De Juwelier

High quality cooking

Located on the vibrant Utrechtsestraat in Amsterdam is De Juwelier, the bistro by Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot. Here you dine à la carte, a breath of fresh air in an era of endless tasting menus. The kitchen, under the leadership of chef Wouter Wingelaar since November 2024, goes all out for pronounced ingredients: calf brains, sweetbreads, duck liver, and pike perch are given ample room. This results in powerful, technically sophisticated dishes, often featuring rich sauces and classic garnishes such as mushroom duxelles and sauce salmis. Notable is the focus on fish and organ meats; vegetarian options are limited and only available upon request. The atmosphere is informal yet polished, with an interior that strikes a balance between a Parisian bistro and a classic salon: dark wood, crisp starched linen napkins, and Art Deco lamps. You can dine at the bar, which directly adjoins the open kitchen, or on the mezzanine with a beautiful view over the restaurant. The basement offers privacy but appears somewhat small and dark. We start the evening with a classic pairing of an Irish Mór oyster with a mignonette granité, accompanied by a glass of champagne from Eric Isselée. Crisp, clean, and beautifully balanced against the creaminess of the oyster. With the red beet salad, mustard seed ice plays a surprising role: creamy, sharp, and perfectly complementing the earthy beet. The Anjou Blanc Clos de la Casse, with its fresh acidity and minerality, serves as a fitting companion. Another highlight is the marrow bone stuffed with mushrooms: robust, rich, and beautifully executed. The premium wine list focuses on the Old World, with a strong emphasis on Burgundy. The service is friendly and relaxed, but occasionally lacks sharpness. The kitchen impresses, but there is still room for improvement in the service to truly perfect the experience. Competition for the Top 100 is fierce, which is why De Juwelier misses the cut this year.

The Jeweler brings France to Amsterdam, not as a backdrop but on the plate. On the lively Utrechtsestraat, the establishment combines a vintage interior with a bar overlooking the open kitchen. This creates an atmosphere that is simultaneously a bruis...

Dark brown dominates the narrow interior defined by exposed pipework by Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot. The wood paneling, flooring, and dining bar all feature the same shade. The menu features à la carte dishes, which we welcome, as such offerings are becoming increasingly rare in the restaurant scene. In small print at the bottom of the menu, it notes that vegetarian options are available. Once seated, the server asks if we would like a glass of champagne. We decline. However, the logical follow-up question about what we would prefer to drink goes unanswered, leaving us with just water and bread for the time being. Executive chef Yoran Jacobi prepares classic cuisine, and we are pleasantly surprised by the main courses. The vegetarian gnocchi stuffed with aged Beemster cheese in a mushroom consommé, accompanied by spinach, raw button mushrooms, and black truffle, is absolutely delicious. So too is the pan-fried veal kidney in an oyster velouté, finished with hazelnuts and served alongside green cabbage. We pair it with a fine classic Bordeaux: Château de la Commanderie by Domaine Lafon from Lalande-de-Pomerol. The starters are less convincing. In the beet salad poached in a salt crust, served with Zaanse mustard ice cream and a juniper berry vinaigrette, the signature salt-crust cooking method is barely discernible. Meanwhile, the grilled langoustines in a lavender and argan oil beurre blanc lack substance and simply disappear on the palate. For dessert, the classic baba au rhum is poured tableside with Guatemalan Zacapa Centenario rum, but the restrained amount used fails to deliver the dish’s characteristic rich, soaked texture. A pity. Points for improvement! De Juwelier drops to number 80 this year.

De Juwelier by Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot has everything it takes for a staycation. Here, you feel right in the middle of Paris in a French bistro. The atmosphere is relaxed and lively in the modestly sized venue. In the open kitchen, chef Yoran Jacobi is busy preparing à la carte dishes. The kitchen makes extensive use of organ meats and unconventional ingredients like pork head and ears, tongue, and bone marrow. We start with a fairly large marrow pipe filled with bone marrow, wild mushrooms, and a generous morel foam. Accompanying it is a simple yet delicious parsley salad dressed with lemon. We pair it with a white Burgundy from Alain et Vincent Creusefond: Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru 2015. On the other side of the table lies the asparagus. Lightly grilled, nestled in a sage mousseline and topped with ham. Simple but excellent. Next comes grilled turbot, again accompanied by wild mushrooms, a mildly tangy sauce made with vin jaune and smoked pork belly. To finish, we order an affogato: espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and amaretto. The ice cream is superb, the espresso is lukewarm as it should be, and they were certainly not stingy with the amaretto. Unfortunately, the recommended wine is a mismatch. The Huxelrebe Spätlese leaves a sour and bitter aftertaste. That clearly wasn't the intention. A few minor flaws stand out as well. Our cutlery drawer is empty, the wrong dish is brought out, and the explanation for our cheese board is extremely brief. Points for attention. De Juwelier drops to 72.

This capital hotspot by Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot sits behind a beautiful wooden Art Deco facade with semi-circular display windows. Walk-in guests without reservations can dine at the bar if the rest of the venue is full. Not the worst spot, given the view of the open kitchen from talented chef Yoran Jacobi. There is a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere. The amuse-bouche blows you right off your chair: served in a Royal Albert teacup and saucer is a cold soup of beetroot, red cabbage, apple, and a pinch of cinnamon, accompanied by a quenelle of mustard ice cream. An absolute flavor explosion. Yoran cooks à la carte and excels at creating stunning dishes with unconventional ingredients. Bone marrow pipes, for example, filled with delicious grilled bone marrow and a heavenly morel foam that generously spills over the rim. Served alongside are sourdough toast with garlic butter and a small flat-leaf parsley salad. Top! Next up, a beautifully rosé-seared rump of Dutch lamb with braised tongue, artichoke, wild garlic pesto, pine nuts, and bean cress jus. Paired with a Lismore The Age of Grace Viognier 2020 from South African winemaker Samantha O’Keefe. Rich, round, and full-bodied. For dessert, baba au rhum with vanilla ice cream and Ron Zacapa Centenario 23, a blend of rums, finished with a quenelle of delightful ice cream. What a gem! It will debut at number 00 in the Top 100.