The Whippet in Linden — Restaurant in Gauteng

We went for brunch at Whippet on a busy Friday morning. The place was packed, and the only tables available were outside, which was nice since they provided blankets to keep us cozy. Not long after, a table inside became free, so we moved indoors thankfully.

Our waitress took both our drinks and food orders quickly since we were super hungry. However, the wait for our drinks was long (over 15 minutes) —even though we were seated right next to the barista station and could see our drinks ready on the counter, no one brought them over for about five minutes of them just sitting there on the counter. I ended up asking the barista if I could grab them myself, and another waiter eventually dropped the drinks at our table. Both drinks were delicious—I had a pistachio cappuccino and my mom enjoyed a banana bread latte.

The wait for our food was over 45 minutes, and unfortunately, no one apologized or checked in on us during the wait. Our waitress only started paying attention after the food arrived, which was a bit late in the experience.

I had the Fairfax bun, which was a 10/10—flavourful and the softest bun. My mom’s bobotie omelette was absolutely delicious.

Overall, Whippet delivers fantastic food and drinks, but they need to improve their service speed and attentiveness, especially...

We were served by a waiter named Catherine, and unfortunately, our experience this time was far below the standard we know from this restaurant.

After receiving our food, we had to send a burger back because it was overloaded with mayo. This process took longer than it should have, as Catherine was nowhere in sight and seemed inattentive to our table, despite it being a quiet Thursday afternoon with very few guests.

Once we finished eating, we decided to stay and enjoy sitting outside. However, over the next hour Catherine came by our table 4–5 times to ask, “Are you okay?” This constant interruption felt unnecessary and created the impression that we were being asked to leave, even though the restaurant was not busy. If we needed anything, we would have asked.

When the bill arrived, we chose not to leave a tip due to the poor and unprofessional service. Upon noticing this, Catherine gave us a sarcastic laugh, which was very inappropriate.

Some hospitality training would be beneficial for Catherine, as we have previously dined here, received excellent service, and left generous tips for great service.

It’s unfortunate that such a well-regarded restaurant risks its reputation because of...

This place was a breath of fresh air, I would definitely consider it a gem of joburg.

Eat for 2 @ R400;

I would’ve rated it higher but our waitress kept asking us if we were done when we clearly still had food and drinks flowing.

We also had to wait 20 minutes for a table, so I recommend booking a table in advance. Luckily we were in the mood for a walk that day and they called us back soon enough 😊

Overall, I would definitely go again, loved the vibe and the ambiance, and of course the food was good and I’d like to try more from the menu 🌻

I ordered the Eggs Bennedict with Avocado (R92) and added some halloumi (R23). It was exactly what I expected and the english muffin was probably the best I’ve ever had, very enjoyable. I also ordered their “skinny fries” (R35). My cousins both ordered the whippet burger and fries (R138); and they both said it was the best burger they had ever had. Their cocktails were so beautiful and so tasty!

I made a video review on my Tiktok, which you can also find on my Instagram (@pashieb); Follow for reviews on other places...