De Mandemaaker

A terrace on the inner harbour sets the scene at this French restaurant in the old fishing village of Spakenburg. Inside, the room manages chic and cosy without committing too hard to either. The menu is long and fish-forward, with the chef swinging confidently between classic and playful, a potato mille-feuille here, a dessert riffing on a Martini and coffee there. The kind of place that makes a day trip feel worth planning around.

Two honors, in evidence: