Restaurant in Winsum, Netherlands
Michelin-recognised dining in rural Groningen.
Bistro Refter is the strongest dining option in Winsum and one of the better value propositions in the northern Netherlands: Michelin Plate recognition in consecutive years (2024 and 2025) at a €€ price point, with a 4.6 Google rating from 93 reviews. Book a few days ahead — it is easy to get into and worth making the reservation.
Bistro Refter is easy to get into, and that accessibility is part of why it matters. In a small Groningen province town like Winsum, a Michelin Plate restaurant that takes bookings without a weeks-long wait is not something to scroll past. If you have been once and are weighing whether to return, the answer is yes — the two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) confirm this is not a one-season fluke. This is the kind of neighbourhood anchor that earns repeat visits.
Bistro Refter sits on Regnerus Praediniusstraat in central Winsum, a town in the northern Netherlands that does not have an abundance of serious dining options at this level. That context matters when deciding whether to make the trip. For a €€ price point, you are getting Michelin-recognised classic cuisine in a region where that combination is genuinely scarce. The Google rating of 4.6 from 93 reviews reinforces that this is not a venue coasting on a single award cycle — the guest experience is holding up.
The cuisine category is classic, which at the €€ price bracket tells you something specific: expect well-executed French-influenced bistro cooking, the kind built around technique and familiar flavour combinations rather than elaborate tasting menus or avant-garde presentations. For a returning guest, the reliable execution of the classics is the point. This is not the restaurant you visit for provocation , it is the one you visit because the kitchen delivers what it promises, consistently.
Winsum itself is a compact town in Groningen province, and Bistro Refter functions as the kind of place that anchors a community's dining life. In larger Dutch cities, a Michelin Plate at this price tier would sit in a competitive cluster. Here, it occupies a different role: it is the destination restaurant for a wide radius of the surrounding area, drawing guests from across the northern Netherlands who want quality cooking without committing to a fine dining budget. For visitors using Winsum as a base while exploring the Groningen region, this is the obvious dinner reservation to make. See our full Winsum restaurants guide for additional options, and check our Winsum hotels guide if you are planning an overnight stay.
If you visited once and found the format comfortable, it is worth knowing that classic bistro cooking at this level rewards familiarity. The menu will not reinvent itself dramatically between visits, which for a regular is an asset rather than a limitation. You know the register, and the value equation at €€ with Michelin recognition baked in remains one of the stronger arguments for a return booking anywhere in the northern Netherlands.
For context on what Michelin Plate recognition means at this price point: the Plate is awarded to restaurants where the inspectors judge that the kitchen is producing good food , it sits below Bib Gourmand and star levels, but it is a meaningful credential that filters out a large share of the competition. Two consecutive years of Plate recognition (2024 and 2025) suggests the kitchen is operating at a stable level, not benefiting from a single strong inspection. That consistency is particularly valuable in a location where you cannot easily substitute with another option if the evening disappoints.
The surrounding region has plenty of reasons to spend time: the Groningen countryside, the Wadden Sea coast to the north, and the city of Groningen itself about 20 kilometres east. Bistro Refter fits naturally into a longer northern Netherlands itinerary. If you are building a trip around the region's food and drink, browse our Winsum bars guide, Winsum wineries guide, and Winsum experiences guide to fill out the schedule.
Comparable €€ classic cuisine restaurants with Michelin recognition elsewhere in the Netherlands include Bij Mette in Linschoten and Bistro de Holterberg in Holten , both worth knowing if you are travelling the country and want to benchmark the style. For higher-tier Dutch dining in the region, De Groene Lantaarn in Staphorst is the closest step up in ambition.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bistro Refter | €€ | Easy | — |
| De Librije | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Aan de Poel | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| De Nieuwe Winkel | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Fred | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| De Lindehof | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Winsum itself has almost no direct competition at this level, which is part of why a Michelin Plate here carries weight. For a broader comparison in the northern Netherlands, De Lindehof in Nuenen and De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen operate at a higher Michelin tier if you want to escalate ambition. For a weekend trip that keeps you in the region, Bistro Refter at €€ is the strongest case for staying local rather than driving south.
Exact booking windows are not published, but a Michelin Plate restaurant in a small Groningen town like Winsum draws diners from well outside the area. Booking at least two to three weeks ahead for weekends is a sensible baseline. If you are planning around a specific date, contact them directly via their address at Regnerus Praediniusstraat 3 to confirm availability.
Yes, with the right expectations. The Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 signals consistent kitchen quality, and the €€ price range means a celebration dinner here will not require the financial commitment of a starred restaurant. For occasions where the setting matters as much as the food, note that Winsum is a small town — the experience is intimate rather than grand.
A classic cuisine bistro format at €€ is generally well-suited to solo diners — the price point is manageable and the setting is typically relaxed rather than formal. The Michelin Plate recognition suggests the kitchen is focused on the plate, which matters more when you are dining alone without the distraction of group conversation. Booking ahead is still advisable given the venue's recognition.
The venue is classified as a bistro at the €€ price point, which points toward relaxed rather than formal dress. A Michelin Plate does not by itself signal a jacket-required environment, particularly in a northern Netherlands provincial town. Neat, presentable clothing fits the context — leave the tie at home, but avoid arriving straight from a hike.
At €€, Bistro Refter offers Michelin-recognised cooking at a price most diners can absorb without much planning. The 2025 Michelin Plate confirms the kitchen is producing food worth the inspectors' attention. If you are already in Groningen province, this is an easy yes. If you are travelling specifically to Winsum for it, factor in the journey — it is a strong local option, not a destination-defining one.
Menu format details are not confirmed in available data for Bistro Refter. What is confirmed is a Michelin Plate rating in both 2024 and 2025 for classic cuisine at €€ pricing. If a tasting menu is available, the price tier suggests it will be accessible compared to starred alternatives like De Librije or Aan de Poel. Check directly with the restaurant at Regnerus Praediniusstraat 3 for current menu options.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
