Eetcafe 1900

About

We had the pleasure of eating in this charming café in Maastricht, and it may be the best meal we had in the Netherlands. The place is small, maybe 10 tables, and furnished nicely in an art deco theme. It is just beyond central Maastricht and not listed in the hotel guides, so I would assume that they get few tourists. But, it is worth a trip for good food at a reasonable price. When we arrived, there were 6 of us and initially it looked like we would be out of luck because the place was nearly full. But, the owner, who also was the chef, came out of the kitchen and moved a party of 3 from a large table to a smaller table so we could be accommodated. When we sat down, the table was reset with bright and welcoming yellow and white checked placemats and napkins. Our entrees included grilled salmon and asparagus with the best Hollandaise sauce I’d ever had; a salad with cured ham, pate, and steaks with various types of sauces including mushroom, stroganoff and paprika. The entrees came with tons of fries and potato croquettes served family style, and we also ordered several salads and a side of asparagus since it was in season, and both were large enough to share. For these 6 meals and sides plus 7 beers, a soda and a wine (we didn’t have coffee or dessert) the bill came to 120 euros which I thought was a good price. The service was good and the owner was attentive, coming out of the kitchen to make sure our meal went well. I would heartily recommend this place for anyone traveling to Maastricht. Get out of the Vrijthof and have a good meal!

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour