Review The Secret Garden - Benoni

Wonderful setting, very peaceful and relaxing, soooo excited to find this quaint venue after some exploring round the antique shops! Our meals were fresh and very tasty! My asparagus and corn quiche was light and fluffy - for me personally could have been taken to another level with the addition of some herbs or spice as I did find it very bland, however Mom’s really enjoyed her bacon and corn quiche! My daughter had the ravioli and the Flavours were perfect! Will definitely be back

The best kept secret on the East Rand - definitely worth a visit. Quality food and salads, just delicious. This lovely restaurant is out in the country and we always feel good when we are done eating.

Wow. I cannot recommend this cafe enough. The service is impeccable - helpful and friendly. The setting is gorgeous! We sat outside on a patio under a massive, lovely tree with a view of the huge craft market taking place surrounding it. And the food. Amazing!!! I had the quiche with the salad and a small fresh health loaf. Words actually fail me. Absolutely incredible. They have a large range for both vegans and meat eaters alike and the quality is the best that I have experienced in a long, long time. Bonus: the "large" cappuccino comes in a veritable bucket!

What a wonderful place in the city A farm feel -I’m referring to the building style and it has a “ secret garden “ as you meander round the back you are greatd by a Tranquil water fountain in the Centre of the garden. Lime green tables bring a joy to this courtyard pop inside for a more traditional look with wooden tables and a chandelier or two for lighting Staff are friendly and professional. A perfect little get away for a meal or a snack A plus point is the dedicated wheelchair parking spot at the entrance for those folks that have wheelchair or other mobile challenges.

Beautiful place with a lovely garden and a tranquil atmosphere. Wonderful vegan and vegetarian options. Friendly and welcoming service. Definitely recommended!

Setting so beautiful.. food was delicious and so fresh. Staff were friendly

Super meal, breakfast and brunch menu options are excellent. Menu pricing is very reasonable and plated quantity is definitely for the ravenous 😊 Service is acceptable and efficient. Will always go back for more! For information purposes only... if you do not like soy milk, or are allergic to it, please ensure you read the ingredients thoroughly!

I had their vegan burger which was absolutely divine. Best vegan burger I've ever had. Their meat burger was also very good. The atmosphere was lovely as well definitely worth the stop

This is a really great restaurant, vegan, vegetarian options are great. For the meat lovers there are fantastic choices on the menu.

Great food in a lovely setting. The owner is very friendly and there are antique shops in the adjacent buildings for those interested.

Wonderful vegan food. Beautiful place. Awesome staff. Highly recommend!

I always have a lovely experience at The Secret Garden! The food is amazing with Vegan Friendly options! The service is always good and very friendly!

Really beautiful setting ,love that they built the outside area around a tree and never cut it down.We were welcomed immediately upon arrival and the service till the end of our meal was good.I ordered the polenta stack which was okay but the polenta on its own was bland ,I ordered tofu scramble on the side to taste my only criticism of it was way to much turmeric but overall it was tasty.My wife’s pancakes was amazing I didn’t care for the syrup but it was good ,my daughters toasted cheese was enjoyable and had a good amount of cheese.We were a bit upset about the condition of the cat as he looked like he was in pain.I understand if putting him to sleep isn’t an option but at least get him seen to.We will return to try the other vegan options and bring along our omni family as the setting is very peaceful and the kids will enjoy it.

Had the best vegan cheese and tomato sandwich. They were not skimpy on the cheese AT ALL. The chips were tasty, great chip spice. I also had the pancakes with banana and pecan nuts. So light and fluffy and flavours are well balanced. Only critique is that there was golden syrup and not maple syrup as advertised. My wife will rate her own meal. Please also just have the cat checked out, very sad to have a meal as vegans and see a chronically ill pet walking around. He looks to be in a great deal of pain with a lot of muscle wasting. I’m sure he would be better off put to sleep 🙁

Quaint and cute - this is a little gem. Booked High Tea for 6 little girls. Les was amazing - professional , friendly and very accommodating . <br/>The table was set up to make the experience a very special birthday treat for my 12year old. And this was much appreciated.<br/>The savoury food items in the High Tea could do with a re-vamp. <br/>The sweet items were tasty morsels of goodness. You have to have a macaron. <br/>Tea and juice for the little ones were provided. And coffee for me.<br/><br/>The service could have been better - the waitress forgot about us and had to be reminded that the little ones needed attention too. Totally different to the warm welcome and accomodating attitude of Les. <br/>The crockery and glasses were grimey - the little girls didn’t notice but I did. <br/>However, overall, this is really a secret with sharing. <br/>Thank you Les - the girls had a good time.

Loved our little stop in here for tea and pancakes on Saturday morning. Lovely food! Really enjoyed our meal and love that they have vegan options. Really good value for money too.

The food is always been very tasty and good value but the service is a big let down over weekends. I can recommend it anytime but during the week.

I’ve tried to find this restaurant more than once before today. It’s been a struggle. <br/>Then once we found it, all we could see was an outside covered patio area that seemed to be all the restaurant consisted of. If it was, we were not impressed. However today my little daughter wanted cake so I ventured into this patio area. With trepidation. <br/>We had a long wait for a waitress but once she arrived she asked if we did not rather want to sit inside. We were surprised to find out there was an inside section. We followed the waitress down the side of the building and into a quaint indoor restaurant. <br/>The space is rather intensively packed with antique Afrikaner type furniture and decor. It looked warm and inviting though. My daughter brought all the tightly packed patrons to a halt mid sentence by declaring she wanted cake to the whole room. <br/>Service was great and dispensed in a friendly manner. <br/>We ordered a peanut butter and a vanilla milkshake. They really were pretty good. We both kept drinking till they were finished. Yummy. <br/>My little daughter then ordered her chocolate cake. It arrived with soft fluffy cream and strawberries on the side. It was a generous portion and really tasted very good. We both munched on the slice and still there was some over to come home in a @doggy bag. <br/>I then ordered the German Pork Fest with a frank (Enterprise??) and kassler chop with salads. Again the portion was generous and tasty indeed. I enjoyed the potato salad, coleslaw and pickled onions. The meat was great. I really enjoyed the meal. <br/>One can see that thought and effort has gone into everything. <br/><br/>Overall we had a great visit and a delicious meal.

If you want a really cute and quaint atmosphere and what tastes like home-cooked food, this place is a real winner. The fact that they have meat, vegetarian and vegan options for quite a bit of the menu is so rare and wonderful! As a vegan, finding this sort of variety is so difficult, let alone in a "normal" restaurant that serves meat-eaters. The service was a bit slow as I think they were very busy but it was lovely to have what seemed like the manager/owner come past tbe table to find out how we are. Definitely recommend this restaurant. The food was simple and not fancily presented but definitely yummy!!

I visited this restaurant on the recommendation of Zomato's "hidden gems" list.<br/>Best coffee I've had in a long time. Possibly the best in the East Rand. Service was excellent too, I really liked the way the waitresses assisted each other.<br/><br/>Food on the other hand, although aesthetically pleasing, was too ordinary to warrant the prices charged..<br/>Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing, but given the poor choice of low-carb meals on the menu, I went with the German Pork Feast. <br/>I'm not so sure a supermarket grade frankfurter wrapped in a strip of streaky bacon with one small kassler chop on the side would be considered a feast. The colorful coleslaw and bottled pickles didnt help much either. As for the potato salad, it was left on the plate.<br/><br/>Based on the coffee however, its worth revisiting. Their breakfasts look generous. Just wish there was more carb free options.

Absolutely superb vibe. Every second sunday there is a open antique market just outside bustling with activity and music. The food was really good and also vegan friendly. I highly reccomend a sunday lunch with someone special.<br/>

Service is extremely slow, nice location but only for summer. Worth visiting when the market is on for the vibe but only if you have a high level of patience.

Dankie Arno Steenkamp, eienaar van Secret Garden Benoni vir die 4x4 XTR marshals se heerlike kuier! Die diens, kos en atmosfeer was uitstekend! Julle sien ons beslis weer!

Pretty Awesome !<br/>Great staff .<br/>Delicious food and drinks . <br/>Fantastic service . <br/>Amazing atmosphere . <br/>Thank You Arno Steenkamp ( owner and chef ) <br/><br/><br/>

What a wonderful experience. We had such a ball. Good was exciliant. Will recommend this place for anybody. Staff was helpfull and friendly. Owner Arno Steenkamp was professional and friendly. Thanx to THE SECRET GARDEN!!!!!!

Baie dankie aan Arno Steenkamp, eienaar van Secret Garden Benoni vir 'n AWESOME venue, goeie diens en heerlike kos. Julle sal ons beslis weer sien!

Quiet and peaceful. Fantastic food and great service. Lovely hostess and friendly waitresses. Beautiful garden. Will recommend this for tea parties.

Lovely food, but to wait more than a hour is not acceptable!!!Lucky we had time to spend with our friends.... The place was not even busy.... we had to go and call to order.....

What a dump! Tried the chicken and avo with bacon tramazzini couldn't eat it, fed it to the resident cat. The service was as bad as the food🙁but in fairness my daughter did warn me not to go, guess I will listen to her next time. Pity because it is in such a lovely setting.

What a beautiful spot! So many different little sections to sit and great atmosphere. We enjoyed a great tasty breakfast and some delicious carrot cake with tea, in an old fashioned silver tea pot. Will definitely be back!

The setting is great, the menu looks great but that's as far as we got.<br/> Last Thursday my wife and I stopped at the Secret garden for lunch. We chose a table on the patio in the shade. The waitress was quick to give us each a menu and then she disappeared. After a while the people at another table who had got there before us called out for someone to serve them. A waitress appeared, took their order and disappeared. We waited another 5 minutes and then left! <br/>Sitting and being ignored for over 15 minutes and not having our drinks order taken in that time is just not good enough!  <br/>Maybe the food is as good as people say it is. I will never know.

Having brunch in Benoni on Sunday, we had a choice of Cherrylane, Victorian Secret and The Secret Garden.  I chose The Secret Garden based on their menu.  Their menu reads like poetry ... lyrical descriptions of each dish.  Also this restaurant really caters for the vegan and vegetarians.<br/><br/>The venue is stunning and on the 1st Sunday there's a flea market outside (as well as live music ... the guy could really sing!!) and on the 2nd Sunday there's an antique market. <br/><br/>Started off with cappu and black coffee (it came with a vegan peanut butter cookie) and a peanut butter milkshake (served in a cocktail glass).  I had a sip and it was soooooooooooooooooooo yummo!!!!<br/><br/>Llanda had the Breakfast waffle - meat option:  a herb infused waffle topped with 3 rashers of bacon, fried egg and Welsh Rarebit (cheese and beer) sauce.  She said it was really rich (the sauce - maybe order it on the side?) but was delicious.<br/><br/>Hein had the African breakfast with meat - eggs, boerewors, bacon, spinach, pap tart and relish.  He loved it.<br/><br/>I ordered the Trout Rosti ...  trout served on a potato cake, with poached egg, Welsh Rarebit sauce and horseradish cream on the side.  My potato cake wasn't cook properly.  I WAS ABSOLUTELY FLOORED.  Here I chose this restaurant with the amazing interesting menu and they couldn't give me a cooked rosti!  I told the manageress and she just said she'll show it to the kitchen.  What good is that going to do me?  I didn't get a discount ... I wasn't asked if I wanted something else. <br/><br/>Restaurants make mistakes ... but the main thing is HOW DO THEY HANDLE the customer's complaint!<br/><br/>Also, Hein asked our waiter (Shabola?) for a steak knife.  He had NO CLUE what it was ... he brought a ivory handled butter knife!  And when the manageress came and we told her, she said:  I explained to him how it looks.<br/><br/>??  Really?  Why didn't you show the waiter the steak knife?  And when we talked about it, why not turn around and go and fetch one??????  <br/><br/>Will I be back?  I doubt it.

This gem of a restaurant never disappoints. Most amazing Vegetable Curry Special followed by vegan chocolate cake & three different vegan ice creams. Liquorice, Berries & Lemon.<br/>Brian knows exactly how to make you feel at home

Thank you to The Secret Garden team for an amazing 50th birthday party - food and service was above and beyond.   They accommodated my special menu requests to suit the theme, everything was fresh and delicious and ample portions.  My guest were all wonderfully surprised by this gem of a venue.

My friends and I decided to grab brekkie here after a lovely morning run. It was a wonderful breakfast. The owners are vegan so understandably there were lots of delicious vegan options. They have many vegetarian and meat options too. I had a vegan waffle. It was to die for. Incredibly fulling too, I could not finish it. I'm usually not a big fan of tofu but it was cooked so well. My friends had a vegetarian waffle, chicken mayo tramazini and chicken and avo toasted sarmie. We all loved our meals. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to vegans and vegetarians as its worth the drive to Benoni for. I'm for sure going back.

Delicious vegan food and desert options, including homemade ice cream, in a lovely old worldly garden setting. A must for all vegans and vegetarians. Friendly host and good service. I spoil myself with a meal there at least once a week.

Superb venue, superb food, superb service! 5 star <br/>Great getaway for relaxation and great food experience, no place like it. Try the vegan ice cream you'll be blown away!

We are regulars at The Secret Garden since 2013. When you arrive, you quickly realise that you are there to spent time chatting and relaxing. It’s that “get-away” place where you need to recharge a bit, away from the world’s expected “rules & policies”. Here you get greeted by name, sit, relax and sip a warm coffee in your own time while waiting for the food which is always freshly prepared. There’s a certain anticipation in the waiting, for when it arrives, it’s always presented in a different and creative way and tasting divine as usual. Brian is passionate about cooking and loves his Vegan foods. He always has a smile while finding time to chat. The staff is helpful and always willing to assist – all you need to do is ask. We’re happy, big thumbs up and we’ll pop in again soon.

Our favourite place. The food is original, creative and of extremely high quality. The staff are friendly and attentive. It has become a regular dining place. If you like good food I would really recommend it.

What a fabulous place. The best kept Secret. My husband and I and many of our friends are regulars. Food is to die for and they cater for my Vegan lifestyle. Thank you Brian for offering a little piece of heaven that is not a fast food joint and caters with wonderful selections of food and deserts for Vegans.

Excellent service and very good meal selection. Staff are prompt and orders placed are delivered piping hot and with very little waiting time.

The best Kept Secret... Hence the name... Fantastic Hosts, wonderful staff and very relaxed atmosphere. This establishment is an acquired taste, the food is absolutely fabulous!!!! Brian always has a special meal hidden in his culinary arsenal ready to be prepared and devoured! The meals will astonish your palate with beautiful flavors. Be warned, if you expect a Fast Food , drive through, yes sir no sir we cannot wait to change your nappy scenario, this is not for you, rather travel to the next corner for your Cholesterol fix.For the enlightened this Restourant is Timeless, set in a Vintage Milieu that will truly soothe your palate and your soul.

The service here is shockingly slow. Took over an hour between sitting down and leaving when all we ordered was a burger, a chicken mayo tramazini, an iced coffee and a regular coffee. Sat for at least 15 minutes before they (partially) cleaned the tables. Whilst sitting there we saw various tables left with partially finished meals and dirty crockery just left on the table. Two ladies came and sat down, the table they were seated at had not been cleared and after about 10 minutes they just left. When we left about 40 minutes later this table still had a plate of half finished fries left on the table. The dirty crockery makes for a very uncomfortable, dirty situation and of itself is a reason for me never to return. The food was unremarkable. We were given one tiny bowl of tomato sauce with both our meals including fries<br/>My plate was scorching hot and was put down in front of me with no warning. The food was also overly hot and not at a comfortable temperature to start eating when it arrived at the table. The tramazini was pitiful and not at all the size or quality I have expected from all other restaurants I have ordered this at where usually you struggle to finish the meal. Overall this is a pitiful excuse for a restaurant and neither their food, their pricing, or their service warrants visiting. Our meal for two was over R200 and we left no tip as we were not happy at all. I would not suggest you take anyone to this restaurant unless you do not like them very much and possibly want to punish them at all cost (as you yourself would need to eat the mediocre food served at incorrect temperatures through the worst service imaginable) I believe this once great spot in Benoni should rather shut their doors whilst there may be some previous customers that has not been in a year or two and still remember good service in a good clean setting through good service... those days are long gone. I wish I could give this hovel a minus rating<br/>

Such a beautiful place to spend a lazy Sunday. Sitting amongst nature and taking in the beauty of spring. The food was absolutely delicious. Love the variety for vegetarians. Definitely coming back to try out the rest of the menu ✌⭐<br/>

I love this place! The fact that there are so many options for vegetarians and vegans is already a winner for me. I had the vegetarian English Breakfast (huge plate of food which I struggled to finish) and hubby had the breakfast waffle which he thoroughly enjoyed. The service was good. I was a bit surprised that they were pretty quiet being a Sunday morning with so much going on around the rest of the property. I also love the outdoor setting.

Been there about 2 years ago. Didn't really enjoy it. A bit run down. Not really friendly service. Some items on the menu out of stock. Not for me thanks. I just want to edit my review. Went to the place again in this week. It's getting from bad to worse. The place is disgusting dirty. Flies on the food while the preparing the food. The drains stink near the kitchen. The one waiter was trying to give some service but the rest of the kitchen staff looks like they don't care. I am still feeling sick just thinks about that place. Not good. Hope I don't have to go there again

Neat quaint place. Nice relaxed atmosphere. I ordered the secret garden meat breakfast and a peanut butter milkshake. The food was well prepared but disappointingly this meal is a small portion given the price. The milkshake was top class, thick and creamy.

Visited after a while. The bruschetta that used to look like this, doesn't anymore :( <br/>Still, the setting is lovely. Relaxing and totally hipster-free. 😜 loads of old folk. They make good coffee, scones.

What a dissapointment.... had a toasted sarmie (Chicken mayo on rye) and a spicy Chai tea (not very spicy or Chai...) my sandwich was extemely greasy... and nothing special in terms of taste.... I didn't even finish.... mom said the iced coffee was lovely

Cute and true to its name. Love the in and outside as well as the decorations. Not fond of the macon im place of bacon. It's cute but the menu is limited.

My experience at the secret garden left me in awe,speechless,amazed,tastes buds buzzing and so full I had to have a late dinner. <br/><br/>So my girlfriend and I decided to take a young drive looking for the perfect place for brunch on a hot spring's day. Little did we know that we would come across such a beautiful place. <br/><br/>The garden view and design was priceless and the people were very friendly. We got a table near the antique area (which you can buy at an affordable price) while baby Eva-Marie slept in her car seat. The food and drinks are unbelievably fresh,the theme looked like 1970's and the secret garden side salad was really delicious. This place gets a solid 5 and I would love to visit that place yet again.

I thoroughly enjoy my time here. The setting is so tranquil because of the garden but also so artsy inside because of the antiques that they also sell there.<br/><br/>The food is delicious and fresh! And they take pride in the whole organic thing... Oh.. They also cater for vegans and vegetarians... 😁👌❤

Quaint little place, off the beaten track and on the "gat kant" of Jozi. Shall I dare say it. . . Benoni! Da-da-daah! <br/><br/>We by pure chance discovered this place. Its set amongst a cluster of vintage and antique stores. <br/><br/>It's got a sort of old world charm about it. Service was very friendly but sort of slow... the food was good. A continental menu. With very interesting dishes. Found that the menu had a little too much on offer though, makes it difficult to decide on what to have!<br/><br/>I had a croissant with scrambled egg, bacon, avo, roasted vine tomatoes and emmenthaler cheese (R70) my companion had a toasted tramazini with ham, tomato, avo and cheese (R65) it was a VERY BIG portion! Served with half chips and a delicious garden salad with mango, guava, sprouts and edible flowers! <br/><br/>I also spotted a pâté platter and German frankfurters served with mustard, sauerkraut and potato salad; on the menu! Am soooo ordering that next time.<br/><br/>The menu had many vegetarian AND vegan options!!! LOVED that! <br/><br/>After our meal the manageress came over with a generous glass of complimentary sherry, saying it's something for the cold! <br/><br/>It's certainly not the trendiest place in the Burg, but it's honest and very charming! I will definitely be back!

Very nice restaurant. Great service, awesome food. well worth the visit. And return visit. Nice garden set up and friendly family feel. Definitely recommend the visit.

The food was fresh and absolutely stunning. You really can tell when a dish is made with fresh, homegrown ingredients.<br/>The atmosphere was also lovely. We sat outside and it was cool, not too noisy and we were accompanied by live music on that day.<br/>The service was punctual and the waitress was very helpful and kind.<br/><br/>I will definitely go there again. Wide selection and just plain good food.

Great food, healthy and freshly prepared. Very antique and rustic look to the venue and utensils.. Only issue would be the bugs in the area which can be quiet annoying, being in a garden there are flues and bees all over. Otherwise great for an afternoon tea

This restaurant is one of the more well kept secrets (pardon the pun) this side of town. Their eclectic flavours are a great change from the conventional restaurant. They are vegan friendly and cater for meat eaters as well. The dishes are well presented, substantial and the antique crockery adds to the unique atmosphere. Really worth a visit for those who live on the other side of Joburg????<br/>

Such a perfect place to visit with ladies! The decor and setting is beautiful! They sell such delicious scones! You may take forever to choose from their menu because they have so many delicious options! Worth going to!!!