Restaurant in Arnhem, Netherlands
Michelin-noted, hyper-local, genuinely good value.
Locals delivers Michelin Plate-recognised farm-to-table cooking at the €€ tier, with ingredients sourced as close as the vertical farm upstairs. Shaped by the influence of celebrated vegetable chef Niven Kunz, it is the most substantive locally sourced option in Arnhem at this price point. Easy to book and well-positioned at Arnhem Central Station.
At the €€ price tier, Locals gives you Michelin Plate recognition two years running (2024 and 2025), a hyper-local sourcing philosophy that extends to a working vertical farm on the premises, and a creative kitchen shaped in part by Niven Kunz, chef-owner of the three-Michelin-starred Tryptique. That combination is harder to find in Arnhem than you might expect. If vegetable-forward, locally sourced cooking is what you are after, book here before considering the pricier alternatives. If you want something more sharply regional or want to splurge on a full tasting menu format, look further afield to De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen or De Librije in Zwolle.
Locals sits at Stationsplein 1, directly at Arnhem Central Station, which makes it one of the more practically placed restaurants in the city. The address is not incidental: the name is a statement of intent. The kitchen works with ingredients sourced as close to home as possible, and in the most literal sense that means the building itself. Fresh herbs come from a vertical farm installed upstairs — you can ask for a tour, and it is worth doing if you want to understand the degree to which the sourcing commitment here is operational rather than decorative.
The connection to Niven Kunz gives Locals a credibility anchor that is genuinely useful when deciding whether to book. Kunz built Tryptique into one of the Netherlands' most decorated vegetable-focused restaurants, and his involvement here shapes how the kitchen approaches produce. This is not a venue where vegetables are a concession to dietary trends; they are the design principle. That philosophy now has consecutive Michelin Plate acknowledgements to show for it — a trust signal that positions Locals clearly within the recognisable tier of quality for the region, even if the format and price point sit well below a starred destination experience.
For context on where Locals sits within the Dutch farm-to-table space, the comparison that matters most is De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen, which holds two Michelin stars for its vegetable-centric tasting menus. De Nieuwe Winkel is a longer commitment, a higher price, and a more formal experience. Locals is the answer if you want that same orientation toward local and vegetable-led cooking without the full tasting menu structure or the associated spend. Similarly, if you are planning a broader trip through the east of the Netherlands, Aan de Poel in Amstelveen or Inter Scaldes in Kruiningen represent the higher end of the regional fine dining tier; Locals is the more accessible entry point for the same type of ingredient-conscious cooking.
The Google rating sits at 4.2 across 164 reviews, which is a reasonable signal of consistent execution rather than a polarising or special-occasion-only venue. At €€, repeat visits are realistic, and the farm-to-table format means the menu should shift with the seasons , so what you eat in spring will differ from a visit in late autumn, which is a genuine reason to return rather than a marketing claim.
On the drinks side, the editorial angle here is worth flagging directly. The farm-to-table framework at Locals suggests a drinks program oriented around local and regional producers, with herb-forward options likely drawing on the vertical farm upstairs. For a food-led venue at this price point, the drinks list should be read as supporting the kitchen rather than competing with it. If a self-standing cocktail program is what you are prioritising, Arnhem's bar scene is covered separately in our full Arnhem bars guide , but if you want a drinks experience that maps coherently to a locally sourced kitchen, Locals is a sound choice in the €€ tier.
Booking is rated easy. The station-adjacent location and mid-range price point mean this is not a venue where you need to plan months ahead. That said, given the Michelin Plate recognition and the relatively compact dining scene in Arnhem, booking ahead for weekend evenings is sensible. Walk-ins may work on quieter weekday lunches, but confirming in advance is lower-risk given no booking details are publicly listed here.
For food and wine enthusiasts building a broader itinerary around the Netherlands, Locals makes a practical stop in Arnhem before or after a train connection, and it holds up well against the city's €€€ alternatives purely on the strength of what the kitchen is doing. At this price tier, with Michelin recognition and a working vertical farm, it is one of the more substantive choices in the city. Browse our full Arnhem restaurants guide for the wider picture, or check our Arnhem hotels guide if you are planning an overnight stay. Farm-to-table comparisons at a similar price point in other Dutch cities include 't Arsenaal in Deventer and Auberge de Veste in Hertogenbosch , both worth knowing if you are mapping the regional scene.
Quick reference: Locals, Stationsplein 1, Arnhem. €€ · Farm to table. Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Google 4.2 (164 reviews). Booking: easy.
Groups are likely manageable given the station-adjacent location and accessible price point, but specific capacity figures are not published. Contact the venue directly to confirm availability for larger parties. At the €€ tier, this is not a small tasting-counter format, so group bookings are plausible , but check ahead rather than assuming.
No bar seating information is confirmed for this venue. The farm-to-table format at Locals suggests a dining-room-first setup rather than a bar-led space. If eating at a bar counter is a priority, check our Arnhem bars guide for venues built around that format.
No specific dishes are published, but the kitchen's orientation is clear: vegetable-forward, hyper-local, shaped by the approach of Niven Kunz of Tryptique. Expect produce-led plates where the herbs and greens may literally come from the vertical farm upstairs. Ask staff what is in season and what came from the farm that week , that context is part of the experience here.
The farm-to-table, vegetable-focused format means plant-based and vegetarian diets are well within scope for this kitchen. For specific allergies or strict dietary needs, contact the venue before booking , no allergy policy is published, and given no phone or website is listed here, reaching out via the venue directly at Stationsplein 1 or through a booking platform is the practical route.
No dress code is stated, and at the €€ price tier with Michelin Plate (not star) recognition, smart casual is the safe call. This is not a white-tablecloth destination. Think the kind of outfit you would wear to a well-regarded neighbourhood restaurant , put-together but not formal. Arnhem is not Amsterdam, and the station location keeps the atmosphere grounded.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Locals | €€ · Farm to table | €€ | Easy |
| The Church | €€€ · Creative | €€€ | Unknown |
| The Green Rose | €€€ · Organic | €€€ | Unknown |
| Trattoria Da Giulio | €€ · Italian | €€ | Unknown |
| Konijnenvoer | €€€ · Vegetarian | Unknown | |
| Restaurant Loca | Unknown |
A quick look at how Locals measures up.
Group bookings are possible at Locals, though specific capacity details are not confirmed in available venue data. Given the Stationsplein 1 location at Arnhem Central, it's a practical choice for groups arriving by train. check the venue's official channels to confirm table configurations and any minimum spend requirements before booking a party.
Bar seating details are not confirmed for Locals. What is documented is that this is a Michelin Plate restaurant operating at the €€ tier, so the format skews toward a sit-down dining experience rather than a drop-in bar setup. Check directly with the venue if counter or bar dining is a priority for your visit.
Specific menu items are not available here, but the kitchen's identity is clear: vegetable-led cooking developed in collaboration with Niven Kunz, owner-chef of Tryptique (five-restaurant recognition), with herbs grown in the vertical farm one floor above the dining room. Ask the team what's coming out of the farm that week — that's where the menu will be at its sharpest.
Given that the menu is built around vegetables and hyper-local sourcing, plant-based and vegetable-forward diets are well-served by default. For specific allergen requirements or other restrictions, reach out before your visit — Michelin Plate kitchens at this price point typically accommodate requests when given advance notice.
At €€ with Michelin Plate recognition, Locals sits in the relaxed-but-considered range: presentable casual fits the room without feeling out of place. This is not a white-tablecloth occasion; the farm-to-table format and station-adjacent location point toward a laid-back but quality-conscious atmosphere.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
