Rotterdam has gained a new hotspot: Rooftop Restaurant Fontein
Rotterdam has gained a new hotspot! At Rooftop Restaurant Fontein, you can enjoy delicious food and drinks, with an added bonus: the stunning view over the city.
In the former Shell building
Fontein is no unfamiliar name to Rotterdam residents; this restaurant has been located for some time in the former Shell building, on the famous Hofplein in the heart of Rotterdam. It belongs to Rotterdam hospitality entrepreneur Ron de Jong, who also runs Bokaal, Weena Botanero and De Gele Kanarie, among others. And as of Friday, June 19, Fontein’s Rooftop Restaurant is open as well. On the building’s tenth floor, you have a beautiful view of Hofplein and the Coolsingel.
Upon arrival
We reach the restaurant via the elevator (get off at the top floor), followed by a few more stairs. The bar is on the right and the rooftop terrace on the left, offering a beautiful view over the city. If you stand on your tiptoes and look down, you can see the restaurant’s namesake: the splashing Hofplein fountain. Strangely enough, there are no places like this in Roffa, even though it is a city with plenty of high-rise buildings. We start with a glass of bubbly on the rooftop terrace, after which everyone sits down at the table at the same time.
Little vegetable garden
Fontein chef Ronald Koolmees’s five-course surprise menu changes weekly. And the quality of what comes out of the seemingly small kitchen is truly wonderful. The good bread with butter and olive oil says it all: cooking is done with care here. The amuse-bouche proves it too: a delicious little vegetable garden made of green-pea cream with black-olive soil. Delicious!
Mackerel with the world’s oldest sparkling wine
A succession of delicious dishes follows at a pleasant pace. Such as the slow-cooked mackerel in oyster liquor with briny vegetables and a grilled oyster on top. Very fresh. The crispy oyster is delicious and also provides a lovely mouthfeel, counterbalancing the tender mackerel. Served alongside: a glass of Blanquette de Limoux. Many people don’t know this, but Blanquette de Limoux is the world’s first sparkling wine! It was developed by Benedictine monks in Limoux, at the foot of the southern French Pyrenees.
Baba and basil: surprising!
The vegetarian option is also delicious: partly sun-dried tomato polenta with a basil and zucchini cream, baba ganoush and fried onion rings. Wonderfully crunchy, and a surprising combination of baba ganoush and basil.
Best dish
Braised fennel with skin-seared grey mullet, a cube of French bouchot mussels, rouille and lobster jus. The firm white fish and the fried cube of mussels make an incredibly delicious combination. And pleasantly subtle: the use of fennel, which gives the whole dish just a little kick.
Lovely service
A shout-out to the excellent service, too. Relaxed, friendly, helpful and offering great wine advice. On the server’s recommendation, we enjoyed a delicious Riesling from the Rheingau by Kaufmann with the grilled artichoke dish and caper vinaigrette—and it paired very well.
We’ll come back for this
The lovely atmosphere, delicious dishes and wines, and of course the fantastic view over the city! With Rooftop Restaurant Fontein, Rotterdam has truly gained an urban gem. And the price-to-quality ratio is excellent!
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- Fijne ruimte
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- Aardige bediening
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- Purée van artisjok met uitgebakken buikspek met langzaam gegaarde pulpo bovenop
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- Bavette
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- Gnocchi met Parmezaanse kaas
So go!
Rooftop Restaurant Fontein (Hofplein 19, Rotterdam) is open from Wednesday through Saturday. Walk-ins are welcome from 6:30 p.m., and dinner starts at 7:15 p.m. When making your reservation, indicate whether you would like the fish/meat menu or prefer vegetarian food. You can also choose a matching wine pairing. Dinner €47.50, wine pairing €35, half glasses €20.
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