Lekker500 Listings of Restaurants in Groningen

Lekker is a Dutch culinary magazine that provides a platform for the culinary scene in the Netherlands. Every year, the magazine publishes the ‘Lekker500’. This serves as a highlight, and many (fine dining) restaurants hope to be listed in the rankings!

I first came across the magazine 'Lekker' years ago through the restaurant Vive La Vie, where we frequently dine with friends. The magazine had a prominent spot at Overnachten in Stijl locations to enjoy a luxurious stay in Groningen.

My Personal Favorite Restaurants in Groningen

As I write this, I realize there are many restaurants I have yet to visit! Although I try to go out for dinner once a month with a group of friends in the city of Groningen. Our Wednesday evening dinners. We catch up for a couple of hours while enjoying delicious food and matching wines. It's always a treat in a city like Groningen. Our personal favorite restaurants in Groningen so far are: De Betere Tijden (I was surprised it didn’t make the list), Pacha Mama, Vive La Vie, Brasserie Prinsenhof, Olijfboom Cantina, and Bellami's. Not all of them are fine dining, of course, but that doesn't take away the fun. I’ve also had a great meal with friends at Niemeijer and Bisque. At the end of November, we’ll try Restaurant Nassau with friends, and next time with my friends, we plan to try Cicci's! Of course, I might not be the best connoisseur, but we leave that work to Lekker! You can also order the magazine through their website.

Reviews of 500 Dutch Restaurants

The guide Lekker500 features reviews of 500 Dutch restaurants. Some of these restaurants are ranked in a top-100 list, which gets the most attention. The annual publication of the Lekker500 also includes recipes, reports, and interviews. The magazine covers Dutch gastronomy, with personal stories from chefs, sommeliers, and hosts. It’s great fun to read! 

Top-10 of the Lekker500 2025 in the Netherlands

Brut172 is this year's clear number 1 in the Top-100. Hans van Wolde connects food and love at Brut172, where guests enjoy a culinary experience from start to finish in the atmospheric setting of Reijmerstok. With his quirky style and passion, he is also focused on training a new generation of chefs. In addition, he has ambitious plans, including the construction of Hotel Brut En Suite.

Over the years, the top spot has largely been claimed by De Librije! It shifts a bit from year to year. I myself have never eaten at De Librije because reservations need to be made so far in advance, and it's quite expensive! However, Brut172 takes the top spot this year with...

Newcomer in the Top 10 of the Lekker 500

Ten years after the passing of top chef Paul van de Bunt, his family, led by Sandra, has brought the haute cuisine restaurant De Leuf in Ubachsberg back to the top. Son Robin, a talented chef, and daughter Michelle, a sake sommelier, combine Eastern influences with a modern French twist. With refined flavors and explosive dishes, De Leuf has rightfully earned a spot in the Top 10.

Culinary Groningen

Back to my beloved city of Groningen! I highly recommend visiting the city's fine dining scene. Each restaurant is backed by a hardworking team dedicated to crafting the best products and menus. So if you're looking for something special and have the budget for it, make a reservation at one of these wonderful places!

Lekker500 Restaurants in Groningen

Back to my beloved city, Groningen! We highly recommend taking the time to dine at these restaurants. Each restaurant has a hardworking team behind it, dedicated to creating the finest products and menus. So, if you’re looking for something special and have the budget, be sure to make a reservation!

Lekker500 2025 - 9x Restaurants in Groningen

November 4, 2024, was a festive day for Noor restaurant, as they made it to position 32 in the Lekker500 ranking, which is quite unique! They entered the list as a newcomer in Groningen, and LouLou is also new in the rankings. Only 100 restaurants in the Netherlands make it onto this list each year.

The other 8 restaurants in the city center of Groningen that come highly recommended by Lekker are:

• Bistro LouLou (I’ve never been there, but it’s making me curious).
• Bisque (I had a wonderful meal here!)
• Restaurant Blumé: I remember when it was still Bistro Het Gerecht, located under Hotel de Ville. We loved dining there with a group of friends after work. We often stayed longer than the average guest. The food is still fantastic, and in 2023, it became Blumé. The hotel is now called Garde Hotels, and Blumé is located under Hotel Halbert.
• Restaurant De Haan. I’d love to visit here because of the unique concept created by owner and chef Dennis de Haan. The restaurant has very little staff, and guests serve their own bread, drinks, coffee, and tea. It’s impressive to successfully pull this off, and reservations need to be made well in advance!
• Restaurant Niemeijer stayed with me, and we even made a fun reel about it on our Instagram page! Did you know you can even get an exclusive egg roll here? From Thursday to Saturday, they also offer a business lunch from 12 to 1:30 pm.
• Restaurant Nassau, the fine dining restaurant at Hotel Prinsenhof. I’ve eaten here several times at the Brasserie Prinsenhof, and it was fantastic and very cozy. The brasserie has a beautiful setting. You can also enjoy a wonderful brunch here at Easter and Christmas. We are going to try Nassau soon, and we had to book well in advance!
• Sepia, I’d love to visit here with my friends, as it’s a lunch restaurant serving haute cuisine. I believe lunch restaurants (serving haute cuisine) are quite unique in Groningen. However, I know you can also get it at Niemeijer.
• Vive la Vie (our all-time favorite, with the lovely owners Jeroen and Lara Sportel, and their ambitious hostess Nina Veldhuis). Jeroen was named Chef of the Year 2023 for JRE. Nina Veldhuis took the 8th spot in the NHGP: NHGP finalist Nina Veldhuis on her love for fine dining | KHN.

National Hennessy Hospitality Award 2024

Two Groningen hostesses received awards during the annual Hennessy Hospitality Award ceremony. Nina Veldhuis (working at Vive La Vie) came in 8th place, and Esmee de Haas (working at Nassau) came in 4th place. First place went to Pieter-Jan Kruithof from De Groene Lantaarn.

Foodies in Groningen

All in all, I still have a lot of culinary fieldwork to do! From time to time, we also feature restaurants on our website. Keep an eye on the locations, as we highlight not only fine dining but also other great spots you, as a ‘foodie in Groningen,’ should not miss!