Fa. Pekelhaaring

7.7 /10

Rowdy, big-hearted Italian-ish canteen that Van Woustraat treats as its living room.

Fa. Pekelhaaring is what happens when a neighborhood restaurant refuses to take itself seriously while quietly cooking better than most places that do. The big, art-cluttered room on Van Woustraat runs from morning coffee to late dinner, and the kitchen speaks Italian with a Dutch accent: handmade pasta that changes with the day, sea fish grilled with restraint, antipasti built for the middle of the table. It's loud in the good way, birthday tables, first dates, families with kids drawing on the paper, and the staff handle all of it with a wink rather than a script. Gault&Millau and the Michelin guide both keep it on their lists, which feels almost beside the point; the real endorsement is that half of the Nieuwe Pijp seems to have a standing order here. Book the back table for groups.

Ask for the day's handmade pasta and let the kitchen pick your antipasti.

What to order

Full menu

Linguine with lobster€24/€34.50
Bisque-slicked and generous, the pasta that keeps the Bib Gourmand honest.
Tagliata di manzo€29.50
Off the barbecue with rocket and parmesan; the reliable carnivore order.
Deep-fried sprats
With lemon, the salty opener reviewers mention as the house handshake.
White chocolate cheesecake
With raspberry sauce; locally infamous, do not share graciously.