Maes, Cuisine du Terroir

Excellent cooking

The chic Van Oys Maastricht Retreat, led by brothers Léon and Michel Maes and featuring a luxury five-star hotel alongside the fine dining restaurant Create, has secured the culinary elite of Limburg by bringing on board chef Guido Braeken, formerly of Julemont. In a relatively short time since opening in May 2025, he has assembled an exceptional team around him. The welcome in the grand lobby from cheerful, impeccably dressed doormen is warm and inviting. And in the elegantly modern luxury dining room, almost everything runs like clockwork under the inspired guidance of host Mark Schellingerhout. Braeken’s cooking is inventive, and there is absolutely no compromise when it comes to luxurious ingredients. Think lobster, turbot, and Wagyu beef. Furthermore, every dish is presented as a visual masterpiece on the plate. The menu offers both a multi-course tasting menu and à la carte options. To begin, a parade of amuse-bouches features sea bass with carrot, salmon with green apple, and tuna with mandarin. Once seated, you’re served a beetroot macaron with foie gras, shiso, and sorrel. These are beautifully paired with the house gin and the house Champagne from Henri Giraud, expertly opened by sommelier and rising young talent Michael Pascaud. A nice touch is receiving a card listing the various available Champagnes and their prices. For the hamachi tartare topped with sashimi slices and the Padrón pepper stuffed with North Sea crab salad, we can choose between a Weissburgunder from Dönhoff (Nahe) or a Riesling from Keller (Rheingau). Both pair flawlessly. This is followed by Breton turbot, red mullet with cuttlefish, and the signature dish of Norwegian langoustines. Served as either a single or double portion, accompanied by garnishes of Australian winter truffle, finger lime, and vin jaune. What luxury and what perfection. Even the cheese trolley is customized with the house logo, just like the marble cutlery rest, the bathroom soap, and countless other meticulous details that turn your visit to Create into a truly memorable experience. What an outstanding establishment this is. It ranks #19 in the Top 20.

A stone’s throw from Maastricht lies restaurant Maes, nestled within the historic setting of Château Oost. Within the five-star hotel Van Oys Maastricht Retreat, the best of South Limburg comes together here in a terroir-driven cuisine that shows respect for the land, the season, and the producer. Pascal Jalhay, who played a key role in developing the sustainability philosophy (from farm-to-table to a preferred no-waste approach), has now been succeeded by executive chef Raymond Remmen, formerly of Château Neercanne. His foundation is the Cittaslow philosophy, placing local products and sustainability at the center. The menu features a set course list with a few specials. The conservatory overlooking the lush castle garden lends Maes a warm, understated luxury. Every detail, from walnut oil to rose butter, contributes to an intense dining experience. Langoustine tartare from Yerseke rests on a green curry, is topped with tomato and horseradish, and is accompanied by a Limburg-style bouillabaisse. An elegant and perfectly balanced starter, both in flavor and texture. The expertly prepared cod served next, with cockles, sea beans, potato, and creamy hollandaise, is classic with a regional twist. Coupe Romanoff with strawberries from Noorbeek and strawberry ice cream from IJsbaas in Margraten gains an extra dimension thanks to the delightful addition of cream with a touch of vodka and a hint of Taiwanese pepper. That one certainly comes from afar. The wine selection partly aligns with this terroir ethos, featuring Limburg wines such as a lovely Pinot Blanc from Domaine Pietershof in Belgian Limburg. The Italian pairings for the cheese board, Montepulciano and Trebbiano, fit slightly less with the regional philosophy, much like the selections on the board itself, which carry a distinctly European character. All of this comes with a noticeable price tag, but the quality is impeccable. Welcome to Lekker.

In the tranquil, luxurious setting of the recently opened Van Oys Maastricht Retreat in Eijsden, Guido Braeken has found a new challenge. With Create by Guido Braeken, alongside his right-hand man Max van der Sterren, he is bringing a kitc...