Poppe

Open seven days a week. In this former, cozily furnished blacksmith's workshop, owner-chef Sander Struick prepares an international cuisine featuring primarily local ingredients. After a warm welcome, we take our seats at a carefully set linen table with a view of the centrally located open kitchen. The menu offers regional products such as wild boar, venison, and mallard from the Veluwe, alongside a wide selection of other fish, meat, and vegetarian dishes. The bread from the local bakery is par-baked in-house, and the selection is generous. We sample ox sausage with brioche, mustard shoots, a poached egg, crispy shiitake, chopped capers, gherkins, and hollandaise sauce. A variation on classic steak tartare that we thoroughly enjoy. Seared scallops with marinated prawns, sea beans, potato crisps, and ponzu foam make for a refined intermediate course. The Ournac-Frères 2022 white wine from Domaine Coudoulet in Cesseras, poured for us by host and sommelier Puck, is an excellent choice. The subtly smoked and medium-rare roasted veal entrecôte is generously accompanied by new potatoes, citrus endive, crispy beetroot chips, and parsnip. Surrounded by a rich and fresh jus with orange. The dessert is overwhelming and quite bold: caramel cream with pistachio, raspberry sorbet, pepper-pistachio crumble, and white chocolate foam. We refresh ourselves with a cup of deliciously strong coffee and are delighted when the bill arrives. Here you get literally and figuratively great value for your money. Tip: upstairs is the dining room De Huiskamer, where you can dine privately.

The atmosphere in this former blacksmith’s shop is relaxed and informal. Several elements in the interior still hint at its former purpose. The tables are beautifully set and offer a view of a large open kitchen in the center of the dining room. The service is warm, jovial, and welcoming. We lacked for nothing, and the wine recommendations were spot-on. It’s pleasantly bustling on the weekday evening of our visit. The menu features a wide selection of à la carte dishes alongside a culinary surprise menu aptly titled “The Blacksmith’s Secret.” The kitchen operates at a consistently high standard. Delicious dishes served at a perfect pace, prepared with fresh regional ingredients. Alongside the aperitif, we’re served olives and bread, after which we indulge in duck terrine with duck rillette, a smoked duck with duck liver and apricot chutney. Beautifully plated and carefully presented. It also pairs excellently with the accompanying Domaine de Pajot Floc de Gascogne. We continue our culinary journey with pan-seared loin fillet in a crispy crust of Taggiasca olives and vadouvan, creamy risotto, and roasted pepper foam. Nicely complemented by a Côtes du Rhône, Château d’Aqueria 2022. Poppe is a wonderful spot, particularly for its price-to-quality ratio, as you can make your meal as extravagant as you wish, and it’s conveniently open seven days a week. Simply top-class!

How delightful, a restaurant that is open every day of the week. New in this guide last year and making a return appearance. Poppe is housed in a beautiful old building on the edge of Zwolle's city center. Formerly a blacksmith's workshop. A few original elements still hint at this, such as cobblestones on the floor and stable lamps on the ceiling. The eye-catcher is the large open kitchen surrounded by linen-covered tables that offer a clear view of the disciplined team working under chef Sander Struik. What stands out is the composure of the front-of-house and kitchen staff; they understand each other after half a word and work like a well-oiled machine. A welcome calm. After a glass of Torelló Brut Cava, Special Edition 2014 from Catalonia, we start with a crispy quiche featuring duck liver, duck ham, mushrooms, and a Pedro Ximénez gel. Paired with a lightly sweet Floc de Gascogne Domaine de Pajot from 2015. We continue with a masterfully cooked sea bass accompanied by shellfish risotto, briny vegetables, gambas in kataifi, and aromatic lobster foam. In the glass, a robust Clay Creek Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 from Lodi (USA) that effortlessly stands up to the bold flavors. The tournedos Rossini with spinach, brioche bread, and Madeira jus proves itself a classic of elegance. We can't resist and choose the cheese plate over the sweet dessert, enjoying among others cheeses served at the perfect temperature, with the Belgian Oud Bokrijker lingering pleasantly thanks to its sharp flavor crystals. Pouring a Pedro Ximénez from Cardenal Cisneros is a fairly unexciting but obvious choice. Poppe cooks generously and without fuss, and it is advisable to make a reservation in advance. The place is typically packed with food lovers.

Located in an old blacksmith’s workshop on the edge of Zwolle’s historic center. Several original elements have been preserved, such as old floor tiles and cobblestones on the floor, along with stable lamps hanging from the ceiling. The centerpiece is the massive open kitchen, surrounded by numerous tables. Owner-chef Sander Struik works there with his team, focused and calm, preparing a predominantly French cuisine where dishes can be ordered from a regularly changing multi-course menu. The atmosphere is relaxed, and you feel immediately at ease as a guest. With a glass of Salentein sparkling wine from Mendoza, we nibble on a small bowl of delicious olives. The first course consists of duck marbré and rillettes, duck liver, a tutti frutti salad, and Pedro Ximénez syrup. Nothing to complain about. Paired with a full-bodied red Scaia Paradiso 2019 from the Veneto. We continue with two perfectly cooked turbot fillets, accompanied by fennel and lime butter sauce. We finish with a cheese board featuring Chaource and Pont-l’Évêque from France, an ash-coated Belgian goat cheese, and from our own Wolvega, an aged blue cheese, served with quince jelly and rye breadsticks. The bill arrives promptly, and we are politely seen off by the professional waitstaff. A lovely establishment. You’re warmly welcome at Lekker!