These new hospitality venues in Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht you need to know
Which restaurants really should you not miss? Our friends at de Buik have chosen their favorite newcomers in four cities. Readers selected the public favorites, while a jury also chose its own favorite. Eight venues can now call themselves the ‘Favorite Newcomer’ of their city.
A year full of new flavors
The favorite newcomers opened between December 1, 2023 and November 30, 2024. These winners are all gems in a year full of culinary innovation.
Amsterdam
Something happens in the capital every week that we want to be part of. For example, the world’s best cocktail bar is coming to Amsterdam soon. A true ‘conserveria‘ recently opened, as did the much-praised Williams Farmhouse. But there are more new venues worth visiting, such as Bar Lusconi and Café Wu—which was awarded a 9- after a visit from Parool reviewer Mara Grimm and received 300 reservations in a single day.
Public favorite: Bar Lusconi
“What’s in the name? Here, you eat Italian cuisine in a cozy red atmosphere from the bright-red wood-fired oven.”
Jury winner: Café Wu
“Innovative French-Chinese cuisine in a retro restobar setting with a fantastic wine list.”
The Hague
At Restaurant Harper in The Hague, we ate ravioli that was better than in many an Italian restaurant; at Soof, we had lunch in a hidden courtyard; and at restaurant Elea, you can enjoy Greek cuisine at its best. But you also want to rush to the court city for Italian comfort food and Latin American cuisine, as these two winners show:
Public favorite: EVO
“EVO’s classic Neapolitan pizza is more than Italian comfort food. The venue is super simple, but what comes out of the oven is pure richness.”
Jury winner: Quila
“An original take on various Latin American dishes in a venue with thoughtful details. A valuable addition to the city’s culinary scene.”
Rotterdam
Things are happening in Rotterdam! We recently sat down at the incredibly fun and delicious Izakaya DUKI, the excellent restobar VISTA and restobar The Fat Fox. We were blown away at Fitzgerald and found the city’s best pizza spots. And now we want to rocket back to Roffa, because we are very curious about these winning newcomers:
Public favorite: VinoTé
“A cozy venue for wine and tea lovers with lots of personal attention. The corner building is charming and has a living-room atmosphere, plus a lovely terrace.”
Jury winner: Station Bergweg
“This food hall gives distinctive hospitality entrepreneurs space and provides them with a platform for thousands of guests every week. It has become a destination for culinary enthusiasts.”
Utrecht
Utrecht is bursting with great restaurants. Whether you’re looking for Italian cuisine in Utrecht, dining in a cozy living-room atmosphere or great lunch spots, juicy burgers or a wonderful wine bar, Utrecht has it all. As for the newest additions, put these restaurants on your list:
Public favorite: Café Claire
“Cozy décor, friendly service and uncomplicated food for the whole day, with plates to share.”
Jury winner: Hondekop
“Hondekop is to Utrecht what Hotel New York is to Rotterdam and Café Amsterdam is to Amsterdam: a metropolitan, vibrant meeting place with local dishes served with a ‘global twist’ (and vice versa).”
In short, round up your friends and go!
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