Bøg

A pearl behind the gardens of Paleis Noordeinde. Bøg boasts a minimalist yet cozy interior with wooden floors, alternating round and square tables, and comfortable cognac-colored chairs and benches. No unnecessary frills here. The philosophy of Bøg (Danish for beech, the national tree of Denmark) is rooted in Scandinavian techniques such as smoking, pickling, curing, and fermenting. The menu changes regularly, and they collaborate closely with local suppliers. Today in the field, tomorrow on your plate! Owners Luc Rensen and Thomas van Voorst, friends since their culinary training in Breda, frequently travel to Denmark for inspiration from New Nordic cuisine. We begin with homemade ricotta seasoned with white wine vinegar and pickled oak mushroom, parsnip cream, roasted green cabbage with chives and celery. Next come leek rolls steamed in lemon, filled with veal tartare and mussels, finished with elderberry jelly cubes and a mustard and leek oil sauce, beautifully balanced and pairing perfectly with a glass of Anjou Blanc from Domaine Musset-Roullier. This is followed by brined and then roasted North Sea mackerel with pieces of Livar pork belly and a charred beurre blanc sauce with oregano. The main course features roasted squab accompanied by pickled plums, spring onion, freshly braised wild garlic, and confit and roasted pigeon feet. What incredible flavors and creativity in each dish, all the way to the final course: pickled pear, toasted white chocolate, almond and malt sabayon, bee pollen, and ice cream made from long pepper. Bøg offers something truly special. The passion for quality ingredients shines through in every dish and is mirrored in the enthusiastic staff. Very good!

New Nordic Cuisine is all the rage at Bøg (Danish for tree) on Prinsestraat in The Hague. Since 2023, chef Thomas van Voorst and host Luc Rensen have owned this sleek, Scandinavian-designed canal house. No superfluous elements here—just minimalist wooden designer furniture, occasional soft yellow and blue color accents, bronze cutlery boxes, and linen napkins. A serene calm pervades the space. Thomas prepares a sustainable cuisine using local seasonal ingredients. He relies heavily on bright acids and herbs, giving his dishes a fresh touch. Diners can choose from a menu highlighting meat and fish, and another where vegetables and dairy take center stage. Swapping between the two is no problem. The wine list features exclusively organic or biodynamic producers. Non-alcoholic options are available in the form of delicious mocktails. The now-renowned linseed crackers with lightly smoked cream cheese are already waiting invitingly on the table. Alongside the aperitif, an aquavit, we are served a toasted brioche roll topped with white asparagus, Remeker cheese, and finished with three-cornered leek. A refined starter. Equally impressive is the organic chicken with plums in a sweet-tart sauce, garlic chive oil, fried capers, and a foamy shellfish-based sauce. We close with almond ice cream, ricotta with cherries, chamomile, and pine needles. The portion sizes are well-proportioned and the price-to-quality ratio is well-balanced. Bøg remains a steadfast favorite in this guide.

Takeover alert! Since September 1, head chef Thomas van Voorst and returning staff member Luc Rensen have taken over the reins from the Dane Peter Sørensen. Luc has traded the kitchen for guest service at this very welcoming venue and greets us warmly. The culinary direction remains unchanged: Scandinavian cuisine is firmly in charge. The long, narrow dining room is decorated in a minimalist, casual style with abundant wood and a striking wall adorned in shades of blue. We begin with an aquavit and a Giol rosé prosecco. House-made flaxseed crackers with lightly smoked cream cheese arrive first, followed by a trio of amuse-bouches, among which the rye and sourdough “pine cone” filled with wild garlic cream makes a lasting impression. Diners can choose between a mixed menu (featuring meat and fish) and a fully vegetarian option, which is Thomas’s signature offering. We start with cold-smoked trout on blackcurrant wood, served with kohlrabi, grapefruit, smoked trout roe, and elderflower tea. In the glass, a Sauvignon Blanc from The Holy Snail in the Loire Valley. An excellent pairing! The vegetarian dish centered around glazed onion is visually striking, though onion as the primary ingredient doesn’t fully captivate. This is more than compensated for by a surprising intermezzo: charcoal-grilled lamb fillet accompanied by white currant, raw pea, and a rich, velvety lamb jus. The German Pinot Noir from Lenné is once again a perfect match. Luc clearly knows his way around wine. For the main course, bone-baked sole served with classic beurre blanc and herring roe. Perfect in its simplicity. We wrap up with a bright dessert of strawberry, almond cluster, and a licorice parfait, paired with a Giol Pinot Grigio Spumante infused with rose syrup. After French press coffee, the bill arrives, fittingly reasonable. One minor note: the cutlery crock is a touch too plain. Otherwise, a genuinely wonderful spot.

A delightful surprise at Restaurant Bøg, situated opposite the Royal Stables and the Paleistuin in The Hague, operated for eight years by Danish owner-host Peter Sorrenson. Chef Thomas van Voorst (30) embodies the ideal of a culinarian who, alongside classical techniques, delights in preparing vegetarian dishes "because it's so exciting." Bøg embraces the philosophy of the Nordic kitchen – local, minimalist, sustainable, with deep respect for the ingredient – and several dishes demonstrate how the kitchen translates this ethos. After welcome bites such as a tartelette with cauliflower cream, lemon-dill compote, and spelt flatbread with goat cheese cream and elderflower, we sample roasted lobster with sweet-and-sour celery, cubes of veal tongue, shallot, and nasturtium oil. On the accompanying plate, buffalo mozzarella with green herb oil, chives, and sea aster, finished with salted lemon cream and kohlrabi cooked in juniper wood oil. Equally elegant and refined. In the glass: a yellow-white Roter Veltliner (Mehofer, 2020). A superb pairing. This is followed by an oyster mushroom, poached in cep broth, sliced, re-grilled, and served with pickled wild garlic, crispy fried rye bread, and a sauce of roasted hazelnut with sea buckthorn berry oil. Exceptionally tender and delicious. Paired with cod loin cooked in beurre noisette, young lamb's lettuce, chervil, and pickled sweet-and-sour fennel blossoms. To finish, a buttermilk mousse with a white chocolate and dill cremeux, accompanied by a crumb of Danish cardamom cookies and a green apple and sorrel sorbet. A fine address!

At Bøg, Scandinavian cuisine takes center stage. But that's not all. The friendly approach and attentive hospitality are equally exceptional. Owner Peter Norré, born in Denmark, is a modest host who values a culinary dining experience in a tranquil setting. This is beautifully complemented by the minimalist interior, featuring warm wooden furniture, leather wall benches and chairs, a rough stone wall, and petrol-blue walls accented with occasional modern art. The narrow dining room is filled with affluent millennial couples. There is a Meat & Fish menu and a Vegetarian menu, and you may choose from either option. A wine pairing is highly recommended, alongside a modest wine list. We opt for a fruity Albariño Valtea Rías Baixas to accompany our meal. We indulge in three varieties of house-made bread, including delightful Danish crackers served with excellent salted butter. The first course is an immediate success: slices of sea bass with grilled leek and leek cream, dressed tableside with a robust dressing made from tomato broth and olive oil. Pure flavors on the plate. After a vegetarian crispy tartelette filled with various green al dente beans and crumbled goat cheese, topped with a quenelle of finely chopped cucumber and gherkins, the main course arrives. A fillet of turbot baked on the bone, served with a medley of shellfish, mushroom cream, and fennel jus. Simply delicious! Bøg rules.

Peter Norré Sørensen’s New Nordic cuisine has long since become a household name in The Hague. Bøg (Danish for Beech trees) is situated on the trendy Prinsenstraat, and its interior is unmistakably Scandinavian: minimalist, with wooden tables, leather wall benches and chairs, a rough stone wall, a few colorful accents, and tranquility. Plenty of it. What stands out is the attentive hospitality of maître Peter. He is genuinely interested in his guests, remains humble, and oversees everything with the utmost care. Peter: “The restaurant remained closed throughout the lockdown. No other forms of work were undertaken. The team handled the DIY and painting themselves. This meant that upon reopening, the restaurant had a fresh new style, and it allowed us to continue innovating, developing, and improving.” The menu is concise, offering both a meat and seafood selection and a fully vegetarian option. Dishes feature fermented, smoked, and pickled elements; they are pure, refined, and beautifully plated. Chefs Luc Rensen and Thomas van Voorst know exactly what they are doing. The small but refined wine list showcases only organic or biodynamic (Demeter-certified) wines, with many available by the half or full glass. Bøg is a welcoming and principled establishment.

Bøg is located in an unassuming building on the picturesque Prinsenstraat. For years, cooking here has been based on Nordic cuisine. The menu is simple and consists of only two five-course options: a fish and meat menu and a vegetarian menu. This concept urgently needs updating so that dishes also served last year can be replaced by new culinary discoveries. Tonight, the fish and meat menu features langoustine (Norwegian lobster) served cold, beautifully pink inside, accompanied by spring onions and apple jelly. Followed by tomato with a fresh elderflower and lavender dressing, along with small dollops of goat cheese. We recognize the red mullet served as the third course from the previous edition, but now it comes with capers instead of tomato. It all tastes excellent. Next is lightly cooked farm duck with skin, served alongside braised chicory and carrots. Both the chicory and carrots are merely lukewarm, and the reduced jus is beef-based rather than a reduction of the duck roast juices. That is a shame. The dessert of raspberries with yogurt ice cream, rosehip coulis, and slices of meringue offers a lovely combination of sweet and fresh. We recommend that Peter Sørensen introduce more innovations to the menu. Given his sense for top quality, that will certainly succeed!

Danish entrepreneur Peter Sørensen follows the New Nordic Cuisine movement in his restaurant Bøg. Tucked away in a narrow alley in The Hague, the space features simple Danish design furniture and a kitchen that offers only two menus: a six-course fish and meat selection or a six-course vegetarian one. Switching between the two menus is possible. This French-Dutch chef, Rémi Truijen, who comes from the kitchens of Calla's and several Swedish and international restaurants, cooks with modern ingredients. He bakes his own bread—three varieties—and the dishes are composed of carefully selected complementary flavors. We taste pollack from the northern waters (with a flavor and texture somewhere between salmon and trout) served with parsley and apple. Meanwhile, our table companion savors asparagus (white and green) with an herb salad and champagne-based hollandaise poured at the table. Beautiful combinations, lovely sweet-and-sour notes. The accompanying wine, a Feudo Montoni made from Sicilian Catarratto grapes, is delicious and affordable. Further dishes include: pea with lemon thyme and haricots; partridge with gherkin and (raw) mushroom; lamb shoulder with sorrel and onion. All beautifully presented and delicious. To finish, a delightful pairing of rhubarb, buttermilk ice cream, sour cream panna cotta, and white chocolate. A pleasant surprise!