Sukade

Former warehouse from 1860 where dried southern fruits were once stored. The venue spans two floors, with a large open kitchen on the ground floor where chef Thomas van Mechelen and his team serve an international cuisine with a fondness for Asian flavors. Here you can enjoy a monthly rotating 'Smaeckmenu' available as a multi-course meal or à la carte. From the aperitif list, we choose a sucade cocktail based on a Belgian fruit liqueur, bergamot, lemon, and lime. Alongside it, we indulge in super fresh Geay oysters. From the menu, we opt for three courses with a matching wine pairing. We start with deliciously marinated, coarsely chopped tuna tartare with green beans, savory, and jalapeño mayonnaise. Hostess and sommelier Iris Mol pours a Pauly Trinkfluss 2022 made from Pinot Blanc, Elbling, and Riesling from the Mosel alongside it. An excellent combination. My table companion enjoys a lamb cutlet with a ras el hanout sauce, pine nuts, feta, and bulgur with pomegranate. This bulgur is creatively presented in a colorful mini-tajine. It is a pity that only 'lamb' is listed on the menu instead of lamb cutlet. Not everyone is a big eater. For the main course, we shift to Cantonese cuisine with domestic duck breast in hoisin sauce and crispy bami noodles. The duck is incredibly tender, the sauce has a lovely umami flavor, and the portion is generous. The dessert arrives in a trio. An orange liqueur crème brûlée, accompanied by chocolate mousse, and in the center a bonbon with olive oil, cookie crumble, and Eton mess. The price-to-quality ratio is more than satisfactory here. Just like the friendly service and the pleasant pacing of the service.

Where sukade and spices were once unloaded and stored in a warehouse on the quay in Meppel, chef Thomas van Mechelen now crafts a rich and balanced cuisine. In the 'Smaeckmenu' with four to seven courses, taste...

Located on the Stoomkade, where sukade was once delivered by boat among other goods. This spacious restaurant boasts a modern interior featuring marble tables, some of which are left uncovered, along with excellent acoustics and a pleasant atmosphere. In the beautiful open kitchen, chef Thomas van Mechelen and his team work with focused precision. We choose the four-course fish and meat menu, which Thomas personally explains at the table. We begin with a ponzu-marinated dorade backfillet topped with paper-thin slices of radish and Alkmaarse gort, wrapped in strips of daikon. The dish is brightened with wild garlic and dashi. The Pazo Lodeiro 2020 from San Fiz do Barón in northern Spain’s Ourense region, chosen by host Wilco, pairs perfectly. Next comes John Dory, a fish that rarely graces the plate. It is wrapped in lardo di Colonnata and served with fennel sauerkraut, crispy-fried silver onions, and a foam of beurre blanc with black garlic. Beautifully balanced in flavor. Then follows the meat course: rosé-roasted ribeye with a warm salad of green asparagus, pickled spring onions, and hollandaise sauce with beurre Café de Paris. This is followed by a surprising selection of cheeses, including Päölke cow’s milk cheese from cheesemaker Christine Köning in Zevenaar, the Netherlands, Fette Berta, a triple cream from northwestern Switzerland, and a piece of lightly aged koekaas ripened on pine bark from Rhenen. The tiramisu dessert looks stunning, but in our opinion is slightly too rich to serve as a finale to such a lovely dinner. The price-to-quality ratio is impeccable.

Sukade is the gem of Meppel’s dining scene. The food is excellent, the service friendly and attentive, and the wine is poured generously. You can choose between a frequently rotating fish and meat menu and a vegetable menu, both offering three to six courses. Paired with a divine Philibert du Charme Chardonnay, we nibble on lightly salted and smoked almonds. Meanwhile, chef Thomas van Mechelen comes to the table to go over the menu. You immediately feel like a welcome guest. As an amuse-bouche, there is a flavorful parsnip soup with ras el hanout. Hostess Joleen Dannenburg has everything well under control and proves to be a friendly and attentive host. For the starter, a combination of marinated and lightly cooked salmon with sake loro, dashi, XO, and romanesco leaves. A special wine accompanies it: the Nyakas Irsai Olivér 2022 from Hungary with unmistakable muscat notes. Lovely! The main course features a generous portion of bavette steak. It comes with pomme dauphine, mushrooms, thin pea strips with tarragon oil, and a delicious, airy morel sauce. From the bottle comes a robust glass of wine: the Horgelus Côte du Gascogne Phi-Ling, a blend of cabernet-sauvignon and tannat. The only dish that left us slightly less enthusiastic was the somewhat tough frangipane with pomegranate ice cream, hangop, and Medina spices. One highly appreciated detail: the price-to-quality ratio is excellent.

Sukade is located in the former Smaeckpakhuys on the Stoombootkade. On summer days, you have a beautiful view over the water from the terrace. Sukade used to be a storage facility for spices and southern fruits, which is where its name comes from. You can visit here during the day for coffee and homemade pastries, a nice lunch, or an extensive dinner in the evening. Chef Thomas van Mechelen prefers to cook with honest and local ingredients, and his cuisine is international with a nod to the past. There are multi-choice menus for fish and meat, as well as a multi-choice vegetable menu. The wine selection is presented in a somewhat disorganized manner in a wooden box with cards. We sample creamy burrata with roasted tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil, alongside excellently prepared steak tartare with piccalilli and roasted onions. Our charming hostess-sommelier Joleen Dannenburg pours a rosé from Maison Robert VIC in the Languedoc region, which pairs perfectly. Kudos, by the way, for the non-alcoholic options. How about various juices, homemade iced tea, Batu Kombucha, and a range of virgin cocktails – with the 'rosemary spice' being a real recommendation. Tagliatelle is served with king oyster mushrooms and mini zucchini, and we feast on a spicy chicken thigh curry with coconut milk and sticky rice. Life is good and pleasant in Meppel. Especially so when the bill arrives. Because the price-to-quality ratio is top-notch.

In this former Smaeck warehouse on the Stoombootkade in Meppel, you can enjoy coffee with homemade pastries, an extensive lunch or dinner, or simply have a drink at the bar. Historically, citrus fruits, spices, and yes, sukade, were shipped here from across the globe, and head chef Thomas van Mechelen enjoys incorporating these ingredients into his cooking. The atmospheric, minimally designed dining room is cozily bustling with a wide variety of guests, accompanied by soft jazz playing in the background. You can choose between two menus: one highlighting meat and fish, and another (vegetarian) centered around vegetables. A complementary wine pairing is available upon request. Our meal takes us on an international culinary journey, beginning with tender, lightly acidic Peruvian sea bass ceviche, followed by sautéed prawns with basil oil and beurre blanc plus antiboise from the Mediterranean, before concluding in Asia with butter-braised sukade served with boemboe sauce. This final dish is paired with an elegant Pinot Noir from the Languedoc region by Métairie Les Barriques—a fine selection by our hostess-sommelier, Joleen Dannenburg. Great care is taken in the presentation of the dishes, which are served on beautiful and decorative plates. We occasionally lose track of service due to the high number of different staff members working, but they are all equally friendly and professional. One point of attention concerns the non-alcoholic beverages; the selection there could certainly be a bit more extensive.

Located in the former Smaeckpakhuys in Meppel, dating back to 1860, when flavorful products from around the world—citrus fruits, spices, and candied fruit peel—were shipped here. Chef Thomas van Mechelen delights in surprising guests' palates by revisiting these classic ingredients while also introducing new culinary discoveries. The kitchen serves classical French cuisine with a nod to the past and faraway lands, incorporating modern cooking techniques. Seasonal inspiration guides the menu, with an emphasis on sourcing local products whenever possible. The restaurant faced more than just the setbacks of the coronavirus pandemic; it also had to contend with a fire. The resulting smoke and soot damage was so extensive that the reopening was delayed until July 3. Nevertheless, the team at Sukade remains optimistic and is actively developing innovative concepts for the future. Sukade is a gathering place for friends, families, and colleagues, offering coffee and cakes from Bas Bakt starting at noon—he also supplies their sourdough bread. Guests can also enjoy a healthy lunch, dinner with or without a wine pairing, or a late-night drink at the bar. The atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed in this trendy yet cozy setting where nothing is left to chance. Hostess and sommelier Joleen Dannenburg, along with her cheerful team, ensure a delightful experience for every guest. On warm summer days, guests can relax by the water on the charming terrace. A fun fact: every four weeks features a Wine Tasting Tuesday. Coinciding with the launch of the new menu, the Sukade team collaborates with guests and suppliers to discover the perfect food-and-wine pairings, which will directly determine the wine selection for the upcoming month. Takeaway meals and set menus, introduced at the onset of the crisis, will continue to be available as a convenient option going forward.

Debuted in this guide last year, and once again earning an honorable mention this year for this delightful restaurant run by Bianca Henken-Meppelink. Sustainability, combating waste, and a focus on vegetables are highly valued here. Guests can even order a special vegetable menu created by chef Thomas van Mechelen. We are served bread from 'Bas Bakt' in Meppel, an artisanal bakery that uses its own sourdough starter for a slow fermentation process, resulting in exceptional flavor and texture. Simply delicious. The menu rotates every two weeks. On Sundays between noon and 7 p.m., guests can join for a Sunday Roast—a three-course meal featuring several small starters and desserts, plus a single main course served family-style in the center of the table for sharing. We opt for the Sunday Roast and begin with five small starters. These are paired with a crisp Pinot Grigio from Moldova called "Dreams, Heaven Can Wait." The starters include a Thai curry soup, steak tartare with piccalilly mayonnaise, feta cheese with marinated golden beet, prawns accompanied by various preparations of pumpkin, and fermented cucumber with a wasabi walnut. Deliciously flavorful and beautifully presented. For the main course, we have homemade chorizo and pork loin, served with braised and boiled young carrots, potato cream, and soybeans. While the pork loin is slightly on the dry side, the chorizo is juicy and wonderfully spiced. Coffee is provided by Frans de Grebber Coffee Shop, which developed a special double-roasted organic blend exclusively for Sukade, yielding a rich, aromatic flavor. A big thumbs-up goes to the carefully curated wine list, featuring affordable selections expertly recommended by hostess and sommelier Joleen van Mechelen.

No more spices and exotic fruits (such as candied peel) are unloaded at the Stoombootkade. The warehouse where all this used to be stored has since been transformed into the atmospheric and modernly designed Sukade restaurant. Inside, it’s pleasantly warm, the guests are relaxed, and the open kitchen under the direction of owner-chef Thomas van Mechelen is in full swing. The menu changes every two weeks and offers both a meat/fish and a vegetable five-course option. That takes boldness. Star anise and pink peppercorns feature in the elegant amuse-bouche of beetroot and meringue. Dutch brown shrimp are classic but have received a modern twist through their combination with Japanese wasabi and wakame. On the advice of hostess-sommelier Joleen van Mechelen, we pair it with a white Wolfberger from Alsace made from pinot gris, riesling, and muscat grapes. This combination makes the experience complete. We are less impressed with the main course: ribeye with braised short ribs. The portion of short ribs is too large and too salty, and the ribeye, presented as thinly sliced cold cuts, is hardly recognizable as such. Our complaint is taken seriously, and a replacement piece of meat is offered. The glass is refilled with a lovely La Villette 2015 from Gascony. The beautifully executed and flavorful dessert features wild strawberry ice cream with a hint of ginger and panna cotta with coconut sauce. The Colonjes Muscaris 2016 from Dutch soil in Groesbeek is fresh and pairs perfectly. Price and quality are spot on here. Welcome to Delicious!