30 Dec AMAZING RESTAURANTS IN HAARLEM – OUR FAVORITES!
Haarlem has some amazing restaurants, and we’re lucky to live fairly close by. Over the years, we have tried and tested some of our favorite restaurants in Haarlem, and we would love to tell you about them, so you know where to go.
Amazing restaurants in Haarlem – how to find them
We love ourselves some good online reviews, but nowadays you can’t stare blind on those. Fact is, that word of mouth is still the best way to go to find a good restaurant. Besides, we tried all of these restaurants ourselves, and trust us when we say we wouldn’t just write about them if they weren’t any good. So here we are, these are some of the most amazing restaurants in Haarlem – in our humble opinion of course.
Ratatouille, Spaarne 96
Topping our list is Ratatouille. Surprisingly, it’s much bigger inside than we expected it to be. Large round tables, with plenty of space in between, and the space continues all the way towards the back of the restaurant. If you want to celebrate something special, they have a private dining room available for 12 people – making it even more exclusive. But let’s get to the food – just amazing. We started with warm oysters and the best champagne we’ve had in a while. Ratatouille’s signature dish ratatouille, what else, is always served throughout the menu, and brings you right back to the countryside. Don’t think you’re only served small pieces on a big plate, our bellies were pretty full after course-4! A dish with gnocchi was served just before our main course, and was a little bit too filling in my opinion, but who’s complaining!
Their sommelier, a young gentleman that has been working here for over five years, and he knows his stuff, so definitely go for the wine-pairing! Owner Joshua and his team have created something beautiful here, and we can’t wait to come back during summer for a glass of wine on the terrace overlooking the water. We almost forgot to mention that they’ve managed to hold on to a Michelin star for over 10 years, which is pretty impressive to say the least.
De Zeeuw, Naussalaan 1
This was one of the best food experiences we’ve had in Haarlem. Restaurant De Zeeuw opened back in 2017, but they’ve recently opened at a bigger location, yet it still feels personal and cosy. You can order between 3 and 7 courses, or a la card, which changes almost weekly. Co-founder Janine is the perfect host and she knows her stuff – especially about wine and fermentation. Nice to know; they also offer a non-alcoholic drink-pairing that fits perfectly with each course. Trust us when we say you won’t miss the alcohol.
Co-owner Jeroen is the star of the kitchen and prepares the menu with seasonal ingredients. Because of their long lasting relationships with producers, they manage to get the best and unique products. Nothing goes to waste here, they even juice their veggies to create a sweet and sour dressing! Moreover, most of their herbs and veggies come from their own piece of land at De Tuinen van West in Amsterdam.
Mama Gaia, Gonnetstraat 26
Now, we need to clearly introduce this restaurant before you make any assumptions. Mama Gaia serves 100 precent plant-based food, but not just any. No vegan junkfood here, but carefully selected and seasonal ingredients, most of them local. Make no mistake, this place knows how to cook with veggies. They’ve even won the award for Best Vegan Restaurant in 2022! Sustainability is also important here; tables, the ceiling and building materials are recycled, and they cook 100% electric. Sidenote: Mama Gaia is only open for dinner – lunch is exclusively for those who rent a desk.
Menu Corridor, Harmenjansweg 4
Relatively new to the food scene in Haarlem, is Menu Corridor. Besides its special location – joined together with De Koepel (more on that further down in this article), we really loved the food and ambiance here. In our opinion, a good restaurant doesn’t need to be complex, and Menu Corridor keeps it simple. On the menu you can find corn fed chicken, seabass, and seasonal veggies, all with maximum flavours. We almost licked our plate after the miso sesame eggplant, and roasted haricot on the side. It’s a perfect location for a date!
By all means, these amazing restaurants in Haarlem are all different in their own right, but trust us when we say they are all great! Do you have a favorite restaurant in Haarlem we should try? Drop them in the comments!
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