5 reasons why Restaurant Fred** should be at the top of your bucket list

Well, what an insistent headline, huh? That can only mean one thing: Restaurant Fred is very, very good. But it’s not just the food and drinks that are in a class of their own; the new location is fantastic too. We’ll go so far as to say it: Restaurant Fred could well be the culinary highlight of 2023. 

Fred, who’s that then?

Restaurant Fred is named after the chef, Fred Mustert. Don’t come to him with a pinball machine of flavours on the plate; his philosophy revolves around continuity and quality, without too much fuss, because less is more, according to the cheerful chef. Letting the products speak for themselves is his number-one priority; he likes to leave the product as it is. And it works: he (re)earned a Michelin star for restaurants de Zwethheul and La Vilette, and in 2008 he opened his restaurant Fred on the Honingerdijk in 010. Two years later, he received the first Michelin star here, followed by the second star two years later. This week (5 January 2023, to be precise), Restaurant Fred opened at a new location at Boompjes 41 in Rotterdam.

And that new location, in the new The Terraced Tower at the foot of the Willemsbrug with a view of the Nieuwe Maas, is immediately the first reason to go to Restaurant Fred.

Reason 1: the location

They already won a design award at the old location, and that could well happen here too. Upon entering, you’re overwhelmed by the beautiful interior. This could just as easily be New York, Tokyo or Dubai, but you’re truly in the heart of Rotterdam. Lots of natural materials and nature-inspired tones, combined with luxurious materials and beautiful tableware, table linen, glassware and luxurious soaps and hand cream in the (once again beautiful) restroom.

Reason 2: the dishes

Fred’s cooking style is classic French, but contemporary and distinctive. Fred doesn’t follow trends; he lets the seasons guide him and, in their wake, the finest, freshest products. And you can taste that he really only goes for the best. Good Lord, what comes out of this kitchen is incredible. From tender king crab with caviar and pumpkin to perfectly prepared turbot with ossenworst. And then there’s A4 Wagyu with a sublime dashi broth poured over raw pieces of wagyu. Insanely delicious and refined, and so beautifully balanced. The kitchen never goes off the rails; every bite is as flavourful as it is refined, with an incredible mouthfeel, where there’s always freshness alongside the crunch. The latter is no coincidence;  Restaurant Fred’s cuisine is based on acidity. Citrus fruit in particular makes the dishes easy to digest. After a six-course menu, you leave just as sprightly as when you arrived—something I absolutely love.

Reason 3: the wines (and the impressive winedome)

Naturally, the dishes can be served with matching wines, if you wish. Sommelier Axel Rosier has worked for Fred for years and is exactly the kind of sommelier you want at your table. Never pushy or keen to flaunt his knowledge, as some sommeliers are, but relaxed and with the right blend of light-heartedness and expertise. And while the open kitchen is a real eye-catcher, the true showstoppers are the climate-controlled winedome—divided into two rooms: one for red wines and one for white wines—and the cheese boutique with its extensive cheese collection. A little cheese shop, as they call it themselves at the restaurant, but you can’t buy cheese to take home. What you can do is enjoy a cheese experience by Fred’s award-winning fromager as an extra course. If you love cheese, this is highly recommended.

Reason 4: the team

The professional team at Restaurant Fred**, led by Fred and Mirjam Mustert, creates a relaxed atmosphere with Rotterdam practicality and a touch of humour. Despite the grandeur of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, it never feels stuffy—just wonderfully relaxed.

Reason 5: the sourdough bread

Go to a Michelin-starred restaurant for sourdough bread? Isn’t that a little excessive? Perhaps, but bet you’ll know exactly what we mean after one bite of this bread with Guernsey butter. Guernsey cows have the remarkable biological trait of not digesting the carotene in grass, and the butter tastes rich, soft, creamy and so velvety… And spread over the crispy sourdough bread from Meneer Leffers… unbelievably flavourful. Fortunately, they’re not stingy: the bread basket is constantly replenished.

So go

Of course, a two-star meal comes with a price tag. But here you really do eat wonderfully in a beautiful setting, and you’re completely pampered. So if you really want to go all out, Restaurant Fred is the place to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if the third star arrives this year.. Restaurant Fred is open Monday to Friday for lunch and Monday to Saturday for dinner. Boompjes 41, Rotterdam.