Dear friend,
Here it is – our very first newsletter via Substack! Took a long time coming. For a while now, we’ve been looking for a way to stay in touch with you and to share more about what we’re working on. Substack seems like the perfect platform: you can choose for yourself whether you’re interested in this content, and since all posts are saved, you can always go back and look them up.
In this monthly newsletter we’ll keep you updated on everything happening at the Gedempt Hamerkanaal; at Euro Pizza, Restaurant Europa, and Benelux Bar. From how our menu’s come together, to upcoming events, neighborhood stories, and other updates.
We’re happy you’re here—enjoy the read.
Euro Pizza turns five this year!
Five years ago, somewhere in August, after a renovation and a frozen pizza tour through the city during the first lockdown, we opened our doors at the Gedempt Hamerkanaal. We don’t remember the exact day anymore, but we do remember still holding a paintbrush an hour before opening. In the end, it was simply time to sweep the floor and welcome people in—you’re never really finished building a restaurant anyway.
Since then, we’ve been open five days a week, then six, and since last year, seven. We started with 10 tables, now we have double. We survived two lockdowns, and today we’re a team of 30. It hasn’t always been easy, especially during that freezing lockdown winter of 2020–2021, but thanks to you, we’re still here—and plan to stick around. Even though at the Gedempt Hamerkanaal the question is always: for how long?
To celebrate this milestone, we served a “Greatest Hits” menu on August 29th, alongside a special festive wine list curated by our friends at Troppo Giovane. Afterwards, we danced at Benelux Bar.
This year Euro Pizza is also cooking at some of our favorite restaurants in Europe to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We visited Les Enfants du Marché and Les Ouillets in Paris, Café Service in Antwerp, and earlier this September at Livingston in Marseille. In November we’ll close our Euro Tour in yet another city. Can you guess which one?
On September 9 and 10, we were guests at Livingston in Marseille. We connected through Robin, a former colleague of ours who now lives and works there. Robin’s sister Lotta also worked with us for a long time, and she’s now chef at Metro. Together with Lotta we took the train south to Marseille to visit Robin.
What an incredible city. Marseille is a mix of many cultures, with strong North African influences visible both on the streets and in the city’s food culture. It has stunning beaches, yet also the buzz of a city with a booming dining scene—over 30 new restaurants opened just last year.
We were invited to cook at Livingston, the “residency” restaurant of chef Valentin Raffali. On the days the restaurant was closed, we took over the kitchen. We adapted our menu to fit their format, which is quite similar to Euro Pizza: a fixed menu with several snacks and pizza as the main course.
Cooking at Livingston was a fun way to get to know Marseille, and to introduce Euro Pizza to new people. And the produce in Marseille, woah, it was amazing. We bought fresh flowers from a lady bringing it by bike, which was very cool. All fruit and vegetables was super tasteful and of such good quality, most of it we sourced at the local greengrocer and market.
A big thank you once again to Robin, Lotta, and the Livingston team. See you again soon!
We would like to invite you to a new edition of A Lunch With, featuring Studio Steenhuizen, on Sunday, October 12th, in collaboration with The Cristel Ballroom Gallery.
During this afternoon, Studio Steenhuizen will present and unveil new works, accompanied by a lunch menu inspired by their art. The artists will be present to share insights into their creative process and elaborate on their work. The menu for Sunday 12 will be €50,00 (!).
Studio Steenhuizen is the artistic collaboration between Juultje Meerdink and Emiel Steenhuizen. From their studio in Amsterdam-West, they merge chemistry, vision, and craftsmanship into powerful, naïve, and tactile ceramic works. Juultje studied Product Design, completed a Master’s at the Royal College of Art in London, and has since fully dedicated herself to ceramics. Emiel began his career as a video director and has worked as a tattoo artist and visual artist for nearly two decades, with exhibitions in Paris, London, and Amsterdam.
For more, visit their Instagram: @studiosteenhuizen
A Lunch With Studio Steenhuizen will be the first opportunity to experience their work in our restaurant.
Reserve your seat for this special lunch through the button below.
This Sunday, October 12th, Edgar and Tienson will host another evening of Tintels at Benelux Bar. After several packed and joyful editions, we’re happy to welcome them back again. We will open our doors from 17.00, and the show will start at 18.00. Expect boogie and music to dance to. Entrance is free.
Sanaa’s Kitchen will be open too—so no one has to go hungry between dances.
ADE is around the corner, and this year we’ll be celebrating fully in our very own Benelux Bar. Last year, we had to tour across the city (thanks again Café Soleil, Tillatec, and Garage Noord), but this time we’re staying home.
Here’s what we’ve got for you:
Wednesday 22/10 and Thursday 23/10 performance artist Khadija and producer Reda present AJJIT, bringing together music, movement, and emotion. Drawing inspiration from North African rhythms and electronic sounds, they celebrate the beauty of multifaceted identity, inviting us to gather, reflect, and remember.
22/10: 22:30–23:15, doors open 20:00–00:00
23/10: 22:30–23:15, doors open 20:00–01:00
Friday 24/10 our good friend Berkan kicks off the ADE weekend in style, joined by David Vunk and Kyra Khaldi, to set Benelux Bar on fire. We’ll keep going until 06:00.
Saturday 25/10 we host a true home game with YUSU. Expect a packed line-up full of energy from start to finish. If you want to really dance, this is the night for you.
On October 30th, Hokkai Kitchen and Restaurant Europa will come together to host an exclusive sake-and-food pairing event, guided by none other than Rumiko Obata from Obata Sake Brewery.
This event is built around Obata’s extraordinary sakes: from a sparkling daiginjo to bold kimoto styles, and even a rare koshu aged in Sado’s historic goldmine.
Inspired by this line-up, Restaurant Europa and Hokkai Kitchen have created a one-time-only menu that brings sake and food into perfect harmony.
The menu will be €225 p.p., including the full menu and the sake pairing. Lunch will be from 12.00, diner from 19.00 and will take place at Hokkai Kitchen in Ijmuiden.
Citrus season has begun! From now until approximately December, we get the best of it—sharp, bright and aromatic. At Restaurant Europa and Euro Pizza, citrus finds its way into almost everything we do.
By combining different varieties— such as sudachi, bergamot, mandarins, lemons—we build layers of acidity and fragrance that bring freshness and tension to our food. Right now, we’re making kosho from every type of citrus we can get our hands on, and making confit buddha’s hand for example.
You’ll find citrus in our desserts, but also in dishes like the raw venison loin “nigiri style” at Restaurant Europa; there’s citrus in the kosho that seasons the “japanese mustard” served on the side, and zest and juice incorporated in the pearl barley that accompanies the venison.
Current main course at Restaurant Europa: “Best of Duck”, did you try it yet?
Thanks for reading our very first newsletter. We’re excited to share more stories and moments with you.
We hope to see you soon at Gedempt Hamerkanaal!
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