Flicka

Verdict

Flicka earns its Michelin star; and the drive to Kerkdriel. This is a serious kitchen doing technically precise modern cuisine in a relaxed rural setting on the River Meuse. If you have already been once, come back for a different service: lunch on Thursday or Friday offers a quieter room and the same kitchen at work, while Friday evening extends to 9:30 PM if you want more time at the table. Book well ahead; demand consistently outpaces availability at this level outside a major Dutch city.

The Restaurant

Flicka sits at Berm 47 in Kerkdriel, a small town in Gelderland, with views over green countryside and the Meuse. The setting is calm and unhurried, the room carries some designer detail without tipping into formal stiffness. Overnight suites are available on site, which makes this a viable destination for a longer stay rather than a single-night excursion. For context on where to stay around the area, see our full Kerkdriel hotels guide.

The kitchen is led by Thomas van Santvoort, who trained at Parkheuvel and Boreas; two of the Netherlands' more technically demanding kitchens. That background is visible in the cooking: precise classical technique applied with a personal accent. The Michelin entry specifically calls out his ability to cook sweetbreads to a perfect crisp, to build a dish around cod with multiple cauliflower textures and grey prawn, finished with a sherry cream jus from the bones. That is an efficient construction, not elaborate for its own sake, but every element carrying weight.

The broader flavour philosophy here runs toward acidity and restrained sweetness. Van Santvoort uses that interplay to sharpen high-quality main ingredients: turbot, langoustine, similar premium product. The sommelier works with the kitchen rather than alongside it, building wine pairings that respond to the acidity structure of the dishes. If wine pairing matters to you, this is a room where it will be done with some thought rather than as an afterthought.

Tasting Menu Architecture

Flicka operates as a tasting menu restaurant at the €€€€ price tier. The progression of the menu follows a clear logic: acidity as a throughline, textures varied deliberately across courses, premium ingredients used with restraint rather than accumulation. Michelin's language about "efficiency that packs a punch" is a useful frame, this is not a maximalist menu. The arc is controlled: each course adds to the argument rather than repeating it.

If you visited before and found one course more compelling than another, the kitchen's consistent technique means repeat visits reward attention. The cooking is precise enough that the same dish across two visits will read differently depending on the wine pairing or the seasonal ingredient underneath. For returning guests, asking the sommelier to adjust the pairing based on your preferences from last time is worth doing.

At €€€€, you are paying for a single-star Michelin kitchen with produce quality and technique to match, not for a famous address.

Ratings at a Glance

• Michelin: 1 Star (2024)
• Price tier: €€€€

Booking

Booking difficulty is high. Flicka is open only five services per week: Wednesday dinner, Thursday lunch and dinner, Friday lunch and dinner, Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday lunch (12:30 PM–7 PM). Monday and Tuesday are closed. The limited schedule and the Michelin draw mean tables move fast. Book at least three to four weeks ahead for a weekend service; Thursday lunch is your leading option if you need a shorter lead time. The address is Berm 47, 5331 KL Kerkdriel.

Overnight suites on site remove the pressure of a late return if you are travelling from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or further afield. If you are planning a broader trip to the region, also see our full Kerkdriel experiences guide and our full Kerkdriel restaurants guide.

Practical Details

Nearby Worth Knowing

• De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen, organic, plant-forward, 2 Michelin stars, strong alternative if you want a contrasting style
• Inter Scaldes in Kruiningen, 2 stars, destination dining in Zeeland, further afield but worth pairing with a coastal stay
• Tribeca in Heeze, Michelin-starred, southern Netherlands, easier to book
• FG – François Geurds in Rotterdam, city-based alternative for the same price tier
• Kerkdriel bars guide and Kerkdriel wineries guide for pre- or post-dinner options

How It Compares

Among Dutch one-star restaurants at the €€€€ tier, Flicka's closest direct comparison is De Lindehof in Nuenen: similar price, similar rural setting, similar creative-Dutch register. Flicka pulls ahead on the overnight option and the River Meuse setting, which makes it a more complete destination if you are travelling specifically for dinner. De Lindehof is easier to book and better placed if you are already in Brabant.

De Librije in Zwolle is the obvious step-up comparison, three stars, more theatricality, significantly harder to book, a more demanding price point. If you are deciding between the two, Flicka is the right choice for a first visit to this level of Dutch cooking; De Librije rewards guests who already know what they want from the format. Aan de Poel in Amstelveen sits at two stars and is better placed for Amsterdam-based guests who do not want to travel.

De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen is the most interesting stylistic contrast in the region: two stars, entirely plant-based, a very different progression on the plate. If you have already done Flicka and want to understand the breadth of what is happening in Dutch fine dining right now, De Nieuwe Winkel is the natural next booking. For anyone focused on classic technique and premium animal-sourced produce, Flicka remains the stronger recommendation in Gelderland.