Culinary spots for your list

The best Italian restaurant in the Netherlands. Local and sustainable cooking is entirely of the moment. Pianeta Terra on Amsterdamse gracht is one such place.

The best Italian in the Netherlands

Local and sustainable cooking is very trendy now. But Planet Earth has been doing this in the Amsterdam canal belt since it opened in 2000. Chef Fabio Antonini's kitchen uses only organic, often forgotten and sometimes unwanted, ingredients from Dutch soil. Entirely in the spirit of the Slow Food Alliance, which opposes the industrial production of food. Only the wine, oil and cheese come from Italy. And the atmosphere, service and hospitality are also undeniably there roots. Although the restaurant, co-run by Fabio's wife Laura and his childhood friend Raul, is not as well known as, for example, Toscanini and Cecconi's, it took 2022th place on Prosecco DOC's list of the 30 best Italian restaurants in the world in 50. . Moreover, it received laurels Italy Magazine Pianeta Terra is the best Italian in the Netherlands 2022. Definitely a reason to book a table there. Don't expect spaghetti carbonara and pizza vongole, but dishes made with respect for 'planet earth' (that's right, the name of the restaurant). Think of smoked pork chin from Extraordinary Pigs, wild Wadden Sea oysters from Goede Vissers (which other restaurants do not buy because of their size) and – surprise! – crow breast with gravy from the carcass, from The Kitchen of the Unwanted Animal, the organization that, in collaboration with restaurants, wants to show that unconventional meat can be very tasty and that we need to change our view on meat. Either way, you will leave with an experience richer!

Vinke conquers Ibiza

The chef of two-star restaurant De Kromme Watergang is spreading his wings and has started a new restaurant in Ibiza (in collaboration with Nassau Group): 1742. Edwin Vinke's Zeeland cooking style – lots of fish, crustaceans and shellfish – can also be found on the menu from 1742, with dishes such as 'Zeeland Fruits de Mer: spicy shellfish and Thai flavors', 'Blue Lobster with squid and beach crab'. and 'Langoustine barbecued with rum, potato and asparagus'. Not only the food is great, but also the location: a palace in the historic heart of the capital, at the highest point of Dalt Villa, with many works of art and a beautiful terrace with a view of the harbor. Guests are picked up at a pick-up point and taken to the restaurant, where they are presented with an Experience Menu of seven to ten courses.

An explosion of caviar

It recently opened Duke Jan at Botanic Sanctuary in Antwerp immediately debuts in The World's 50 Best Restaurants (place 93). And after just six months of opening the doors, Michelin awarded two stars. Gert De Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens are happy to immerse you in their total culinary experience, with a focus on Asian cuisine. That experience can best be compared to a Japanese omakase menu, the literal meaning of which is: 'I leave it to the chef.' It's like going to a concert and enjoying it with your eyes closed. And you can also close your eyes after dinner in the Botanic Sanctuary. Dreaming of an 'explosion of caviar' and 'Mieral duck aged in hay'.