Wielinga

Restaurant Wielinga is located in the historic heart of Leiden. Tall windows and classic ornaments adorn a beautiful building. A stylish interior features black-and-white tones, an open kitchen, and a lovely terrace by the water. The kitchen of Naomi van Es, who trained among others at Savelberg, is undeniably French yet modern. The menu offers both a choice and lunch menu, as well as a Bib Gourmand menu and an extensive Chef’s menu. We start with a refreshing glass of Dom Rafaël Herdade do Mouchão Branco from Portugal. Bread arrives in a rather modest portion, and there is no amuse-bouche. However, the starters make an immediate impression. The raw-pickled and lightly charred mackerel with avocado, jalapeño, citrus, and lettuce foam is refined and meticulously prepared, while the spring salad of snap peas, peas, samphire, and feta cream is well-executed and fresh. In the glass, a Bourgogne Blanc Thierry Drouin Chardonnay 2023, creamy and refreshing. This is followed by an excellently cooked veal entrecôte with artichoke à la Barigoule, Pommes Anna, silver onions, and an intense black garlic jus. The doneness is perfect. Just as impressive is the cod with lobster, amboise, and basil sauce: glossy, tender, and beautifully balanced. The accompanying Spätburgunder from Weingut Thörle 2022 pairs well. The dessert features a chocolate bomb with caramel mousse, raspberry ice cream, and berry coulis, followed by a carefully curated cheese plate featuring among others Tomme du Fouzon and Comté. Paired with it is a Vieux Pineau des Charentes from Château de Montifaud, softly sweet and refined. Service is led by Ellen de Jong and proves friendly, professional, and attentive, with a sommelier who sets the right tone with humor and expertise. Wielinga remains one of those restaurants you always find yourself longing to return to: classic cuisine, stylish ambiance, and genuine hospitality.

Chef Naomi van Es is in the kitchen of Restaurant Wielinga. Her cuisine is based on classic techniques, refined with a contemporary touch. You can taste this in the steak tartare with egg yolk cream and parsley, cornichons and c...

Wielinga on the Nieuwe Rijn, in the heart of Leiden’s city center, has long been one of the city’s established culinary staples. It is a large restaurant, decorated in black and white, with a small charming terrace by the water. Chef Richard de Vries prepares French-classical cuisine with a contemporary approach, resulting in dishes that are notably lighter. The dishes in our three-course menu tonight are each prepared with quality ingredients, though they lean somewhat toward the safe side. The smoked Irish beef tenderloin, served with a green herb vinaigrette, baby potato salad, and sweet-and-sour oyster mushrooms, is well-cooked but hardly extraordinary. For the main course, the red mullet was substituted with plaice, which works less well: red mullet is a firm fish, whereas plaice is not, so the dish featuring stewed octopus, fennel, roasted peppers, and a bouillabaisse sauce falls out of balance. The pheasant, on the other hand, is wonderfully juicy, and combined with mushrooms, lemon, and thyme, makes for a truly delicious dish. The delightful summer fruit dessert with peach, raspberry, and sorbet ice cream provides a lovely conclusion to the evening. Our sommelier pours excellent wines by the glass to accompany the various dishes, with the house Coussin La Croix du Prieur Provence rosé standing out as a cool, spice-forward companion to the beef tenderloin. Regarding service, expanding the staff on a reasonably busy evening like tonight would be welcome; currently, the only two hardworking employees have to handle everything themselves, including the front terrace. This occasionally results in waiting times. A few points of criticism, then, but otherwise, Wielinga certainly deserves a place in this guide to Leiden’s culinary scene.

A beautiful venue with an attached wine bar in the center of Leiden. Just outside the entrance is a small but cozy terrace, which was packed with guests enjoying lunch during our visit. We head inside. We’re seated at a lovely table by the window and begin with a glass of festive Elvia cava—round, mild, and lightly effervescent. The restaurant is stylishly appointed: a refined ambiance, ornate ceilings, and a classic interior. Diners enjoy a clear view of the kitchen where the passionate chef Richard de Vries works, using French classics as a foundation while adding contemporary touches to his recipes. This is evident in the simple yet flavorful starter of goat yogurt mousse with watermelon and olive oil gazpacho, pickled cucumber, fennel seeds, and puffed potato with smoked salt. Absolutely delicious! Next comes a salad of gently poached cod with crème fraîche and lime, potato croquant, and algae powder. It could use a complementary sauce, as the flavor profile feels slightly muted. Our very friendly and knowledgeable server Mireille recommends a rich Equoia Chardonnay 2021 from Granite Coast Vineyards, Monterey USA, which is intense with balanced acidity. It pairs perfectly with the grilled thick sole fillets served with celery risotto, briny vegetables, and lobster cream sauce. Truly exceptional quality and beautiful flavors. The wine list is straightforward, offering a wide selection of wines by the glass at very fair prices. For dessert, we have a strawberry Romanoff coupe featuring strawberry and vodka cream, puffed rice, pepper, and vanilla ice cream. Perfect. Wielinga represents relaxed dining and drinking in an informal, comfortable setting with outstanding value for money. A textbook example of supreme hospitality and culinary craftsmanship.

Where the foxtrot used to be rehearsed in this former ballroom dance school, chef Richard de Vries, together with sous-chef Raoul Waardenburg, now has dishes waltzing in the pan with a deep appreciation for classical French cuisine. We find Wielinga on the Nieuwe Rijn, directly across from the old fish market in the heart of the Key City. Thanks to the beautiful weather, we enjoy our aperitif—a fresh and fruity Monte del Frà Pinot Grigio delle Venezie poured by sommelier Rogier Schurink—on the terrace. For dinner, we move to the chic dining room, which features high, beautifully plastered ceilings and a sober yet atmospheric interior. The place is bustling with mostly thirty-somethings who have come to savor the chef’s generous cuisine. We begin with a creamy shellfish bisque featuring juicy Canadian lobster mingled with tomato and chives, served alongside crispy fresh bread. This is followed by pan-seared sea bass, accompanied by a fennel compote blended with baby carrots, tarragon, and puffed potatoes, all bathed in a delightful fish sauce. For the main course, beautiful slices of pink-grilled veal loin rest on a bed of dried tomatoes, olives, and green herbs, alongside a mash of fresh Dutch garden beans. Despite the generous portion, we would have gladly asked for more of those beans—they were simply that delicious! With the excellent strong coffee, homemade treats such as a madeleine and a chocolate truffle with fresh cream are served. We are so delighted we could practically dance all the way home.

Here, along the Nieuwe Rijn, dotted with restaurants and pontoon terraces, Luca Wielinga taught almost all of Leiden the ins and outs of the foxtrot, waltz, and rumba. Her ballroom dance school even grew into the premier meeting place for Leiden in the post-war years and remained a household name in the historic city long after its closure in 1994. Kudos to John Fakkel’s sense of local history; he opened a dining establishment at the same address in 2015 and restored the name ‘Wielinga’. By the way, it’s a beautiful spot, featuring a wine bar, terrace, and tall windows topped with granite-black awnings. Because the interior walls, floors, and cabinets are also finished in shades of black, they contrast beautifully with vintage white features like the ornate ceiling, fireplaces, wall paneling, window frames, and table linen. Head chef Richard de Vries, who succeeded Henk Schreuder, serves unapologetically classic cuisine. We sample the pan-seared goose liver: two substantial slices served on caramelized apple with a calvados sauce, accompanied by a glass of Sauternes. Delicious! The steak tartare is equally appetizing—coarsely cut, tender, and finished with gherkins, onion, chives, and a poached egg. Sparkling in the glass is a Petit Chablis from wine wizard Patrick Piuze, which we pair with confit duck leg served with sauerkraut and parsnip. We also have the pan-fried beef fillet, thick and tender, accompanied by potato gratin, broad beans, and Madeira jus. A lovely spot.

Located in the heart of the university city of Leiden is Wielinga, formerly a dance school where many Leiden locals learned their first dance steps. Set within an exquisitely maintained ambiance featuring a classic interior, ornate ceilings, and beautifully set tables, the chef has been preparing classic French dishes in his open kitchen for many years. The high quality of the venue is evident from the large number of (regular) guests who come to sample his culinary expertise—a tradition that remains just as popular since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The kitchen delivers professional excellence, and the menus are flawlessly executed from appetizer to dessert. In addition to the restaurant, Wielinga also houses a wine bar, with its entire wine list curated by neighbor Yvo Erades of the wine merchant La Bordelaise. Wine enthusiasts can truly indulge, as a wide selection of wines is available by the glass, offering ample opportunity to sample various options, with or without a tasty accompanying bite. It is a delightful way to begin the evening before dinner.

A beautiful restaurant and wine bar in the center of the university town. Many a Leiden resident learned to dance here in the past when the Wielinga dance school occupied the premises. For years now, head chef Henk Schreuder has been cooking here with passion. The restaurant is stylishly furnished, and guests enjoy a clear view of the open kitchen. We select from the predominantly French-classic dishes on the menu: thinly sliced tuna fillet with lemon mayonnaise served on pan-fried little gem lettuce, prawn, and crispy sesame kletskop. Nothing wrong with that. The other starter, duck liver terrine with smoked eel fillet, apple jelly, and crispy bread, also scores points. Unfortunately, the main courses lack a bit of zest. The skin-fried corvina fillet is cooked well, but the lemon beurre blanc lacks freshness. The sweetbread is crispy and comes with stewed white beans, though the accompanying shellfish sauce is a bit flat. The recommended Pinot Noir Révélation from Clément Payer d'Or pairs beautifully. Incidentally, the wine list is meticulously curated and reasonably priced. Thanks to a partnership with a nearby wine shop, there is a fixed corkage fee of 15 euros per bottle. We follow this with a crème brûlée infused with coffee and cardamom, and a selection of five classic cheeses served with quince compote and fig-buckwheat bread. In the glass, a delicious ten-year-old Madeira Verdelho. We’re practically waltzing out.

Located in the former mayoral residence of Leiden. In front of the entrance is a small but cozy terrace, which was packed with lunching guests during our visit. So we head inside. We’re seated at a nice little table by the window and start with a glass of festive De Sousa champagne, blanc de blancs, fresh with a light sparkle. When we ask if other dishes are available (the lunch menu is quite limited), we are immediately recommended the two-course lunch menu. We go for it. The starter consists of two thin, slightly warm Dutch asparagus spears topped with delicate slices of duck liver—a delightful beginning. For the main course, fresh turbot fillet arrives with garnishes of lamb ear, risotto with a hint of lime, tomato coulis, and once again two slightly warm Dutch asparagus spears. The turbot is slightly overcooked, causing it to lose its briny flavor. But why serve asparagus twice in a two-course menu? We find that a bit too simple, and it doesn’t quite fit a creative chef like Henk Schreuder. Paired with it, we have a glass of 2015 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, lightly chilled but with a lovely bouquet. For dessert, we have Romanoff with fresh Dutch strawberries, strawberry jus, crème fraîche with cassis liqueur, vodka, black pepper, and vanilla ice cream. Perfect.