Winner of the Best Meatball 2025: here’s where to get the tastiest meatball
The winner of the Best Meatball 2025 has been announced! Today, Slagerij Thijs van den Kieboom from Rotterdam was presented with the prestigious title. But what exactly makes Slagerij Van den Kieboom’s meatball the tastiest?
The meatball as a Dutch icon
The meatball is an integral part of Dutch food culture. From the famous “Wednesday minced-meat day” to a meatball sandwich or a meatball with gravy and potatoes, the meatball has firmly established itself in our hearts.
The Best Meatball is an annual professional competition organized by Koninklijke Nederlandse Slagers (KNS), in which butchers from all over the Netherlands get the chance to have their meatballs judged by an expert jury. Creating such a perfect meatball requires craftsmanship, the right ingredients and a passion for the product.
The judging process and the jury’s verdict
Under the leadership of jury chair Paul van Trigt, the meatballs were assessed on their shape, aroma, taste, color and consistency. The verdict was clear: Slagerij Van den Kieboom’s meatballs stood head and shoulders above the rest. According to the jury members, Van den Kieboom’s meatball is a perfect balance of flavor and craftsmanship, making it the deserving winner.
The runners-up for the tastiest meatballs
Besides the winner, two other finalists also won prizes. Slagerij Jan de Rooij from Berkel en Rodenrijs came second, while Keurslager Van Strien from ‘s Gravenmoer finished third. Both butchers had already won this professional competition in previous editions.
So whether you live in Rotterdam or are simply looking for an authentic meatball, you can find the tastiest meatball of 2025 at Van den Kieboom. And if you’re not nearby, know that you can also find a top-notch meatball in Berkel en Rodenrijs and ‘s Gravenmoer!
Also read:
- Avoid these 5 mistakes if you want truly tasty meatballs
- Discolored minced meat: eat it or throw it away?
- Recipe: Spanish meatballs for a tapas night
Image: Shutterstock
