Restaurant in Zutphen, Netherlands
Gelderland-Rooted Contemporary
By Chiel occupies a considered address on Zutphen's historic 's-Gravenhof square, making it a plausible choice for a special occasion dinner in a city with a limited fine-dining field. Booking is easy with no confirmed awards driving waitlist pressure. Pricing and the drinks program are unverified — contact the venue directly before committing.
Yes — with the caveat that verified details on pricing, hours, and the drinks program are limited, so treat this as a starting point for your research rather than a complete decision guide. What is clear is that By Chiel operates at one of the more considered addresses in Zutphen's dining scene, positioned on 's-Gravenhof 5 in a city centre that rewards the kind of deliberate, occasion-driven dining this restaurant appears to be built around.
Zutphen's historic core sets a specific atmosphere: compact rooms, stone and brick surrounds, and a pace that suits a long dinner over a quick one. By Chiel fits that register. For a date or celebration dinner, the address alone — a historic inner-city square , signals that this is not a casual drop-in. If you are planning a milestone dinner and want something that feels grounded in place rather than generic, By Chiel is worth investigating ahead of the more established names in the Dutch fine-dining circuit.
For a direct spatial comparison: Broederenklooster (€€€ · Modern French) in Zutphen occupies a converted monastery setting that is arguably more dramatic. If the room itself is a priority for your occasion, that comparison matters. Nectar offers a different register entirely. By Chiel sits between those options in terms of formality and ambiance, though without confirmed seat counts or layout details, that positioning is inferred from address and context rather than firsthand data.
No verified information on By Chiel's cocktail or wine program is available in the current data. That is worth flagging directly: if the bar program is your primary reason for visiting , rather than the kitchen , contact the venue before booking to confirm whether it meets your expectations. Dutch fine-dining restaurants at this address tier typically pair a considered wine list with the food program, but that is general category context, not a specific claim about By Chiel. If a strong standalone cocktail program is what you are after, Zutphen's bar scene may offer more targeted options.
For context on where By Chiel sits relative to the wider Dutch restaurant circuit: De Librije in Zwolle and Aan de Poel in Amstelveen represent the top tier of Dutch fine dining with multiple Michelin stars and well-documented booking difficulty. De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen has earned strong recognition for its plant-forward approach. By Chiel does not yet have confirmed awards data, which places it in a different tier , but that also means it is likely easier to book and potentially better value for a lower-stakes special occasion.
No confirmed information is available on By Chiel's approach to dietary restrictions. The safest move is to contact the restaurant directly before booking, particularly for allergy-critical requirements. Most Dutch fine-dining restaurants at this address tier will accommodate common restrictions with advance notice, but do not assume , confirm it in writing.
Booking difficulty is assessed as easy given the absence of confirmed awards or notable press that would drive waitlist pressure. That said, Zutphen is a small city and good restaurants fill on weekends, particularly for occasion dining. Booking a week or two out should be sufficient for most dates, but for a Saturday dinner tied to a specific milestone, two to three weeks of lead time is a reasonable safety margin.
Arrive with limited confirmed expectations and an open mind. The address , central Zutphen, a historic Dutch city , sets a particular tone: this is not a destination restaurant in the way that De Librije in Zwolle or De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen are, but it suits a considered local dinner well. Price, cuisine style, and the drinks program are unconfirmed in our data , contact the venue directly for current menus and pricing before committing. For the broader Zutphen picture, see our full Zutphen restaurants guide.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| By Chiel | — | |
| De Librije | €€€€ | — |
| Aan de Poel | €€€€ | — |
| De Nieuwe Winkel | €€€€ | — |
| De Lindehof | €€€€ | — |
| Fred | €€€€ | — |
How By Chiel stacks up against the competition.
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