De Vluchthaven

The name Safe Haven really fits the bill: a refuge to leave the daily grind behind and enjoy what Chef Dick Pieter Arkenhout has in store for you. The location is truly unique, housed in an old ferry house at Zijpe, offering views over the Eastern Scheldt from its idyllic terrace on summer days. The interior is cozy, featuring vintage furniture, Persian rugs, and crockery in every color and size. Fresh fish, crustaceans, and shellfish dominate the menu, alongside vegetables and herbs grown in their own garden. Guests can choose between a rotating four-course chef’s menu and, during the season, a lobster menu. Almost everything—from ingredients and drinks to even cleaning products—is organic and sourced from suppliers in the Schouwen area. We enjoyed juicy grilled Eastern Scheldt lobster and a generously filled bowl of plump mussels prepared simply, though they hardly needed any enhancement. What matters here is quality, and it is top-notch. Don’t expect overly complex cooking techniques; what you see is what you get. And that is more than enough. Add to that a relaxed service team and a comfortably paced dining experience. One useful detail: Brasserie de Vluchthaven is open from mid-March to the end of October. After that, the crew takes a brief hiatus to recharge for the next season.

Owner and head chef Dick Pieter Arkenbout knows how to appreciate Zeeland products at their true value. All fish comes from the Oosterschelde, the Grevelingen, or the Veerse Meer. Shellfish from the Oosterschelde and Grevelingen, mussels from the Oosterschelde or Wadden Sea, and razor clams from the North Sea coast. Arkenbout and his team master the art of omission. Purity is the norm, and they steer clear of gels, foams, or crisps. All ingredients are organic, and this isn't about following a trend, but has been a conviction for years. De Vluchthaven opens around Easter and closes somewhere in late September. There are three menus: ‘Trust the Chef’, ‘Lobster Menu with Fish Soup’, and ‘Lobster Menu with Shellfish Combination’. We’ll say it right away: it’s definitely not cheap, but the portions are generous and of top quality. The establishment is quite special. The former ferry house is decorated in a vintage and colorful style, creating a pleasant Mediterranean atmosphere. In good weather, you can sit outside at teak tables. Sipping on a luscious viognier, we peel shrimp served as an amuse, then move on to a selection of mussels, razor clams, grilled oysters, and palourdes. Pure and bursting with flavor. The grilled Oosterschelde lobster is to die for, as is the delicious béarnaise sauce and crispy fries served alongside it. Our verdict: nothing more to add.

A long-standing favorite among lovers of fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. Owner and chef Dirk-Pieter Arkenbout has his business well in order. It is always bustling in the former ferry house, and making a reservation well in advance is a must. The interior looks as though it came straight from a thrift store, but it has been carefully curated and unmistakably creates a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere. Outside, you sit at dockwood tables paired with various wooden chairs. Colorful cushions are scattered everywhere, and the abundance of plants is neatly arranged. As noted, fish, crustaceans, and shellfish dictate the menu here. Everything is made fresh from scratch: from the mayonnaise to the fries, and from the béarnaise sauce to the paper-thin croutons. The chef cooks many dishes on the charcoal grill, and you can smell it from afar. With the aperitif – we order a bottle of 2022 Viognier Serre de Guéry, recommended by the friendly host on duty because we are going for the lobster menu, which must be ordered when reserving – we receive cooked cockles and Dutch brown shrimp to peel ourselves. Accompanied by cocktail picks stuck into a cork to help pry the cockles from their shells. The lobster soup starter falls somewhat short. Lightly portioned and straightforward in flavor. That changes with the second dish, which we ordered extra. A generous portion of mussels, carpet shells, and razor clams. The mussels and carpet shells are cooked in a delicious, spiced broth. The razor clams are prepared on the charcoal grill and dressed with pickled shallots and fresh herbs. Delicious. Two half-roasted lobsters follow, served with fries, mayonnaise, an incredible, rich béarnaise, and braised sea asparagus with onion and garlic. Life is good at the Bruinisse quay. Although you do now pay quite a hefty bill for all this delicacy. Borderline.

Over the years, owner and chef Dirk-Pieter Arkenbout has gathered a loyal following of affluent fans. There is an unpretentious, 'Ibiza'-like atmosphere in the former old ferry house, which is decorated with bric-à-brac and features variously shaped white-painted tables and a colorful assortment of chairs. On nice days, you can take a seat on a lovely sheltered terrace overlooking the harbor. Fish, crustaceans, and shellfish dictate the menu here, with your choices written in chalk on a blackboard. With the aperitif, a ginger beer, we nibble on peeled prawns and pick cockles (known as kruukels in Zeeland dialect) from their dark brown shells to dip them in delicious mayonnaise. The starter is lightly smoked, buttery Oosterschelde eel, served with soy-marinated cucumber. Next comes a firmer fish, pan-fried skin-side down, served with al dente fregola, accompanied by a coulis of tomato, eggplant, onions, and herbs. Surrounding it are green vegetables such as sea aster, green beans, zucchini, and a foamy crab sauce. Delicious! Paired with a glass of Picpoul de Pinet. For dessert, there is frangipane served with plenty of red fruit, chocolate ice cream, and strawberry mousse. The bill for all this is steep. However good the quality may be, honestly speaking, you would expect this more in Ibiza than in Bruinisse.

De Vluchthaven stands for unpretentious, delicious food and a genuinely welcoming approach. It begins with the warm reception from the team, who gladly show you to a table inside the restaurant or on the sheltered terrace. The clear focus here is on fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. Menus are handwritten on slate boards and brought to your table for explanation. You can choose between a lobster menu, a crustacean and shellfish menu, or "trust the chef," who will craft a four-course tasting menu based entirely on that trust, using the day’s fresh catch. You can taste the quality in every fantastic preparation. We thoroughly enjoy the palourdes, their natural juices blending seamlessly with a sauce of silky mashed potatoes and olive oil, finished with a touch of garlic. Grilled langoustines follow as the next course, perfectly cooked to yield tender, succulent meat. A subtle kick comes from finely diced red pepper. The real highlight, however, is the skewer of five chunks of Oosterschelde eel, alternately threaded with fresh bay leaves. It’s not greasy at all, incredibly flavorful, and disappears just as quickly. The bottle of Picpoul de Pinet pairs beautifully with every dish. A fantastic spot!

Don't come here for fancy dining, as the decor is, to put it mildly, unpretentious. But if you love incredibly fresh fish, crustaceans, and shellfish, you've come to the right place. Housed in the ferry house of the former punt that once crossed to South Beveland, this cheerful eatery serves lobster, crab, and mussels prepared in Zeeland butter with herbs from their own garden in Zonnemaire. It doesn't get any purer than this. Guests come from far and wide: young and old, couples and families, friends and tourists. Father and son Arkenbout run the show in this culinary haven, working predominantly with organic ingredients. The salt-grown vegetables are harvested in and around the harbor, and all the fish comes from Zeeland waters. When the weather is nice, try to secure a spot on the terrace overlooking the Zijpe. You won't regret it! Helpful to know: De Vluchthaven is closed for part of the year, roughly from October through February.

The ambiance is Spartan. The owner, Dick Arkenbout, is an independent Zealander who only receives guests at his restaurant during the summer months (the former ferry house of the pontoon crossing to Zuid-Beveland, located across the way), spending the rest of the year sailing through the Aegean and Ionian waters. It’s an experience: if you’re lucky, you’ll find a spot on the outdoor terrace right on the banks of the Zijpe and enjoy lobster, crab, or mussels, fresh from the water and prepared in Zeeland butter with herbs from his own garden in Zonnemaire. It doesn’t get any purer than that. Deliciously flavorful, highly sought after by connoisseurs from all over the country. We sample exquisite Eastern Scheldt eel with herb salad, followed by oysters with an Asian-inspired sauce and fried razor clams. Salty, savory, and refreshing. And cockles served in their shells, where the rich cooking broth is meant to be sopped up with the accompanying rustic bread. Arkenbout pours a Viognier alongside it (Serre de Guéry, 2017), which also pairs beautifully with Eastern Scheldt lobster. A massive specimen from the nearby saltwater, grilled and seasoned with lemon basil blossoms, served with homemade béarnaise, fries, and mayonnaise. Plus, naturally, the standard utensils for picking, snipping, and cracking. As a fisherman drops by with a haul of freshly caught grey mullet, we indulge in strawberry ice cream with red fruit, chocolate, and shaved nuts. A top-notch spot.

This restaurant is a phenomenon: right on the Zijpe, with a terrace where the Zeeland sun beats down fiercely or the salty sea wind whistles around your ears. It features an interior of wooden pier tables without tablecloths. The kitchen serves straightforward Zeeland cuisine, and chef-owner Dick Arkenbout makes extensive use of fresh fish such as lobsters and crabs, prepared in a pan or on the grill. He serves them with sauces, warm farm bread and butter on a blue-and-white checkered napkin. Pure, incredibly fresh, organic, and delicious are the magic words here, and as soon as summer draws to a close, Arkenbout closes the place and spends several months sailing his boat along places like Crete or Sardinia. We taste harder carpaccio with lime and olive oil. Thin slices of super-fresh fish with flavor accents like borage, coriander, red pepper, chive blossoms, and ginger: a feast of flavors. And we happily pick clean a whole grilled crab, with a bit of apple mayonnaise and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The fish soup that follows is a thing of beauty: made from red bream, served with croutons, rouille, and Gruyère. To finish, grilled Oosterschelde eel. A fantastic, affordable spot.