These are the six coolest new restaurant-bars in the Netherlands
Every year, a professional jury of hospitality experts assesses the sixty most distinctive restaurants, hotels, cocktail bars and hospitality concepts in the Netherlands for the Entree Awards. These are the six nominees in the ‘Best New Restaurant & Bar’ category.
The energetic vibe of these nominees can be felt throughout the entire evening. According to the jury, the winner’s food and drink offering, atmosphere, interior and service perfectly match the chosen concept.
Ruby Rose in Utrecht
In the spot where cocktail bar Zussen used to be, opposite Utrecht’s Janskerkhof, you’ll now find restaurant and wine bar Ruby Rose. The owners wanted to create a venue unlike anything else in Utrecht, with the allure of Paris and New York—and they succeeded brilliantly! You may know The Streetfood Club and The Rum Club in Utrecht: they have the same owner. More than a hundred years ago, the Ruby Rose building served as a flower shop, and that is clearly reflected in the interior: almost everything features a cheerful floral print. From the ceiling murals to the upholstery, menus and tableware. Another striking feature is the enormous bar in the middle of the venue, filled with flowers and plants.
Lolo in Amsterdam
Sven Sallaerts and Jos de Jong, known for the Amsterdam restaurants Pesca and De Tulp, are the entrepreneurs behind the new Italian restaurant restaurant Lolo, on Oudekerksplein. The interior is wonderfully extravagant: tiger print, vintage floral wallpaper, red diner booths and burlesque details. The menu features burrata, truffle pasta and ‘innovative pizzas’, as they call them. In short, modern Italian cuisine in an exciting setting. An extra highlight: the Italian courtyard.
Zalmhuis in Rotterdam
Het Zalmhuis in Rotterdam is a striking, historic building on the Nieuwe Maas. Among Rotterdam residents, het Zalmhuis is truly a household name. At the foot of the Van Brienenoord Bridge, with a spectacular view over the IJssel and Maas, it has been an iconic spot for generations. Hospitality entrepreneur Herman Hell, owner of venues including Van Zanten, Sijf and NRC Café, had the building completely restyled. The colourful and striking interior is not the only eye-catcher—the menu is too. Here, you can eat the most exclusive salmon in the world: Keta salmon from Alaska.
Annabel in The Hague
Café Annabel in The Hague is a bistro pub, dining room and excellent cocktail bar all in one. The venue is run by born host and acclaimed cocktail expert Erikson Almeida Lima. The dishes on chef Joris van Welzenis’s menu are French classics with Asian influences. Lobster or bavette with French fries and gem lettuce, as well as dishes to share, such as gyoza, tuna tacos, pulpo and artichoke with tarragon mayo. Café Annabel’s cocktail menu includes well-known cocktails with a personal twist, mixers, gin and tonics, homemade craft sodas and bottled cocktails, including the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Negroni.
Bar Rouge in Amsterdam
Bar Rouge is located on the first floor of the Supperclub. Two almost hidden rooms have been transformed into an intimate Parisian bar and nightclub. With a wink, the red interior evokes the typical sultry French bohemian atmosphere of days gone by. As the evening progresses, this vibe—with the help of a small bar, neon details and a large theatrical curtain—gives way to that of a nightclub where the rest of the evening—and night—can begin. Here, you get an ‘all-in experience’: cocktails at the bar, dinner with Asian fusion dishes and a club night in Parisian style. A bar, restaurant and club all in one. From aphrodisiac cocktails to exciting live acts: this place oozes sex.
Volare in Amsterdam
The Italian trattoria Volare has only been open for a month. It’s not just the menu and cocktails that create the Italian atmosphere, but the design too. Traditional and playful graphics are combined with a palette of soft red, orange, white and blue tones, catapulting you straight back to the Amalfi Coast in the 1960s. Volare’s cocktail bar, BOMBOLONI’S, is especially cool. When you enter, you immediately come across the bar and lounge. So it’s almost impossible to avoid an aperitivo to start or a digestif after dinner.
Which restaurant-bar will take the top prize will be announced on Monday, 29 November 2021, during the Entree Awards. But whoever wins, these six are guaranteed to be wonderful places to spend time!
Header image Ruby Rose: Lars Verkroost
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