Rotonde

This fully vegetarian restaurant is located just outside the actual center of Rotterdam on Goudsesingel. Vegans will also find plenty to choose from. Many products, especially vegetables, come from the area around Rotterdam. Roasted onion with...

The open kitchen with its wood-fired barbecue, where you're practically nose-to-nose with it when taking a seat at the bar, forms the beating heart of this vintage restaurant, where sustainability is not a marketing buzzword but a genuine conviction. There are no empty slogans here about local or seasonal produce: the philosophy is palpable in every detail. Rotonde’s strength lies in its mastery of simplicity. Ingredients are not masked, but brought to the fore. The kitchen dares to let the dishes do their work. No excess, but creativity in simplicity. The menu offers à la carte selections that are concisely described. The wine list features predominantly biodynamic and natural wines sourced locally. We begin with white and green asparagus, perfectly cooked on the barbecue, accompanied by pumpkin seed paste, a fig leaf, and a spicy sauce made from unripe green tomatoes and jalapeños. This is paired with a Pietro Cassina Rosso Nibbio 2013, displaying notes of strawberry, floral elements, and a touch of forest floor. The evening’s highlight is a Japanese-style custard based on vegetable broth, gently set in the oven with egg, complemented by shiitake and oyster mushrooms. The texture is silky smooth, forming a subtle stage for the deep umami of the mushrooms. We conclude with a cheese board of Dutch origin served with flaxseed crackers, alongside a caramelized rhubarb tarte tatin and vegan sunflower seed ice cream garnished with pine needles. Give us an ice cream like this every day! Well done to Roy Lammers, Jord Coree, and Birk Heijkants. For anyone who wants to taste sustainability without compromising on flavor or experience, and wishes to be attended to throughout the evening by a young, dedicated, and enthusiastic team, Rotonde is an absolute must-visit.

good quality, good value cooking

Chef Jord Corée and hosts Birk Heijkants and Roy Lammers feel right at home in their spacious, vintage-decorated establishment, complete with a cheeky wink to the sixties and seventies. A wall lined with wine bottles, wooden tables paired with vintage chairs, a bottle of wildflowers in the window, and music played from vinyl records set the scene. Virtually all cooking here is vegan; cheese is the only dairy product used. The main focus is squarely on vegetables, legumes, and grains. The creative menu eschews traditional divisions into starters, mains, or desserts, instead offering a selection of medium-sized vegetable dishes that allow you to curate your own meal. Everything – including the wines, beers, and juices – is organic and largely sourced locally. We order several dishes from the menu, and each one is expertly prepared with flavorful ingredients. Notably, the kitchen makes extensive use of the charcoal grill and smoke oven, which frequently results in bold, pronounced flavors. This is evident in the broad beans with buckwheat and Indian cress: on a beautifully illustrated plate sit two buckwheat crackers topped with a mousse-like broad bean cream. The dish carries a strong smoky note and becomes quite intense after just a few bites. The romaine lettuce is also notably spicy thanks to a peppery oil, as is the mushroom skewer prepared like satay. Paired with the well-charred leek in XO sauce and (smoked) paprika, these prove to be standout dishes: contemporary and almost audacious. A biodynamic Riesling from Georg Lingenfelder provides a perfect counterbalance. The service is young, efficient, and thoroughly knowledgeable about the food, wine, and Rotonde’s philosophy: “We make no claims, but we justify everything.” New to Lekker last year, it has certainly retained its recommendation this year.

Three young entrepreneurs and a venue that is packed night after night. Chef Jord Corée and hosts Birk Heijkants and Roy Lammers, who met each other at restaurant Héron in Utrecht, had an idea. They wanted to start their own restaurant. Or rather, not really a restaurant and not even a traditional dining spot. But simply a place where you can enjoy good food in a relaxed atmosphere. They came up with a plan. Sustainable, local, green, and vegetarian were the key words. But you don't stand out with those alone. So they looked inward. They realized they didn't have ready-made answers to every question regarding food, drink, and the future either. But the passion to handle these matters consciously in their own establishment was definitely there. Long story short: the good intentions were blended together and kept in mind when making every choice. Transparency about product origins, waste management, communicating their practices on social media, openness to guest suggestions, but above all: good food in a relaxed setting. As they put it themselves: 'establishing a progressive kitchen'. At the end of 2021, they opened the doors of Rotonde. We step into an unpretentious, naturally organized mix of cheerfulness and attentiveness. Every team member knows exactly what they are doing. We sit right over the action of the preparations being made in the long, open kitchen, eating vegetarian food like we have never tasted before. From the wine list, we order the Chenin Blanc Elisabeth from Château La Trochoire, refreshingly crisp and perfectly suited to the vegetarian cuisine. The juicy roasted tomato in a fresh tomato broth with fennel ice cream and basil takes our breath away. Butter snap peas grilled over charcoal arrive with an irresistibly delicious cream of sun-dried tomatoes and walnuts, alongside a Peruvian purslane salad with walnut dressing. The charred leek with XO sauce made from tomatoes and roasted peppers deserves a permanent spot on the menu. And the dessert, featuring plum compote and fresh plum, buckwheat crumble, and pine needle ice cream infused with pine needle oil, is pure perfection. Not to mention the incredible caramelized onion oil served with continuously freshly baked sourdough flatbread. At Rotonde, you won't want to take any other exit. Welcome to Delicious!