Brass Boer Thuis

Brass Boer Thuis is really thriving. A recurring event is 'Kitchen Take Over', where a chef from a renowned partner restaurant takes over the kitchen and presents their culinary vision so guests can discover new flavors and styles. But regular chef Bart Pasveer also holds his own as a passionate professional, serving balanced fine dining dishes that are bursting with flavor and of the highest quality. The atmosphere is casual and provides plenty of room to linger over a long meal in a pleasant setting. Host and restaurant manager Stefan de Wilde quickly brings the menu, which features à la carte options alongside a Brass Boer surprise menu with or without meat or fish, allowing you to taste the essence of the Zwolle region. You can order a matching wine pairing with it, or choose a bottle from the extensive wine list featuring labels from around the world. The warm scallops with bone marrow, black garlic, and celeriac foam are simply irresistible and are beautifully served in a striking matte black bowl. Equally outstanding is the crispy-fried veal cutlet with Dutch shrimp and – quite surprisingly – an aromatic peanut sauce. We pair it with a Pierre Ménard Orion Alpha from the Loire Valley. A bold combination. We finish with an espresso martini, mascarpone cream, almond cookies, and a sugared pecan. Excellent.

High quality cooking

Starting in 2026, Brass Boer, located on the lively Nieuwe Markt in Zwolle, will be headed by new chef Noah Wynants. The restaurant exudes a relaxed, casual atmosphere where Delft blue tiles effortlessly blend with the...

Fun dining takes center stage at the inviting Brass Boer Thuis by Jonnie and Thérèse Boer on the Nieuwe Markt in Zwolle. Here there is no over-the-top fuss, but rather relaxed coziness paired with top-quality food. The warmly decorated space offers comfortable seating; both the built-in benches and chairs are cozy and guarantee long, leisurely dining sessions. The menu offers a vast selection, and the ingredients used come predominantly from the Zwolle region. The handwritten wine list, curated by Thérèse, features excellent selections from both Old and New World countries, available by the bottle or by the glass. We start with fresh oysters from Oesterij in Yerseke and a plate of paper-thin sliced Iberico ham served with brioche bread. Next comes Anjou squab from chef Bart Pasveer’s kitchen, roasted on the bone with a crispy salad of paper-thin kohlrabi slices and hazelnuts. The meat boasts a deliciously caramelized skin and is so tender it practically falls apart. Accompanying sides include crispy fries from FrietHoes with aged farmer’s cheese and chives, and grilled lettuce with a vinaigrette made from smoked oil and capers. Restaurant manager Stefan de Wilde pairs this with an elegant red Yalumba Y Series Shiraz from Australia’s oldest family-owned winery. The menu closes with the motto: “A good farmer is better than a distant friend.” And that is precisely how it is.

If you're looking for relaxed yet refined dining, Brass Boer Thuis, by Jonnie and Thérèse Boer, is an excellent choice. There are no amuse-bouches or formally set tables here; instead, you'll find napkins crafted from blue-checkered tea towels and paintings by Herman Brood on the walls. In the open kitchen, where head chef Lars Aukema puts wood-fired cooking and grilling front and center, there is a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Aukema cooks primarily with regional produce, and guests can choose from tasting menus, shared dining, and à la carte dishes. The handwritten wine list, curated by Thérèse, offers a thoughtfully selected range of labels from both the Old and New Worlds. Craft beers and digestifs are also available. We start with an unconventional combination of perfectly roasted langoustine and Ibérico pork rib in a tomato-garlic sauce, accompanied by langoustine foam and chives. The accompanying very finely sliced sweet-and-sour celeriac provides a pleasant, crunchy mouthfeel. The bone-in scorched turbot is served whole, and to our surprise, the bottom fillet has been filleted off and placed on top alongside the cheeks, meaning we do not have to turn the fish over on the plate. It is served with thinly sliced Pata Negra ham and morels, plus a small jug of morel jus on the side. It disappears completely. The South Australian red wine Y, a blend of Shiraz and Viognier grapes from Yalumba, pairs beautifully with the fish while also complementing the robust, earthy flavors of the Pata Negra and morels. For dessert, we opt for the classic 'Crêpes Suzette'. It is prepared in the kitchen, and we are invited to watch the flambéing firsthand. Life is good in the capital of Overijssel, especially when the bill arrives. You certainly get your money's worth here.

Although Brass Boer Thuis presents a distinctly different concept from its sister restaurant Librije, owned by the same people, it’s hard to escape the high expectations that inevitably arise when it comes to the kitchen. Yet that is precisely not what Thérèse and Jonnie Boer intend. Brass Boer Thuis is all about enjoying relaxed brasserie-style dining, featuring accessible yet supremely high-quality snacks, cold and warm dishes, served either individually or for sharing. Many of these are cooked straight over the wood fire, alongside a few distinctive Brass Specials—the chefs’ own favorites. Chef Lars Aukema sources most ingredients from the Zwolle region, which consistently delivers flavorful plates. Take the kingfish with cherry tomatoes, fried avocado, macadamia nuts, little gem lettuce, and a Madras curry sauce. Simply masterful. It pairs beautifully with a clean, crisp Riesling from Bernhard Eifel. Excellent. The perfectly pan-seared entrecote with fried coleslaw, smoked oil, and capers is equally well-executed, accompanied by some truly delicious fries. Nothing groundbreaking in terms of culinary innovation, but flawlessly prepared. The complimentary wine pour here is a pleasant surprise: an Australian Yalumba Shiraz Viognier. Elegant, bright, and highly aromatic. The dessert, however, misses the mark. The upside-down apple pie is served with vanilla ice cream and lemon, but the latter tastes watery and bland. A real shame. We skip the coffee, as the staff is already busy clearing tables and resetting them for the next day. While understandable, it does create a somewhat rushed atmosphere. A minor point to note.

Chef Lars Aukema and host Stefan de Wilde are now calling the shots at the new-style bistro-brasserie Brass Boer Thuis. Both hailing from De Librije, and you can certainly tell. The cooking here is delicious, and the approach is highly professional. Don’t expect traditional starters and mains; portions fall somewhere in between, and everything can be combined or shared. It’s all about proper brasserie dining. Many dishes come straight from the wood fire to the table. The restaurant spans two floors, features an open kitchen, boasts a trendy interior, and is filled with affluent millennials. The menu offers “street food” for pre-drinks, options to build your own menu, and a few standout Brass specials. The classic smoked hand-cut beef tartare with aged farm cheese, croutons, and a soft-poached egg yolk immediately hits like a flavor bomb. Next comes raw yellowtail kingfish with jalapeño, unripe strawberry, cucumber, plus some fennel and anise. Absolutely delicious. A glass of 2018 Roter Hang Riesling completes it perfectly. This is followed by perfectly grilled turbot on the bone with a burbot and pea beurre blanc. Paired with a Chardonnay Villa Blanche from the Pays d’Oc, a favorite choice of Astrid Joosten and Thérèse Boer. We’re served farmer's fries with aged farm cheese and chive mayonnaise, and iceberg lettuce with a buttermilk and fresh herb dressing on the side. There’s just enough room left for dessert, so we indulge in mascarpone cream with bitter cookies and candied pecans, and a pastry with spicy strawberries from IJsselmuiden, rhubarb, verbena, and yogurt ice cream. Well-fed but very satisfied. That’s us.

New in this guide last year. Brass Boer Thuis by Jonnie and Thérèse Boer (of De Librije) is described as a 'new-style' bistro-brasserie, where most dishes are served directly from the wood fire to the guests. Following the same concept as their Brass Boer on Bonaire, it naturally features ingredients sourced from the Zwolle region. The restaurant spans two floors. An open kitchen allows you to watch Joris Bruurs at the helm. The ambiance is completed by a gray granite floor, comfortable seating, dark wooden tables set with linen napkins, cork-paneled walls, and trendy music. The menu offers small plates that let you create your own lunch, pre-theater, or dinner menu. Alternatively, you can choose a sharing menu featuring chef’s specials and kitchen favorites. Wines are available by the glass, and thanks to Thérèse, every single one is a gem. Restaurant manager Jan Willem Berendsen ensures a relaxed and enjoyable experience. A truly excellent spot!

Opening a brasserie in Zwolle’s nightlife district when the area is already teeming with similar eateries takes boldness. Yet Jonnie and Thérèse Boer (of De Librije) have launched a new hospitality venture that is swiftly winning over the hearts of the Hanseatic city. A bistro-brasserie “new style,” we’re told, and the sibling of the same-named location on Bonaire, which is why the Zwolle branch carries the suffix “Thuis.” A vibrant restaurant spread across two floors, featuring an open kitchen, wall-side benches, cork-paneled walls, ceilings covered in carpet, dried branches, contemporary music, and, right upon entering, a portrait of the owners on a Delft blue tile. The menu features ten “street-food” starters, the same number of main plates at a moderate fixed price, and several shareable “specials.” We start off on a high note with complimentary water, grill-pan bread, and a dip with cured bacon. Next comes bavette tartare, dressed with anchovy mayonnaise, threaded onto a pickled onion, and topped with foam made from aged Remeker cheese. This is followed by lukewarm slices of leg of lamb, served with gin-infused watermelon, spicy tomato, and garlic. Generous, flavorful dishes that transcend typical brasserie standards. Restaurant manager Jan-Willem Berendsen pairs the meal with a juicy Chilean Chardonnay (Errázuriz), which we enjoy alongside the (whole) farm duck. Slices of breast meat, duck leg, pulled meat with crispy skin, orange butter sauce, and fries with farmer’s cheese, garlic, and herb mayonnaise: incredibly rich, yet utterly delightful. Welcome to Lekker!