De Nieuwe Winkel

De Nieuwe Winkel is a hidden gem in the city center of Nijmegen. The restaurant is the oldest core of a former orphanage. The beautiful entrance dates back to the fourteenth century. It was once the base of a monastery church. When the last nun died in 1638, the monastery church was connected to the adjacent monastery. This turned it into an 'Arme Kinderen Orphanage' for children without civil rights: the Catholic children.

Over the centuries, the building underwent many renovations until it eventually took its current form. Around 1845, the name changed to 'Roman Catholic Orphanage'. After another renovation, the orphanage received its typical nineteenth-century appearance. The Catholic orphanage remained in use until 1953. After that, offices were set up in the building, followed by years of vacancy. Our restaurant was nothing more than a large sandbox.

The municipality initially decided to demolish the building, but activists prevented people in 2000. A twenty-year renovation process followed. Since our opening in June 2019, this beautiful building can finally be admired in all its glory again.

A plant in his hand. Soil under his nails. The smell. The taste. How can I best prepare this plant? Chef Emile van der Staak prefers to sit on a log in the food forest. New dishes are created in that spot. Not because he necessarily wants to do something different from other chefs. Emile believes that today's choices determine what the world of tomorrow will look like. And many choices simply have to do with our food. That is why he turns ordinary plants into finger-licking dishes.

https://denieuwewinkel.com/