De Mark – The Hot Restaurant on the fringes of Amsterdam

In a waterside pocket just north of Amsterdam, De Mark is blazing a trail across the Dutch food scene – a new culinary landmark nestled inside boutique bolthole De Durgerdam. With a flame-fuelled kitchen and a menu steeped in coastal punch and countryside roots, this is the place to eat if you like your flavours sharp, your plating bold, and your atmosphere buzzing with style.

At the helm is Head Chef Koen Marees, leading a kitchen that crackles with energy and vision. Koen’s pedigree is impressive, and it shows, but what makes De Mark so compelling is the collaboration that defines it. Marees is joined by two heavy-hitters from Amsterdam’s haute cuisine circle: Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot, the minds behind Michelin-starred 212 and De Juwelier. Together, they’ve created a dining room that’s relaxed yet radical, steeped in Dutch flavour but driven by invention.

De Mark doesn’t shout, it simmers – letting fire, fermentation and finesse tell the story. At its core is the open grill, where much of the menu meets the flame. Think BBQ-roasted maitake mushrooms paired with harissa, celeriac and cumin hollandaise – a deeply umami-rich bite with smoky heat and botanical swagger. Or the grilled North Sea sole, served with Zeeuwse vongole, sofrito and flame-charred lemon – a dish that balances brine, citrus and caramelised edge like a coastal symphony.

Vegetables here are anything but side notes. The “Beet au Poivre” channels French bistro attitude with green pepper sauce and onion compote, while a kohlrabi ceviche laced with dill, horseradish and fennel seeds proves the team’s light touch and Nordic leanings. Even a tomato tartare – made from Dutch vine tomatoes and served with sourdough, garlic and sea salt – delivers surprising depth, all brightness and crunch.

Seafood, naturally, has a starring role. A standout is the Dutch chicken with Stellendamse shrimp, barbecued broccolini and a crustacean jus cut with salted lemon – part surf, part turf, all swagger. Then there’s torched North Sea cod, plated with roasted peas, seaweed butter and Vin Jaune sauce laced with Overijssel’s ‘zolderspek’ – a rustic nod that still lands polished.

It’s food with soul and snap – where every dish reads like a story from the Dutch delta, layered with terroir and technique. Even the snacks hit hard: fries cut from Zeeuwse Agria potatoes come golden and proud, with homemade mayo on the side, while butterhead lettuce in a herb vinaigrette brings a crisp, cooling crunch.

Desserts stay inventive without losing comfort. There’s a caramelised celeriac tart with Szechuan pepper and vanilla ice cream – sweet, vegetal, spicy – and a mandarin sorbet served with fennel and hangop, a cultured Dutch dairy that lands somewhere between yoghurt and cloud. For the purists, there’s rich chocolate ganache with long pepper and blood orange, or a sharp finish of local cheeses from Kef.

The space itself is pure clubhouse cool – low-lit, warm-toned and broken into intimate zones with a fireplace, a wine snug and a sociable, stylish hum. In summer, tables spill out onto the pontoon deck, with views across the still water and the faint rustle of reeds – the kind of place where long lunches drift into golden hour.

De Mark is many things – a neighbourhood haunt with sky-high standards, a showcase of local produce, and a kitchen with serious heat. But above all, it’s the bold new taste of Durgerdam, powered by fire, friendship and food that dares to be different.