Review Chocolat Bistro - Durbanville

It was my first time here and I was very impressed...Not only is the venue very picturesque and the decor so impressive, but the staff are friendly and efficient. The Food was Absolutely Delicious. I shall DEFINITELY come back to Chocolat for more of the same.

It is truly rare that I would give a full 5 stars to any place, let alone a restaurant. However, the occasion in which my girlfriend and I were in, that being our Anniversary, this experience overall was extremely pleasant, and everything came together beautifully. Firstly, the service was excellent. Vernon (Night Manager), you are an absolute gentleman and customer centric individual and your delivery of service was beyond approach. Our waiter, Daniel, young and vibrant and was spot on with his service as well. The ambience of the restaurant is so beautiful, and aesthetically inviting. I know this restaurant would thrive in the day, but at night, it simply sparkles. We were blessed with great weather and so got to enjoy our dinner outside on the patio in the front. The area at the back was beautiful as well. This place is well kept, and the standards are set extremely high without costing you more than any other quality restaurant would. My girlfriend had the pork belly (R210) and I had the lamb shank (R265). Along with our delicious cocktails, and other drinks, this evening was magnificent. The food was an absolute delight and of the highest quality. For a date night, or a day time lunch, this place is simply superb. I would recommend Chocolat to anyone, especially those looking for a romantic, yet intimate setting. Well done to the owners, you have truly established a gold mine, and your staff are excellent. If I could have tried the dessert, I would have but the food filled us right up. Superb, thank you Vernon and Daniel for making our special night even more special.

The best!!! Sorry Mount Nelson, this is where I'll be. Surprisingly the Doggie menue! Wow! My Schnauzer, Amadeus Mozart enjoyed it very much. Mine were excellent, thanx. Petter King 0713.537.537

Chocolat Bistro is a stunning place for a nice afternoon treat. Especially the sweets are worth any drive. The staff is great and the place is endulging by it‘s flair. It is a bit like throwback back to Nan‘s living room for a Sunday tea. Get a scone, get some other dessert. And skip dinner. ;-)

Besides the food, cake and venue being absolutely perfect! I want to thank the staff for all their assistance with my Dad who’s in a wheelchair. I couldn’t push him over the gravel path in the back parking area, but they were absolutely amazing at helping me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the salmon and avo salad. Super fresh and delicious! Recommended if you'd like something light on a hot day.

Did you know Chocolat Bistro is pet friendly? What a beautiful venue. Very posh and the food was delicious. Very friendly service and I will highly recommend this place.

1st visit to Chocolat and I will definately be back. Friendly staff, excellent service and the food was excellent! PS: The blankets are just that extra touch showing you are thinking of every little detail!! Keep it up guys!!!

Good food, service was nice and waiter was friendly. Atmosphere was great. Wheelchair friendly. In door and outdoor seating. Booking is essential to avoid disappointment.

Gorgeous interior old world decor is what makes this place so special. It’s perfect for a girls brunch, kitchen teas and even baby showers as the decor is absolutely stunning. We went for brunch and what particularly stood out for us was how fresh and delicious the food was despite them being so busy and having quite large tables booked out. Highly recommended if you’re looking to dine pretty!

Excellent and friendly service. The most beautiful coffee shop in Cape Town - sensory overload! They went out of their way to accommodate our group and to make it extra special. Great food, good portion size. You'll not leave hungry. Worth a visit as often ad you can.

"Save water and drink Champagne"... the best advice ive gotten from a menu. As always it was a great place to visit. From the friendly staff and the great food to the champagne, cocktails, coffee, relaxing music and chilling hard in the garden. One fantastic day.

2nd visit awesome place an amazing food and service.Definetlyservice with a smile.Will recommend it to anymore.Very homely atmosphere.

So n oulike plekkie in Durbanville, voel asof jy iewers heel anders is. Die dekor is beeldskoon en die feit dat jy binne of buite kan sit is heerlik. Menu is lekker verskeidenheid en die koeke so yummy! Baie oulik

A fabulous place to eat a meal � friendly staff � and the decor is to die for � I loved it

Beautiful beautiful place and the BEST breakfast I have ever eaten. Friendly, efficient service. Food did not take long at all even though the restaurant was jam packed on a Saturday morning, the vibe was fantastic and I will definitely go there again!

Top class service (friendly and efficient) and delicious food....and of cause the decor is to die for. Love this place........we'll be back!

You should close you shop when you have big tables.....waiting 2 hours for food and being told we have a table of 30 is unacceptable. Not only was the wait ridiculous the service is useless....there is NO service!! Sad because its a beautiful setting and your food is good, but myself and most of the guests around us where VERY unhappy. We won't be returning any time soon.

We’ve been visiting the Bistro now a few times... if ever I was asked to rate our experience post any of the other visits, it would’ve been of the highest quality for food. The service was always slow, but for the amazing quality that came out of the kitchen I was willing to be patient. That was untill yesterday. For the first time we had lesser quality of everything. Granted that is was the fist time we only went for tea time and not breakfast or dinner. Perhapse the idea is not to order tea, but rather coffee as we do every other time. The cakes were on parr, but the scones tasted like buttermilk rusks and nothing like a scone texture.

Go there on a regular basis. staff is friendly and food good. There were some upgrades made, so I'm happy to go again. Not everyone can be satisfied as taste differs. I've recommended it to my friends and family

Love the ambiance, the friendly service and the tasty food. Had a fabulous time. Everything was very special and beautiful on Saturday. Thank You Ashley . Your team was on top op everything .

The service on Saturday was putrid...food took far too long to arrive..One customer had only the one parties food arrive and he had to wait for his.. eventually got up and walked out...I've been there on a weekday and had a more pleasant experience tho it was only for coffee and scones not food...It seems your kitchen cannot cope over weekends...that should be easy to fix..add more facilities and increase chefs as well as waitressing staff to ensure a smoother flow...the ambiance should complement the service...

Excellent!! The food was delicious, the environment serene. The chocolate cheesecake is to die for!

My daughter & my 2 granddaughters had brunch at Chocolat on Saturday. Service was friendly, our coffees & hot chocolate for the kids arrived promptly. Our food took about half hour to arrive but restaurant was very busy. 2 eggs benedict with smoked ham on rosti well presented though plates could've been warmed. Chicken nuggets for kids in boxes...I thought a good idea as leftovers you can easily take away. Love the decadent decor & outside play area. Was a happy ecperience.

The house salad was absolutely wonderful! Usually I think salads will be a bit of lettuce and some black pepper, but this one is packed full of amazing goodness xxx also wonderful staff!

Always a pleasant experience eating at Chocolat, from their friendly helpful staff to the excellent food.. Have been there a number of occasions and every time its been perfect...they don't hover around you, which i appreciate, the only thing I can say is that perhaps wait till everybody at the table is finished with their meal before they start clearing away the plates and glasses...stretching over diners while some are still busy eating is really not very nice...I was in the Uk and that is what they do in their restaurants and found that to be so pleasant, and thoughtful towards their diners. Regards Lydia Viljoen.

Only my second time there and WOW always proves to please - the food was outstanding and the bubbles even better. Great all rounder. Will be back.

What a nice place, good food and atmosphere. Will recommend it

I would not recommend this place.<br/>Manager is terrible, his name is JP<br/>We called to make a booking for 15 people from a church group, my mother in law got a confirmation email but due to bad eye sight didn't see the fine print of a deposit that needs to be paid. Not once did he follow up to find out if she still wants the booking. I have been a food and beverage manager for the past 10 years and if one of my restaurant managers did this, they would be out of my restaurant very quickly. <br/>Clearly JP doesn't know customer service or how to do his job, I'd be happy to train him in management or talk to the owners if they even look at these comments. <br/><br/>I will leave a comment on every platform available until a owner gets in contact with me. <br/>Clearly JP doesn't care about sales revenue or the restaurant. You think the owners would make better choices

I love this place! I love the decor and the building and the atmosphere. A place where you can feel like you can get a real high tea experience. I had the chocolate nougat cake and it was deliciously moist and dense, just like I love my cakes. The service could have been better, seemed like it was our waitress' first time on the job. Cappuccinos arrived cold. But overall a lovely experience. I don't mind the slow service... to be able to sit there and dream and read, but others might mind.

Despite mixed reviews I opted to try this little spot out. Trial by fire! On the 7th September we held a baby shower at Chocolat Bistro. With all the madness in the build up to the shower (with 21 people on the list finally) it was a bit of a run around in the last week to ensure everything was in place.<br/><br/>Chocolat did not fail me! The High Tea option was the offer and at the set cost per person I was a bit worried that we wouldn't have enough 'things' for everyone. <br/><br/>JP was super helpful by email and a few calls in clarifying things and explaining exactly how to order for the set cost. <br/>(life gets busy so to be fair I took any delayed responses with a pinch of salt, we all know how it goes). If you want immediate response, phone.<br/><br/>Thankfully, my worries were put to rest! It was a FEAST. Everyone had enough food.<br/><br/>They don't allow corkage for any champagne or sparkly things which was a bit of a frustration as I had some lovely stuff offered but considering what we got it was just lovely. <br/>The Table was set in possibly the only place they could so there was a bit of foot traffic going by but it was almost unnoticed - I think WE were too busy being in the way. <br/><br/>I wanted something classy, and a little more relaxed for mom-to-be with none of the crazy games and things usually associated, and Chocolat helped me cater for exactly that in ambience, set up and food. <br/><br/>Julia was our waitress and, while managing, two or three other smaller tables she did a really great job helping our large group; specially with keeping drinks topped up. <br/><br/>Watching the overall buzz it does seem like you need to go to Chocolat with a bit of time to spare - don't expect service at 500miles per hour but they're not a 'fast food' restaurant. So yes things may be a little slower than you might be used to but it's so worth it - the food is great, the vibe is lovely, it's pretty to look at and the service is still very good.<br/><br/>Parking around back was useful but it is very limited so go prepared for that at the very least. <br/> <br/><br/>To JP and Julia - thank you both so much for making the day a breeze (and to the chef and kitchen crew 100 points on the food! We were not mislead or disappointed in any way with the High Tea options).

Love the ambiance and decor. So cosy.

Disgusting service!<br/><br/>I have been a loyal customer for months now... even refereed guests who had functions there.&nbsp;<br/><br/>A few times the croissants where so hard I even wasted them but let it go...<br/><br/>Only to be treated in such a rude manner when wanting to book a high tea for my birthday.<br/><br/>After expressing my concerns about the unacceptable way I was treated .. the owner responded to me stating the below&nbsp;<br/><br/>Hi Nabilah,<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Your booking for you for the 26th at 3pm for 8 guests has been made. Menu to be sent to you once released.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Kind Regards,<br/><br/>No apology or sense of taking responsibility.

Charming little spot in the middle of Durbanville. Food is delicious and the staff are cheerful, gets a bit busy at times and that can slow service down - but that’s expected.

I enjoy this place all the time! Service is fine if you are relaxed, even when it's busy, your waiter rarely forgets about you. The food is bistro coffee shop style and the portions are huge(maybe even slightly too big) Coffee is Lovely. Milkshakes a bit small since they're expensive as hell. Salmon Eggs Benedict = Best brekkie ever. Pulled lamb shank tramezini = best lunch ever!! Great food. Great atmosphere, but a bit too expensive.

Slow roasted pork belly was perfectly cooked, and the mash was so tasty. Had a creme brûlée for dessert, and fiancée had chocolate brownie with ice cream. All worth it! Will definitely be back

Great Ambience with helpful staff and even better food. I see mixed reviews but also noticed the Nay Sayers to be prone towards negative comments as a norm. Will definitely go back.

We expected more. Much more.<br/><br/>We went for the food and left because of it.<br/>If I could describe this place in one word it would have to be "disappointment".<br/><br/>Because: <br/>The service is not up to par,<br/>The food is overpriced and the portions blown right out of their price league and into fast food zone.<br/> (The "GIANT" croissant is anything but. It was average in size and sub average in taste - the chocolate sauce tasted like it came from a squidgey bottle and came with no cream or anything)<br/>The cake of the day was a baked cheesecake... from pnp or shopright I assume - because that's what it tasted like. The first bite was good but the more I ate the sicker I felt.<br/>The prices are also out of their minds. R42 for a croissant and R54 for a slice of cake. These prices were even higher than that of the online menu so don't let that fool you.<br/>The only good thing about this place was the decor and the music, but I would honestly go anywhere else for that.<br/>All in all - I'd give this place a 2 / 5 but that wouldn't do it's average score justice.

I had high expectations from looking at the numerous good reviews and recommendations from friends. The arrival wasn't warm, however the decor was cute and "grand". <br/><br/>Looking at the menu we saw that the prices increased (so please update your menu). We ordered a slice of cake and a giant chocolate croissant. <br/><br/>Now you would expect that it would be big and yummy for the prices that high. After waiting 17 minutes our food arrived and was not up to par. <br/><br/>The croissant was small and had cheap chocolate, the cheesecake tasted like it had been made the day before and just chilled in the fridge. <br/><br/>The service and food was just plain bad and I will never return. Chocolat Bistro, maybe rethink what you are doing, because you are stealing from the people. <br/><br/><br/>

Beautiful bistro with a very regal and vintage feel. Went with a group of my friends and we were all quite happy with our food. I would definitely recommend their chicken mayo, pesto, mozarella and mushroom sandwich. They unfortunately ran out of tramezzinis but we were still given the bread choice of sourdough, seed loaf or a croissant. Over all it was a pleasant experience and I would like to go back and try their breakfast and cake selection.

Love love love this place! First the decor is BEAUTIFUL! Perfect setting for a girls brunch or tea. Or even a romantic dinner. There is even a fireplace for the chilly winter season! The staff are friendly and warm. Went on Saturday for breakfast it is quiet in the morning but the crowd starts picking up around 8.30 and many of the tables have been reserved. So I would strongly advise to book beforehand. There is a wide range of drinks, from Italian hot chocolate to mimosas. I love their hot chocolate! Their breakfast is decent but not great. But definitely will come again for lunch or dinner. And come back for more hot chocolate!

I had a delightful catch up with a friend and a divine lunch at Chocolat yesterday. I ate chilli popper spring rolls and he had chicken livers. Both dishes were perfect. The setting is beautiful. Every detail thoughtfully considered. We lingered for hours on the patio. The waitress was also friendly and attentive.

Great food, amazing ambiance and wonderful staff. I've been here quite a few times and really enjoy the beautiful surroundings while sipping on a delicious cappuccino.

I went here for breakfast with two friends of mine. As we walked in, I was blown away by the decor of the restaurant. It was absolutely beautiful. We sat in the garden and were served briefly after being seated. The entire experience was one for the books from the coffee to the food to the service to the scenery. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone

Great food and athmosphere! The breakfast and pizza's combined with the lovely vibe makes it special everytime we go there. The kids loves the milkshakes. Great eggs Benedict!

Shocking, shocking, shocking! A restaurant whose popularity far exceeds it's ability to serve it's patrons. Far to many tables for the ability of the kitchen to prepare even the most basic of basic food. A 2 hour wait for a basic omelette that arrived cold on a cold plate with no garnish, and the cold toast delivered 20 minutes after the plate was deposited. R65 thank you. Not an isolated event either, all of us had the same problem at our table. Clearly their greed has got the better of them when they don't seem able to get the basics right. A "once-in-a-lifetime" experience - never, never, never again!<br/>

I love this place,If the name alone isn't enough to make you want to try it out, everything else is:)<br/><br/>It seems they are quite popular, the place was full.<br/>The service is great, the food is really good and their decor and lighting is just beautiful!! They have a fire place too, for those cold wintery days!<br/><br/>The parking is a bit difficult, especially if they are busy. But definitely worth the visit!<br/><br/>

Was vandag vir die eerste keer by Chocolat saam 'n vriendin wat dit aanbeveel het. I was sceptical as they are quite pricey, but the service was very friendly and made my day! They even changed the scrambled egg to poached eggs for me. I had the wholewheat bread option with it which was very nicely toasted. My friend had the bacon, avo, cheese sandwich on rye with salad. It looked great and a big portion! Can definitely share it. The only thing I would change is the type of cheese (it was normal cheddar), perhaps mozzarella, feta or white cheddar would be nicer. <br/><br/>Walked past some other tables and the chips with a sandwich come on a nice wooden board and looks great! Will try it next time for sure:) <br/><br/>Coffee a bit pricey but not bad as it is more or less what places charge these days.<br/><br/>All in all a good experience👍🏻

I was here with 8 other friends for a dinner outing we came there and wanted to sit outside or the booking was for outside but they said we could not and also when some of us wanted to order pizza they told us no pizza tonight? that was dissapointing however sitting inside was worth it since the decor was amazing and would recommend it for a good date with that special someone,the food was a bit pricy but you definitely got what you paid for in friendly service,quality of food and the setting,burger was great and filling...however not having craft beer was a bit dissapointing and also forgetting a drink or 2. All in all they will be seeing me again and I would recommend anyone visit Chocolat bistro at least once and see what I am talking about.

Have been here about 6 times, beautiful decor and setting. The food is Good, I think they could expand their menu a bit but what they do they do well. The staff are friendly but seem to struggle when they get to about 65% capacity. Despite that the food is tasty and great value for money and the setting is beautiful which draws us back everytime.

What a lovely relaxed restaurant with such warm and friendly service . Was blown away not only by the decor but the food quality and atmosphere . After a delicious cup of red cuppachino I just had to try something on there amazing menu .

Good food, excellent service. Regular table checkup without being intrusive. Hostess is friendly and helpful. Will do this again! Recommend for meals and beverages.

I love this place, just love it too much. Knew this place by Groupon many years ago, fall in love with it immediately. Food are great, settings are cosy, services are excellent. Can't think of anything to complaint, perhaps not serving dinner is a shame though.

This cafe caught our eye from the road and we needed to pop in! So off for a coffee we went - sadly it wasn't fantastic and it was very empty! <br/><br/>The decor is cute and the service was fair. Will need to pop in for a meal to give the final stamp of approval ...

Nice restaurant to try any time of the day. They have anything from breakfast to toasted sandwiches to chicken schnitzel and even curry. Just don't go here if you are in a hurry, they take quite a while...

We have been going to this restaurant for a while and the standard has been steadily slipping. The decor is very well appointed and is a nice blend of new and old and the old is very tastefully done.<br/><br/>While the menu does say "good food takes time" having to wait for the waiter to drop off menus and then take our drink orders can't qualify. Our drinks were good but took ages.<br/><br/>My breakfast was wonderful, perfectly cooked chips, well done eggs and bacon but slightly under seasoned fried mushrooms.<br/><br/>My wife's Eggs Benedict with Salmon was atrocious. The Hollandaise had dried on the top of the eggs, obviously being kept under the warmer for too long, the salmon was poor quality offcuts and the potato "crumpets" were gluey and stodgy.<br/><br/>We won't be rushing back unfortunately.<br/><br/>Edit- 6 month re-visit. Coffee was delicious and delivered timeously and the food was very very yummy. Very basic order of omelets for me and my wife but they came quick, were perfectly cooked and oh so yummy.<br/><br/>Thankful this place can be back on our "regular" list

I recently hosted a bridal shower at the stunning Chocolat Bristro in Durbanville. The decor was beautiful and the restaurant is perfect for an intimate event  around supper time. The service was quite slow but they made up for it by being incredibly helpful. Dig into their pizza menu on a warm evening with a lovely glass of wine.

If I have to describe Chocolat, I'd have to say... "All style, no substance". <br/><br/>Look the decor is beautiful and it has an air of sophistication and class... and that's about it. We waited quite long for our waiter to take our order and then a ridiculous amount of time for our milkshakes... only for them to arrive in a silly gimmick mug/glass travel thing. I get it- these mason jar/mug things are fashionable right now- but I really don't need a polkadot cover on my drink like a glorified adult sippy cup. In some establishments it works, but then again it fits in with the vibe and decor. They have no place here. I also had a scone with cream. I was really looking forward to a lovely, traditional scone with a small pot of cream, one with strawberry jam and some butter. What I got was some sort of scone/muffin hybrid (which just tasted like an airy, crumbly muffin), a MASSIVE container of cream and some generic packets of jam and butter that you get at a cheap cafe. Very disappointed. If you're going for a certain style go for it full hearty! Don't skimp by buying in those horrid little packets.<br/><br/>I feel like you're paying for the ambience at Chocolat because when I compare their prices to other cafes and bistros in the price range- their food and drink is subpar compare to their competitors

Great food, very tasty And fresh. Great service and very helpful staff. The ambience and decor is stunning. The menu choice is good for a bistro or cafe selection and the presentation and taste of the food matches the decor. Classy and tasty.

"Let them eat cake!"<br/>My bestie took me there for my birthday this year, and I loved everything about it!!<br/>Gorgeous décor, friendly service and yummiest treats that will definitely make you want to go back for some more renaissance magic ❤︎

I love the new Chocolat Bistro. The decor, the ambience reminds me of Europe. Yes, it is a little "pricey" but it's worth every cent. The service isn't too bad. It was a little slow the last time I was here but the food is very good. This morning, I had the eggs Benedict with spinach and feta. It was tasty and more than filling. Beautiful presentation. Come check it out.

This is a beautiful restaurant situated in the heart of Durbanville. They offer a lunch time menu and then a fancier dinner menu. I went for lunch and ordered the Thai Chicken Curry. The presentation was quite disappointing. It all looked a little bit sad and colourless. Taste was bland and boring as well. Did not feel that it was worth the price. Finished with the Italian Chocolate Speciality Late or something like that. It is supposedly a thick chocolaty hot chocolate but it literally tastes exactly like the chocolate sauce you make to put over your ice cream with flour and milk and coco powder. It has almost a gel like texture and you can't actually drink it like you would a hot chocolate. I was quite disappointed by this as well. However the beautiful decor and friendly service made me push up the rating to a three. Hope they add some more exciting options and flavours to their menu

What an amazing little gem! Beautifully decorated, incredible menu, fantastic prices and the food is delicious!! It really is one of our favourite spots to go.. Whether it be for tea and cake, a light lunch, and most recently they are now open for suppers too! This place is just so beautiful! A place you have to visit with the girls! You'll want to go back again and again!

Excellent food, great ambiance in an intimate setting. Service was excellence with fab food and wine pairing. Quaint restaurant in Durbanville, definitely worth a revisit👌🏽

Very nice place.good food and good service.wide selection of good made food.the interior and exterior of the place is very nice aswell.<br/>Allround decent anx nice place.