De Kas

"Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $$$$ The Netherlands is famous for its greenhouses, which have helped make the tiny country one of the world’s largest food exporters. However, as energy prices have gone up, the greenhouse sector has declined, leaving empty glass shells in its wake. De Kas (“The Greenhouse”) took up residence in one, originally built in the 1920s. A pioneer of Dutch farm-to-table dining, the restaurant follows a simple philosophy when it comes to ingredients — “harvested in the morning, on your plate in the afternoon” — and the team grows some of its produce right in the restaurant. Offerings are inventive and vegetable-centered, featuring components like bergamot vinaigrette, fennel ice cream, and mushroom butter. Despite the restaurant’s Michelin star and the green Michelin star, the lunch menus remain surprisingly affordable. Know before you go: While De Kas is fully booked a month or two in advance, regular cancellations often free up next-day reservations." - Katharine Khamhaengwong

"The Dutch certainly know a thing or two about greenhouses, so when you want to experience the best of the produce that grows in them, come to De Kas. You’ll dine inside one (De Kas literally means “the greenhouse” in Dutch), eating things that will make you say things like “so THIS is what a tomato should taste like.” It’s a perfect location for group dinners, and somewhere you should take your proudest vegetarian or vegan friend. Ask for a corner table and check out the actual working greenhouse and gardens in between courses." - paolo espanola

"This holder of the MICHELIN Green Star has a commitment to sustainability at its core. 'From plant to plate' is the guiding principle at De Kas, evident in everything around you, as the restaurant is housed in an imposing greenhouse surrounded by an expansive garden where a diverse array of vegetables, herbs and fruit are cultivated." - The MICHELIN Guide

"The Dutch certainly know a thing or two about greenhouses, so when you want to experience the best of the produce that grows in them, come to De Kas. You’ll dine inside one (De Kas literally means “the greenhouse” in Dutch), eating things that will make you say things like “so THIS is what a tomato should taste like.” It’s a perfect location for group dinners, and somewhere you should take your proudest vegetarian or vegan friend. Ask for a corner table and check out the actual working greenhouse and gardens in between courses." - Paolo Española

"De Kas has grown steadily since being established in 2001 and has now reached maturity. "From plant to plate" has always been the motto here, a vision of sustainability that seemed anything but easy to achieve at the outset. But they persevered and today are a standard-bearer of the MICHELIN Green Star. They grow about 300 varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruit both on site and in their larger field in the Beemster Polder. What is harvested in the morning from the imposing greenhouse will take pride of place a little later, in light, modern creations. Tip: Make a beeline for the great garden terrace. Wim de Beer and Jos Timmer are masters in the art of delicately balancing sweet and sour flavours. Subtle sauces highlight the creative vegetable preparations (sometimes with meat or fish). For instance, they will create a foam out of oyster leaf in order to give a cod fillet some salty pep. Roasted hazelnuts provide texture, rapini a leafy bitterness. If they have any Jerusalem artichoke left over, they will slow-cook it and combine it with yoghurt cream infused with nut oil and parsley. The wealth of natural produce that these chefs have at their disposal is a constant source of inspiration for their creativity. And that is what gourmets really revel in." - Michelin Inspector