The conservatoire at Helena's

Be inspired

The rooms, the plates, the moments

Heritage food with finesse, often with a subtle twist in the detail — turning the familiar into the spectacular.

The main dining room — French wallpaper and a yellowwood ceiling
The main dining room — French wallpaper and a yellowwood ceiling
Chicken liver pâté, pistachio, black olive jam, toasted brioche
Chicken liver pâté, pistachio, black olive jam, toasted brioche

“Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurement.”

Marcel Boulestin
Lunch, seen from above
Lunch, seen from above
Women's Day brunch and bubbly
Women's Day brunch and bubbly
Medley of wild mushroom risotto with shaved Parmesan
Medley of wild mushroom risotto with shaved Parmesan
The conservatoire
The conservatoire
Golden fried goat's cheese croquettes
Golden fried goat's cheese croquettes

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.”

Thomas Keller
The front porch on Church Street at dusk
The front porch on Church Street at dusk
The mezze platter — Helena's signature roasted peppers
The mezze platter — Helena's signature roasted peppers
A toast in the dining room
A toast in the dining room
Slow cooked Swartland lamb shank
Slow cooked Swartland lamb shank
Linen, blue china and spring flowers
Linen, blue china and spring flowers

“There is no love more sincere than the love of food.”

George Bernard Shaw
The chef at the pass
The chef at the pass
Friends at the Women's Day table
Friends at the Women's Day table
Grilled prime beef fillet, Béarnaise
Grilled prime beef fillet, Béarnaise
The conservatoire, laid for lunch
The conservatoire, laid for lunch
Cheese, charcuterie and a glass of Chenin
Cheese, charcuterie and a glass of Chenin

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

Virginia Woolf
Bubbly on the porch
Bubbly on the porch
Pâté, plated
Pâté, plated
A quiet corner of the hotel
A quiet corner of the hotel
Soup of the day
Soup of the day
Red roses for a celebration
Red roses for a celebration
Candlelight in the dining room
Candlelight in the dining room
A glass of red with a view of the street
A glass of red with a view of the street

“Food is essential to life; therefore, make it good.”

S. Truett Cathy
The brunch table
The brunch table
The leather-bound menu
The leather-bound menu
Pastries, scones and fruit at breakfast
Pastries, scones and fruit at breakfast
Celebrating in the dining room
Celebrating in the dining room
Red and white, poured
Red and white, poured
Roses and canapés
Roses and canapés
A table laid for dinner
A table laid for dinner
The team at the hotel entrance
The team at the hotel entrance

“You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces — just good food from fresh ingredients.”

Julia Child
Red velvet, for a birthday
Red velvet, for a birthday
The Helena's napkin scroll
The Helena's napkin scroll
Champagne and a gift
Champagne and a gift
Violets for Mothers' Day
Violets for Mothers' Day
A bottle for Fathers' Day
A bottle for Fathers' Day
The porch, lit for the evening
The porch, lit for the evening

Tonight, or any night

Where the familiar is made spectacular

See the menus