De Nieuwe Winkel

Who Should Book De Nieuwe Winkel; and When

If you are planning a significant occasion dinner in the Netherlands and plant-based cooking is not an obstacle, De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen deserves serious consideration. This is a two-Michelin-star restaurant helmed by chef Emile Van Der Staak, it holds the number-one position in the We're Smart TOP100 of the world; a ranking dedicated entirely to plant-forward restaurants, for two consecutive years, an achievement only two other restaurants in the Green Guide's history have matched. Book it for a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or any dinner where the quality of the experience needs to carry the evening. Do not book it for a casual Tuesday out or if you are expecting a meat-led tasting menu.

The Experience

De Nieuwe Winkel is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 pm, closing at midnight, which gives the kitchen a clear dinner-only identity. There is no lunch service to consider. The address is Gebroeders van Limburgplein 7 in central Nijmegen, the restaurant operates within a price tier of €€€€, the leading bracket in the city. For Nijmegen, this is the apex of the dining options available, positioned several tiers above mid-range alternatives like Bistrot Regent (€€ · French) or Groenewoud (€€ · Modern French).

The visual register here matters. Dishes at this level of plant-based fine dining are composed with a precision that makes the plate itself part of the argument for the price. The We're Smart panel, which cited flavours described as well-balanced and innovation as genuinely innovative, awarded the restaurant its leading honour specifically because the storytelling across the meal coheres, the knowledge and motivation of the team reinforces what arrives at the table. That alignment between kitchen intent and guest experience is what separates a two-star dinner from a technically proficient one.

Service and Whether It Earns the Price

At the €€€€ tier, service is not a bonus, it is part of what you are paying for. The We're Smart citation specifically acknowledges the team around chef Emile Van Der Staak, naming Wouter alongside the kitchen as contributors to the restaurant's position. That is meaningful: it suggests the front-of-house operation is considered part of the restaurant's identity, not a separate concern. For a special occasion dinner, where the rhythm of service shapes the entire evening, this matters more than at a casual restaurant. La Liste scored the restaurant 87.5 points in 2025, placing it within the global top tier on that index, Opinionated About Dining ranked it among the leading European restaurants in both 2024 and 2025. These are not local credentials, they are international ones, they imply a service standard calibrated to compete at that level.

Star Wine List has ranked De Nieuwe Winkel the number-one wine list in its category for both 2024 and 2025. For a plant-based restaurant, this is a significant signal: the wine programme has been built to match the ambition of the food, for guests who treat the pairing as integral to the experience, this is not a venue where the beverage side is an afterthought. That combination of a credentialled kitchen and a credentialled cellar makes the price defensible for anyone who takes both seriously.

Booking

Booking difficulty is rated near impossible. At two Michelin stars, with international award recognition and a dinner-only format running five nights per week, availability is tightly constrained. Plan well ahead, weeks or months, not days. There is no published phone number in the available data; check the restaurant's own channels directly for current reservation access. For comparison, other two-star venues in the Netherlands such as De Librije in Zwolle, Ciel Bleu in Amsterdam, and Aan de Poel in Amstelveen operate on similarly compressed availability windows. Do not assume a table is available because Nijmegen is not Amsterdam.

Practical Details

How It Compares in Nijmegen

See the full comparison section below.

Pearl Picks, Also Worth Considering

• Flores (€€€ · Country cooking), a step down in price and formality, easier to book
• Restaurant MANNA (€€€ · International), more accessible for repeat visits
• Bistrot Regent (€€ · French), strong value for a mid-tier dinner in Nijmegen
• Kaatje bij de Sluis (€€€€ · Organic) in Blokzijl, comparable price tier and organic focus if you are travelling
• Kook Atelier op Oost (€€€€ · Organic) in Oosterend, another organic fine-dining reference point at this tier
• 't Nonnetje in Harderwijk and De Bokkedoorns in Overveen, regional alternatives for high-end Dutch dining
• Brut172 in Reijmerstok, worth knowing if you are open to travelling for a comparable occasion dinner

For a broader view of dining in the city, see our full Nijmegen restaurants guide. Planning a trip? Check our Nijmegen hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide.