Het Koetshuis

Halfway between Utrecht and Arnhem in the tiny place of Bennekom in the middle of the famous Veluwe forest, you find the wine-loving restaurant Het Koetshuis. Here owner (and obvious wine fanatic) Danny Lohr took over the family restaurant. Both locals and city folk who want to escape the crowds are regulars here – after all, it’s only an hour away from Amsterdam, 25 minutes from Utrecht and even less from Arnhem.

The old building looks like a classy tavern and looking at the perfectly mowed grass one would expect golf tournaments in the garden. Chef Tom Lamers took over the hard-to-fill shoes of Danny’s father Wicher but fills them well. Classic, elegant yet playful dishes, not too large so you can have a tasting menu and not feel overfull.

The wine list is extensive with great attention to the classics. Also great is that you can get some developed wines at for example the ‘Bourgogne Rouge’ level that will not financially set you back dramatically, even though you also can go all the way up to Grand Cru level. You can feel that the owners love their wine and that they have been doing so for years. A great selection has been built.

Stemware, temperature and service are up to speed, as one could expect in a place like this, but which is comforting nevertheless. Het Koetshuis is one of those traditional Michelin-starred restaurants where you might spend a bit more, but where service, food and atmosphere more than make up for that. Worth every penny.