De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen named world's best plant-based restaurant

De Nieuwe Winkel was voted the best plant-based restaurant in the world at the Gastronomic Forum in Barcelona. Last year, the Nijmegen restaurant, which also has two Michelin stars, came in second place.

“We see this as a nice complement for all the effort we put in,” owner and chef Emile van der Staak said to Omroep Gelderland. “I think a lot of people have never heard of it. They are like-minded professionals who come together. Being able to lead a change in gastronomy feels like an honorable task. But you also mustn’t exaggerate it.”

According to Van der Staak, more people are realizing that eating so much meat and fish is harmful to the planet. “People are certainly willing to adjust their behavior if there are good alternatives. We are on that cutting edge. We offer an alternative to the traditional approach. That motivates people to pay attention to it and that is a completely new development. It is moving faster and faster.”

People who want to try the world’s best plant-based food will have to test their patience. The restaurant is currently fully booked until the end of February.