The Lemon Tree

Fine dining" is displayed on the large (former shop) windows of this restaurant. Well, it's true! Scandinavian cuisine is the primary source of inspiration for chef Erik de Meester and his team, which means, among other things, that they work extensively with seasonal vegetables. The service staff consists entirely of men and is also relatively young. They rely primarily on co-owner, host, and sommelier Jelle Postma, who certainly knows exactly what he is doing, though he could afford to maintain a bit more calm. Olive green tones in various shades dominate the interior. The wooden tables and chairs are beautiful and contribute to the overall experience. At our request, Jelle pours us an aperitif wine that we can also enjoy alongside the two starters: Groot Parys 'Die Tweede Droom' Chenin Blanc 2023 from South Africa. As a starter snack, we receive a buckwheat kletskoek with pumpkin seeds and green herbs, along with a delicious spread called tonburi that originates from Japan. It is also known as land caviar and consists of tiny seeds from the Japanese summer cypress. Served with the excellent sourdough bread are no fewer than three different herb butters: pink peppercorn, porcini, and vadouvan. Beautifully presented as quenelles on a small stone plate. For the first course, there is sous-vide trout with pickled kohlrabi and dill sauce, accompanied by a spiced toast topped with trout mousse and trout roe. Then comes a round of pickled turnip with buttermilk sauce, jalapeño, tarragon, and a green olive. Entirely vegetarian and outstanding in both flavor and texture. A real calling card! Paired with a glass of Les Romains Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, we are served roasted veal cheek and veal fillet with its own jus, celery root purée, and half a white asparagus. The portioning is on the modest side, but the taste is excellent. Finally, ice cream made with Dutch vanilla, pineapple mousse, and small, fresh pieces of ripe pineapple. With a bit more composure, this establishment seriously stands a chance of earning a spot on the Top-100 list.

The focal point of this cozy, living-room-style setting is a life-sized lemon tree that winds its way up the spiral staircase from the kitchen to the upper seating area. The Lemon Tree is a young and dynamic venture, and you can taste that energy in every aspect. It offers a relaxed and convivial atmosphere, warm service, and a philosophy of keeping things simple, because that is crazy enough, yet executed with class and style. The young and ambitious maître, Jelle Postma, who honed his skills at De Librije, has since become a co-owner. This transition occurred as original owner Valentijn Bergers and his partner, Vince ten Dijk, are currently establishing a new venture in Curaçao, where they plan to spend several months each year. In the kitchen, which champions a Scandinavian approach to cooking, Chef Stan van Lieshout holds court. The former retail space is bustling, furnished with sleek wooden tables and custom-designed chairs within an otherwise tranquil setting. We kick things off with a shot of sambai vinegar, codium oil, and smoked onion broth, and we are immediately impressed. This is followed by an amuse featuring Twente bunker cheese with pickled zucchini and smoked paprika dust. The tone is set. We indulge in steak tartare with pickled beetroot, a sous-vide egg yolk cooked at 64°C, and a shaving of pickled yolk. The lamb neck, topped with roasted hemp seeds, mushroom sauce, and cob-style asparagus, is another hit. Delicious and sophisticated, finished with a garnish of pickled and dried lamb heart. We believe that The Lemon Tree concept will undoubtedly expand well beyond Deventer and Curaçao in the years to come. Best of luck to the team!

A friendly restaurant in the center of Deventer. Upon entering, a life-sized lemon tree immediately catches the eye, a genuine eye-catcher. The former shop is packed with small wooden tables set with linen napkins, and the atmosphere is downright amiable. Chef Stan van Lieshout oversees the Scandinavian cuisine here and loves to surprise; there is no menu. The staff rush up and down the stairs, as the kitchen is located in the basement. Kudos to this crew: they are friendly, jovial, and highly knowledgeable. We start off by enjoying delicious trout with radish and a softly tangy, creamy dill sauce, to which we ordered a dollop of caviar as a supplement. The main courses are excellent. Perfectly cooked plaice in a light creamy fish sauce with al dente vegetables. It is served with a wood-aged Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. And the beef cheek is simply outstanding, juicy and tender. A seared duck liver on top rounds off this classic perfectly. The dessert is just as beautifully presented as the preceding dishes and offers an unconventional combination of popcorn ice cream and lychee mousse. It is topped with an artfully crafted cookie featuring a subtle hint of pepper. A beautiful balance between sweet, sour, and spicy. The menu prices are in line with the quality offered, though we were somewhat taken aback by the wine pairing prices. They are quite steep.

Chef Kevin Schlaman has been succeeded by Stan van Lieshout, who has been working at The Lemon Tree since 2019. A lively atmosphere pervades the modernly renovated former storefront, where a large lemon tree serves as the centerpiece. You can take a seat beneath it, or reserve a spot at the chef’s table to watch the kitchen team in action. All the tables, placed relatively close together, are occupied by predominantly young couples. Scandinavian cuisine takes center stage here, and you can’t help but be delighted by what appears on your plate, as there is no set menu. This makes choosing wine a bit tricky, so we opt for a curated pairing. Owner and host Valentijn Bergers carries out his duties with great enthusiasm, and alongside his youthful team, ensures a thoroughly relaxed evening. With the aperitif comes crispy fresh sourdough bread drizzled with smoked olive oil. We sample super-fresh hamachi and river crayfish in lobster tempura. In the glass, a generously poured Pouilly-Fuissé La Verchère. We savor every bite of a perfectly cooked beef tenderloin with black truffle, accompanied by potato, carrot, poached garlic, and vadouvan. It is also beautifully presented. With The Lemon Tree, Deventer has gained a major culinary gem.

The eye-catcher is the life-sized citron tree under which you can take a seat. But you can also watch from the chef's table as the team works with intense concentration in the open kitchen. There’s a trendy vibe, it’s bustling, and the acoustics are nothing to write home about. Chef Kevin Schlamann and his team prepare Scandinavian cuisine, which you can experience through a multi-course menu. Matching wines are poured by the owner and host, Valentijn Bergers. The kohlrabi blossom with green strawberry, elderflower, goat yogurt with hay and almonds stands out for its crisp freshness. The plating is picture-perfect, as is the case with every dish. With the red mullet accompanied by cucumber, fennel cream, green tomato, and sea lettuce foam, the dried and puffed red mullet skin steals the show. Valentijn pairs it with a German Riesling from Christmann in the Pfalz region. The foie gras with beet, strawberry, and kefir is served with a warm beurre noisette waffle. Another visual delight. For dessert, there’s skyr with a smoked white chocolate sauce and a whey granité. We do wish it had a touch more sweetness. Kudos to the young service staff, who work tirelessly. The price-to-quality ratio is fair. In our view, the dishes could use a bit more of a signature touch.

Last year it debuted in Lekker, and it has received another honorable mention this year for this charming restaurant with a Scandinavian ambiance. The interior features wooden materials and organic design shapes. The centerpiece is a genuine lemon tree that winds its way up from the basement kitchen alongside the spiral staircase. Dishes inspired by Scandinavian cuisine emerge from the compact open kitchen of executive chef Kevin Schlaman, who gained experience at renowned restaurants such as Parkheuvel in Rotterdam and De Lindenhof in Giethoorn. Together with owner and host Valentijn Bergers, a true Deventer native, they are diligently crafting surprising, high-quality dishes with pure flavors, utilizing premium ingredients, many sourced directly from their own garden. Valentijn Bergers: “As a young company, the mandatory lockdown nearly dealt us a fatal blow. We were deeply saddened by it and briefly thought our adventure was over. Fortunately, we recovered and promised each other that we would come out stronger. We already had a second location, so major renovations weren't really necessary. We successfully started producing and delivering Lemon Boxes across the entire Netherlands, providing a complete five-course dining experience at our guests' homes. We also converted a hotel into the Lemon Tree Private Dining Hotel (Finch in Deventer) and began serving our eight-course menu on boats. My vision for the future? I dream of a Lemon Tree Bakery with takeaway and delivery. In my free time, I love going to the barber, sometimes for several hours in a row, and preferably every two weeks. It might not sound very exciting, but it’s where I can truly relax. Fun fact: every day we treat a hospitality student to a meal at The Lemon Tree. Eight courses including an aperitif, wine, water, and coffee for 25 euros. It’s a fantastic masterclass to show them how we work, let them taste new things, and get them acquainted with our craft. Back then, I wanted to eat out everywhere on my student allowance, but I could usually only afford nights like that on payday. I really want to give young, passionate people a helping hand by inspiring them this way.” Guests can choose from a multi-course menu, which can optionally be accompanied by a matching wine pairing. And they certainly aren't stingy with it here. Wines are poured generously, and these extra servings never appear on the final bill. Hospitality at its finest. So let the team at The Lemon Tree dig in. Things are definitely going well right in the heart of Deventer.

Opened in the spring of 2019: fine dining and chef’s table restaurant The Lemon Tree in the Hanseatic city of Deventer. Inspiration was drawn from Copenhagen, both in terms of cuisine and interior and exterior design. Great attention is paid to wooden materials and organic design forms, with the lemon tree as the centerpiece, curling upwards from the kitchen in the basement along the spiral staircase. Host and co-owner Valentijn Bergers and head chef Kevin Schlaman master their craft and showcase it brilliantly, both in presentation and flavor. The menu offers exclusively selections ranging from three to eight courses, marked with a pictogram of a lime wedge (simple lunch) up to a whole lemon tree (extended dinner). The wine list is also beautifully designed and clearly organized. To start, a light vegetarian dish of raw yellow zucchini with fresh cheese, seaweed crumble and powder, and roasted almonds. Beautifully balanced in flavor and refreshingly crisp. Followed by steak tartare with an egg cooked at 63 degrees and pickled beetroot, with egg yolk grated over it at the table. A delicious dish. In the glass, a 2017 Chardonnay Metairie. The Emmerije loin arrives with pan-fried foie gras, roasted white asparagus, sweet potato cream, and crispy bacon. Applause for head chef Kevin Schlaman, who gained experience at Parkheuvel and De Lindenhof. The Domaine Faillenc Sainte-Marie Escapade 2014 from Corbières pairs seamlessly. And what a lovely touch: when we order wines by the glass, they are generously topped up without that extra pour appearing on our bill. Welcome!