The story
Restaurant Element is a seasonal fine dining restaurant at Gasgracht 4a, 7941 KE Meppel, and the Gault&Millau 2026 guide gave it 12 points. The kitchen follows the seasons on a 3, 5 or 7 course menu, and the room seats no more than 30.
Niels Noorman previously cooked at Bij Jef on Texel and at De Lindenhof in Giethoorn. He opened Element in the spring of 2025 with his partner, Joleen Dannenburg, who runs the floor as hostess and sommelier. The cooking is light and refined, with vegetables from their own garden and produce from the surrounding region. Lekker500 included the restaurant in its 2026 Top 500.
Sea bass tartare arrives with celery, lemon mayonnaise and cucumber, and a green apple and elderflower vinegar sauce is poured at the table. Green asparagus comes with wild garlic, capers and a foamy lavender sauce with aged goat cheese. Canadian lobster rests on braised leek and is finished with a shellfish sauce that has grapefruit and thyme. The meal ends with a cantaloupe melon granité. Because the menu uses only open bottles, guests choose a wine for each course.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The young couple, chef Niels Noorman – who has gained experience at top restaurants such as Bij Jef on Texel and De Lindenhof in Giethoorn – and his partner, hostess and vinologist Joleen Dannenburg (formerly hostess at places including Sukade in Meppel), opened the doors of Restaurant Element in Meppel in the spring of 2025. This fine dining establishment is housed in the former Gasfabriek, a historic building on the edge of the city center. The interior is sleek and modern, yet highly accessible and atmospheric with excellent acoustics. Niels serves a light and refined cuisine without any fuss, utilizing produce from their own vegetable garden and the surrounding region. At the table, we decide on the number of courses together, and what’s great is that for each course, we can choose which wine we want to drink, as the menu features only open bottles. Bread is provided by the house, and the warm, crispy sourdough bite with salted butter is truly delicious. A modest portion of sea bass tartare with celery, lemon mayonnaise, and cucumber “jujubes” is poured tableside with a rich, velvety sauce of green apple and elderflower vinegar. Fresh and elegant, and a beautiful start to the menu. Next come al dente green asparagus with wild garlic, capers, wild garlic oil, and potato crisps, served with a foamy sauce of lavender and aged goat cheese. The wine, Galodoro 2024, a vinho verde, Alvarinho from Lousada in Portugal with notes of blossom, is fresh, lightly spritzy, and pairs perfectly with both starters. The Canadian lobster piece is incredibly tender, resting on ribbons of braised leek, leek mousse, and shavings of raw leek, and is accompanied by a foamy shellfish sauce with grapefruit and a hint of thyme. We finish with a cantaloupe melon granité and sorbet ice with champagne and olive oil. What a wonderful spot. Welcome to Lekker!
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