Bij Mette

Dining at Mette is, above all, dining with Carel Alberts. The chef and host sets the tone for this delightful evening in his restaurant, where classic French cuisine is prepared with an eye toward modern times. The dishes are lighter, and vegetarian options receive careful attention. Upon arrival, we are warmly welcomed by Alberts, and soon we take a sip of sparkling Crémant de Loire. From the short menu, we opt for the four-course Mette Menu and begin with a simple yet thoughtfully crafted starter: marinated, gently poached Scottish salmon with citrus fruits, cucumber, and Dutch brown shrimp. The fresh fish and bright citrus fruits make an excellent pairing, especially when matched with the accompanying wine: a white, organic Verdejo from Rueda, Spain, produced by La Lustrosa. This is followed by a generous slice of grilled tuna served with a delicious Mediterranean sauce made from tomatoes, eggplant, red peppers, and olives. It’s quite spicy, but the flavors are well balanced, and the Pinot Blanc from Kuehn does a great job of cooling down the heat. For the main course, we have farm-raised chicken with apples and a cider jus, alongside a vegetarian option: cavolo nero lasagna with oregano and pine nuts. The chicken is delicious: substantial pieces of perfectly roasted bird accompanied by a bright, tangy cider jus. As for the lasagna, the kitchen handles vegetarian flavors with ease, though a more inventive preparation would certainly be welcome – using pasta as the centerpiece inevitably feels like a bit of a compromise. The accompanying Portuguese red wine, Reserva dos Amigos—a blend from the Lisbon region—is highly flavorful and rich. We round off the meal with a spectacular dessert: an orange parfait paired with a fresh strawberry salad. Pure, natural flavors on a plate. Merci Mette!

good quality, good value cooking

The picturesque, old center of Linschoten is rich in beautiful monuments, including a historic grocery store that has been converted into a restaurant with many classic accents. Chef-owner Carel Alberts serves traditional ...

Before owner-chef Carel Alberts opened his doors on Dorpsstraat in Linschoten in 2003, he had already built an impressive resume working for top kitchens both domestically and internationally. Drawing on years of accumulated knowledge and craftsmanship, he channeled his passion for classic French cuisine into his charming restaurant, Bij Mette, named after the building’s first resident, Metje Brouwer, who once ran a grocery shop there. The property was completely renovated and restored to its original condition, guided by photographs from around 1900. The interior boasts a classic, stylish design. The welcome is warm; Carel greets us in person, and the staff’s genuine, attentive service is highly enjoyable. And it remains that way throughout the entire evening. The menu is neatly divided into starters, intermediate courses, vegetarian, fish, and meat dishes, alongside a signature Mette menu, a lunch menu, and a six-course chef’s tasting menu. These set menus can be ordered table by table. The wine list features Old World labels that complement the classic cuisine perfectly. To start, a silky duck liver terrine with mildly sweet onion marmalade, almonds, and a light, fluffy brioche roll. This is followed by a vegetarian salad of fennel, orange, and tarragon. The herb, in particular, adds a beautifully distinctive touch to the dish. For the main course, the suckling pig is roasted to juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and served with an intensely flavorful truffle sauce, green asparagus, and shallots. You can truly taste the master’s hand in the sauce—what incredible depth of flavor. Paired with this is an excellent, smoothly flavored Viña Jaraba Reserva from the relatively small Pago de la Jaraba estate in Spain’s La Mancha region. The sun is shining brightly.

Carel Alberts calls the corner of his restaurant, where black-and-white photos of national and international top chefs he has worked with hang, My Learning School. He spent his formative years there before opening his own establishment in this beautiful historic building in the old center of Linschoten in 2003. The chef specializes in classical French cuisine, which he has mastered entirely. His style is defined by classic preparations of fish and meat served with rich, well-balanced sauces. The atmosphere is notably upbeat in both the kitchen and the dining room; you can tell they genuinely enjoy what they do. Two glasses are already waiting on the table: one filled with a delicious pea dip, the other with small breadsticks. For our aperitif, we enjoy a glass of Aulico Vermentino Terre Siciliane. It is slightly more robust than the Vermentinos typically found in cooler, northern wine regions. Sommelier Tom van Velzen pours the wine for the starter. He pairs it with a crisp, off-dry Moulin de Chauvigne Croix Blanche Coteaux du Layon 2020 from the Loire Valley, perfectly complementing the duck liver terrine with griottes, pistachios, and brioche. A flawless pairing! A glass of F. Blanc Sauvignon L'Arjolle 2021 from the Côtes de Thongue accompanies the large wild prawn with celery, apple, curry, and bisque. Another excellent choice. Notably, the wine list features absolutely no New World wines. Then again, that makes perfect sense given how unmistakably French the cuisine is. Next comes a Mas Amiel Vin Doux Naturel from Maury, France, paired with pan-fried duck liver with apple and Calvados. And a full-bodied Viña Jaraba Reserva 2017 from La Mancha, Spain (a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot) accompanies the roasted pasture-raised lamb loin with lamb jus, persillade, Roseval potatoes, and a peeled half tomato. To finish, a wonderfully refreshing strawberry dessert featuring fresh strawberries, mousse, gelée, foam, sauce, and crunchy chocolate nibs. Every flavor is spot-on, and every preparation is executed exactly as it should be. They truly master their craft here, take pride in it, and deliver it with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach. A wonderful spot!

Nestled in the picturesque center of Linschoten lies Bij Mette. The old building was run around 1900 by Metje Brouwer, who sold spices and tobacco there. It has since become a charming restaurant, named by owner Carel Alberts after Metje. The atmosphere is cozy, the service warm, and the dishes rich and hearty. Albert prepares French cuisine using quality ingredients, crafting beautiful pairings with an occasional modern twist here and there. From the à la carte menu, we order a salad of pan-fried green asparagus with spring cheese, a farm egg, and butter lettuce with herb dressing, alongside smoked bacon-wrapped mackerel with beetroot tartare, garden cress, cucumber, and horseradish. A fine start. Next comes an entrecote from Frieslander beef, served with celery, spring onions, fondant potatoes, and red wine jus. Once again, a dish without unnecessary frills. The quality is good and the flavors complement each other beautifully. The Cuatro Rayas organic Tempranillo from 2019 that sommelier Tom van Velzen pours for us pairs perfectly thanks to its earthy notes. We finish off with a strawberry parfait accompanied by orange jelly, white chocolate, lemon curd, and fresh strawberries. Delicious, but the accompanying chocolate balls lack flavor and the small meringues are rather dry. Fortunately, the tasty little pastries served with the coffee more than make up for it. For lovers of generous, classic French cuisine, this is the right address.

Owner-chef Carel Alberts has transformed the old cigar shop at the foot of Linschoten’s leaning church tower into a charming village restaurant that exudes rural charm. Guests travel from near and far to enjoy its cozy atmosphere, warm hospitality, and Burgundian-style cuisine. They also come for Alberts’ travel tales, as he often returns from his visits to overseas vineyards with some truly remarkable discoveries. For instance, we once enjoyed a rich Slovenian wine aged in underground Roman amphorae at his place, and this time he surprises us with a yellowish-white, aged Spanish white from La Mancha: Alejairén (Alejandro Fernandez, 2015). It is just as pleasant, with flavors reminiscent of honey and crème brûlée. Head sommelier Tom van Velzen pairs this delightful wine with a luscious duck liver terrine served with raisin bread and balsamic vinegar, alongside a Scottish salmon salad featuring artichoke, mint, and a Riesling-based sauce. These lovely starters were preceded by an amuse-bouche of cucumber chutney with poached bacon. The main courses complement the wine beautifully as well: farm-raised chicken with eggplant, ginger, and spring onion (absolutely delicious!), paired with a sea bass cooked to perfection and served with seasonal vegetables and beurre blanc. To finish, a tasting of five cheeses from the Green Heart region. A wonderful establishment—everyone would love to have a restaurant like this nearby.

A long-standing staple in this guide. The welcoming restaurant Bij Mette is located in the center, beneath the church tower, of the picturesque village of Linschoten. Early in the 1900s, Metje Brouwer gave her name to this beautiful old building, which features a charming interior and a relaxed atmosphere. Chef-owner Carel Alberts – assisted by host and sommelier Tom van Velzen and the team – specializes in classical French cuisine and regularly interprets it in a contemporary manner. The kitchen makes extensive use of fish and shellfish, yielding surprisingly creative results. The wine list is predominantly French-oriented, although it also features a solid selection of New World wines, including options from Morocco and Lebanon. Every dish is excellent and beautifully presented, offering great value for money. If you want to organize something special, you can take a trip aboard the Mette boat. Such an outing can be completely tailored to your preferences upon request. A lovely touch!

Around 1900, Metje Brouwer lent her name to the building in the center of the picturesque village of Linschoten, which today houses Restaurant Bij Mette. Owner-chef Carel Alberts, who spends less time in the kitchen and more as a charming host, has managed to create a wonderful atmosphere here. The interior is atmospheric, the ambiance relaxed, and last but not least: the food is excellent. Dishes from the kitchen of chef Giovanni de Goede are French-inspired, and alongside the à la carte menu, guests can choose from a daily changing selection. The wine list pays considerable attention to French wines, though New World selections are also well represented. After a tasty amuse-bouche of sweet onion with anchovy, we move on to Scottish salmon with sweet and sour vegetables. The young and skilled maître-sommelier Tom van Velzen pairs this with a 2017 Hauteval made from Carignan Blanc grapes from Guilhem-le-Désert in France. A perfect match. Deliciously rich duck liver with brioche follows and is classically executed. Just like the veal entrecôte main course, served with salsa verde and paired with an Australian blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre from McLaren Vale. We were slightly let down by the overcooked turbot, but the excellent, light hollandaise sauce, promptly brought out as a supplement, makes up for it quite well. The value for money here is excellent. A great place.

A wonderful establishment: everyone would love to have such a restaurant nearby. Cozy ambiance, warm service, excellent cuisine, fair prices, outstanding wines. Named after the old woman who once ran a cigar shop here, right beneath the leaning church tower and surrounded by Anton Pieck-style gabled houses. Owner-chef Carel Alberts has managed to cultivate that sense of comfort, and you can see his guests truly appreciate it. Carel is an enthusiastic host and a passionate leader of his kitchen team, and his love for wine shines through in his exceptionally curated list. We are enjoying his Amfora, a 2012 Sivi Pinot, a discovery from Slovenia ("just tasted it in Ljubljana!"), crafted from ripe Pinot Gris with a touch of 'Italian' Ribolla, vinified in a modern style but aged in underground Roman amphorae: a delightfully mature wine. How lovely to be surprised so wonderfully. Meanwhile, we are indulging in shallot and balsamic cream sticks and a blini with a fresh, sweet chutney. This is followed by duck liver with a plum and shallot 'jam' (an excellent terrine, perfectly seasoned) and gravlax with salted lemon, crème fraîche, and buckwheat. Then comes sea bass with white beans, Brussels sprouts, and eel, and on the other plate, farm chicken with polenta and cardamom. Beautiful, well-balanced, and above all, flavorful dishes. Accompanied still by that wonderful Slavonian wine. A true feast!