________________________________________________________ Rico Wessels

Written 9 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

VTpondjumper

133 contributions

Happily Warm - inside and out

Sept 2023 • couples

On a rainy day we we’re lucky enough to snag a table here. Not only was the food was delicious, they had heaters and blankets for those who ate outside. There were a variety of options so that those who are lactose intolerant or has mushroom or chocolate allergies didn’t feel like they just had limited choices on the menu. The establishment was very busy but wait time for service was minimal and with a smile. Portions were generous portions of Thai cuisine.

Written 26 September 2023

Dbn_Trekker

Durban140 contributions

A regular favourite of ours

Jan 2020 • none

A trip to Stellenbosch is incomplete for us if we don’t have at least one meal at Basic Bistro. Relaxed, family or couples orientated, and central. The food is simple yet superb. In summer, grab a table outside and watch the world go by whilst enjoying a lovely meal and sipping on a fine wine. It’s reasonably priced too.

Written 23 January 2020

Rico W

Good Afternoon! ______________________________________________________________________ Thank you for the astounding review, we truly appreciate it! ______________________________________________________________________ We are glad that you enjoyed our little bistro in the centre of town. ______________________________________________________________________ We hope to welcome you again soon! ______________________________________________________________________ Safe travels! ______________________________________________________________________ Rico Wessels

Written 28 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

arnoud r

Warmond37 contributions

looks cosy but quality food and service is poor

Oct 2023 • couples

the menu and terras looked attractive . we ordered asian dishes. One was ok but the other was terribly salty. We informed the waiters that one dish was not good at all but they did not seem to bother. It took us half an hour(!) to get the bill. No reason for us to come back another time

Written 16 October 2023

trippingferret

Kent233 contributions

Basically excellent!

Mar 2022 • none

After a surfeit of (very good) 'fine dining' in Franschhoek, it was something of a relief to settle down on the stoep at Basic Bistro (in one of Stellenbosch's quieter streets, but very central) for a most relaxing and enjoyable dinner. The staff are friendly and welcoming, and the recommendation of the house burger was spot on. An excellent evening. Highly recommended.

Written 11 March 2022

Rico @ Basic

Thanks so much for the fabulous review! We really appreciate it and hope to see you again very soon. Warm regards. Rico

Written 20 March 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

annewoolcott

Godalming5 contributions

Amazing Saturday night curry

Nov 2023 • couples

We came across this place by chance and had a really lovely dinner on a Saturday evening. Service was excellent and the chicken malay curry was amazing- really tasty and fragrant. Affogato to follow was equally delicious. Would definitely go back if we’re in Stellenbosch again.