This wine bar has been named the best wine bar in the Netherlands
Hooray! After a nerve-racking election (this was already the ninth edition), the ‘Winebar of the Year‘ has been announced. At Amsterdam’s Oocker wine bar, the trophy changed hands, and wine bar Buskens in Nijmegen may call itself the best wine bar in the Netherlands for a year.
The competition was incredibly strong this year, with strong representation from Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with no fewer than three and four participating wine bars respectively. As a jury member*, I can confirm it: all 15 nominated wine bars scored extremely highly during our mystery visits — at least an 8! These are the nominated wine bars that competed for the title of ‘Winebar of the Year’ in this edition (in random order).
15 really good wine bars in the Netherlands
- Marius Wijncafe in The Hague
- Harlem Social Club in Haarlem
- Cours de Vins in Bloemendaal
- Proef bij Platenburg in Rotterdam
- Wijnbar Het Eigendom in Rotterdam
- Walsjérôt in Rotterdam
- NOTK in Rotterdam
- Buskens in Nijmegen
- Wijnbar Oak in Zwolle
- Zuster Margaux in Amersfoort
- Wijnbar Vindict in Amsterdam
- Wijnbar Paulus in Amsterdam
- Wijnbar Paskamer in Amsterdam
- Wijnbar Hemel & Aarde in Utrecht
- Wijnbar Pinot in Breda
Best wine bar in the Netherlands
But as always, there can only be one winner, and after a lengthy tug-of-war, a winner was chosen unanimously after all. And that is Buskens, which was awarded a score of 9.5. Hooray!
Wine bar or resto bar?
With so many good, fun and delicious wine bars, it was once again a joy to travel around the country as a jury member for the ‘Winebar of the Year’ election. And, as every year, the discussion flared up again this year: when is something a wine bar, a resto bar or a restaurant that pays extra attention to wine? Conceptually, wine bars vary widely. Some are sleek and technocratic (with a dispensing system), while others are atmospheric and cosy, and still others resemble a vintage shop full of curiosities. What all wine bars have in common is the enthusiasm of the staff and their knowledge.
Wijnbar Buskens
This year, then, there is no winner from the Randstad, but a wine bar from Nijmegen, a city that is becoming increasingly gastronomic. Wijnbar Buskens is located in a historic and surprisingly large listed monument on the edge of the city centre. The bar is warm and atmospheric, with a rich interior and great attention to detail. You can sit high or low; there is a bar area and several set tables. The clientele (aged 25 to 65) is pleasantly varied, there are delicious bites and dishes, and the staff are highly professional and knowledgeable. So if you are planning a day in Nijmegen soon, be sure to drop into wine bar Buskens. They are open every day of the week. Tip: make sure you hold on to your wine glass properly… The way you hold your wine glass says more about you than you think…
South African wines
In addition to the certificate, Buskens received a beautiful box containing six South African wines, awarded by the Platter’s Wine Guide and presented by main sponsor Wines of South Africa (WoSA), a non-profit organisation that promotes the export of all South African wine to important international markets. Although it was not a rule that the 15 participating wine bars had to feature South African wines on their menus, it is extra nice that the winner offers such a fine collection. Alongside wines from Stellenbosch, they also serve fantastic wines from wineries in Franschhoek, Constantia, Paarl, Robertson and Swartland. And rightly so, because South Africa produces some truly wonderful wines!
Even more wine bars
In the mood for a lovely evening at a wine bar? Get inspired at wine-bars.nl. More than 150 wine bars are listed here, with broad nationwide coverage, from Groningen to Zierikzee and from Amsterdam to Maastricht. Using the search function, you can quickly see where to find a wine bar. The number of wine bars has risen sharply in recent years, and the expectation is that this trend will continue for some time.
*This year’s professional jury consisted of Sharon van Lokhorst (FavorFlav), Harriet Boekholt (on behalf of sponsor Wines of South Africa), Hans van de Meeberg (Misset Horeca), Gijsbregt Brouwer (food trend watcher and co-founder of de Buik), Robert Verhoeven (Pitch PR and founder of www.wine-bars.nl), Robert van Dijk (Coravin), Wouter Aalst (De Paskamer Amsterdam) and Julian Cleton (VinVin in Utrecht).
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Header image: Buskens
