Vuurtoreneiland

Vuurtoreneiland is unlike any other restaurant: set inside a 19th-century fortification on a protected island in the IJmeer just outside Amsterdam, it is accessible only by boat. After the hour-long crossing, the city feels entirely left behind. With limited electricity and no running water, everything is cooked over wood and open fire. The kitchen shows a profound understanding of vegetable cooking, treating ingredients with care and restraint and allowing seasonal, locally sourced produce to shine. For dinner, the six-course pure plant menu is precise, understated and confident. Reservations are notoriously hard to secure, but well worth the patience. For anyone who values nature, craftsmanship and produce-led sustainable cooking, Vuurtoreneiland is not to be missed.