Holland

De Kas: Greenhouse restaurant

Situated in a converted glasshouse in a park on the edge of Amsterdam, Restaurant De Kas has captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike. It has become one of THE places to dine when visiting this city.

The place came about as a sequence of happenstance events. Chef Gert Jan Hageman was running a restaurant with Michelin acclaim in Amsterdam when he decided to take some time off to work in a friend’s kitchen garden. It was during this time that he envisioned his own kitchen garden. This came to fruition when the Amsterdam Municipal Council brought to his attention some derelict greenhouses (built in 1926) that were going to be pulled down.

The next step was to repair the greenhouses and build the restaurant as part of the complex as well as acquiring an extra 4 hectare plot to grow more vegetables. This was completed in 2001 so they are approaching 20 years of service which is not as long as some such as Chez Panisse but is still a very strong effort.

We can remember being in Amsterdam for an IT Conference and catching a tram out to Frankendael Park and then walking past fruit trees and greenhouses full of vegetables on our way to the restaurant.

The large and dramatic dining space is very inviting. Rendered concrete floors, large tables, fruit trees and dramatic light shades develop the ambience.

The menu is set although you can choose vegetarian if you prefer. Three or four courses are served at lunch and either five or six courses at dinner using ingredients sourced either from the hothouse or from local suppliers.

We were served a lovely triangular slice of aubergine terrine with goats cheese and red pepper coulis and asparagus tempura sitting vertically in a glass half-filled with a hollandaise sauce accompanied by some very fresh greens wrapped in serano ham.

This was followed by a dish of monkfish with langoustines (accompanied by strongly flavoured sea ester greens) and then some very nice lamb with a very ordinary wedge of polenta. Dessert was a meringue of yoghurt with a red wine and rhubarb soup served separately.

They provide both vegan and vegetarian menus on request.

You can see details of their offerings on their useful Web site.

De Kas: Greenhouse restaurant

Additional information

Street: Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3

Town/Suburb: 1097 DE Amsterdam

Phone number: +31204624562

Opening hours: Lunch Mon – Sun, dinner Mon – Sat

Web site: https://restaurantdekas.com/

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