Must-visit restaurants in Maastricht

Discover the gastronomy of Maastricht! What better places to eat than at one of the restaurants owned by our very own alumni. Today we share some of the best places to eat but beware, after reading this blog you will be hungry and absolutely want to go there! 

Restaurant Onglet - Levy Smit [F 2009] & Tim Sieben [F 2007] 

Levy Smit and Tim Sieben are the owners of the beautiful restaurant Onglet, since 2019 located in the old butcher building in the `Wyck’ area in Maastricht.  
During their time at the hotel school, they both learned all the ins and outs on setting up a business, entrepreneurship and the hospitality industry. 
Concept development, brainstorming and coming up with new ideas gives them both an ultimate sense of freedom. That is exactly what makes entrepreneurship so much fun, and overall has been the motivation to start their own business. 

The most important focus of Onglet is meat. It also pays tribute to the history of the restaurant's location of the old butcher shop. Levy and Tim always look for the story behind the products, the special parts of the animal, and go beyond the traditional steak. The menu consists of six small dishes that can be shared among the guests. Most of the dishes are prepared on the "Southbend grill" which ensures a pure taste of meat. 

Restaurant Onglet is located at the Wycker Brugstraat 27 in Maastricht.

Restaurant WY. – Ylja Berends [F 2020]

Restaurant WY. opened in October 2024 in Maastricht’s Jekerkwartier, at Tongersestraat 23. The name refers to its two owners: chef Wouter Vroonen and hostess and sommelier Ylja Berends. The building consists of two parts: a small wine bar on the ground floor, where guests can walk in without a reservation, and an intimate à la carte restaurant upstairs. The menu, featuring starters, intermediate courses, and main dishes, serves as a guideline rather than a fixed sequence. Guests are free to combine dishes as they wish. Within its first year, WY. received a mention in the Michelin Guide and was awarded 13.5 points by Gault & Millau. In addition, Ylja Berends received the Michelin Sommelier Award 2025.

Ylja studied at Hotel Management School Maastricht and subsequently worked as maître at restaurant Ralf Berendsen in Lanaken and at Restaurant Überfahrt*** in Rottach-Egern, Germany.

Restaurant WY. is located at Tongersestraat 23 in Maastricht (entrance via Kakeberg 6B).

Restaurant Château Neercanne - Camille Oostwegel jr. [F 2009] 

A little outside the city centre, near the Belgium border, lies the beautiful Château Neercanne. With its beautiful historic baroque gardens that serve as a terrace in summer, it is a unique place to visit. In the former stables of the château, l'Auberge de Neercanne is established. This restaurant has a Bib Gourmand awarded by Michelin. The castle itself houses the renovated Restaurant Château Neercanne. The marl caves that are part of the castle form an extraordinary setting for meetings, parties and wine tastings.

The Oostwegel Collection

The houses of Oostwegel Collection have a rich cultural and culinary tradition. 
The kitchen team of the restaurant, under the leadership of chef de cuisine Robert Levels, uses French cuisine as the basis for its dishes, enriched with surprising preparation techniques from around the world. The dishes therefore consist mainly of a combination of international and local ingredients.

On 1 January 2020, Camille Oostwegel sr. handed over the ownership as general manager of the family business to his son Camille jr. Both sisters also work in the family business. Middle sister Michelle is assistant chef at Château St. Gerlach and youngest sister Francoise is jointly responsible for the interior styling of venues.

Restaurant Château Neercanne is located at the Von Dopfflaan 10 in Maastricht. 

Restaurant Luster- Loek Rekko [F 2018] 

The main concept of Luster is shared dining in a Mediterranean style. In addition to the Mediterranean base of the dishes, the finishing touches of the dishes come from all over the world. Luster combines the Mediterranean cuisine with Asian, South American, and Arabic ingredients, flavors and preparation methods.

Luster focusses on the latest trends and implements them in the business. A current trend Luster has introduced in the restaurant is shared dining; offering guests the option to try many different dishes and therefore flavors. The food is complemented by a wide range of wines and cocktails, to suit every type of guest! The vision of Luster is to distinguish themselves with unique dishes you will not easily find at other restaurants. 

The freedom of being an entrepreneur

Loek is the third generation at the Luster location. He took over the restaurant from his father, and has since then given it his very own twist. For him, the best thing about being an entrepreneur is that there is a lot of room for creativity to make your own choices. Inspiring your staff, seeing your guests appreciate your choices and having it lead to success, is where Loek finds his energy and motivation to run the restaurant.

Luster has many different delicious dishes that will blow your mind. It is very difficult for Loek to choose just one, but if there is one that really stands out, it is the tuna tartare. This tartare is a true eye-catcher and a favorite amongst his guests. 

Restaurant Luster is located at Vrijthof 10 in Maastricht.

Bed & Bistro VIEF – Noël Weltens [F 1993]

Bistro Vief is located in the Sint-Pieter district, at the foot of Mount Saint Peter (Sint-Pietersberg). The name is derived from the Viefsprunk, the local nickname for the intersection of Luikerweg, Mergelweg, Jekerweg, and Observantenweg. The concept revolves around honest, simple, and affordable dishes made with local and international products, in an atmosphere intended to serve as a living room for the neighbourhood. In addition to the bistro, Bed & Bistro Vief opened at the end of 2024, offering two double rooms spread over two floors, each with its own bathroom.

Noël Weltens [F 1993] is co-owner of Bistro Vief.

Bed & Bistro Vief is located at Luikerweg 56 in Maastricht.

Restaurant Petit Bonheur – Ralph Collijn [F 2023] & Maud Collijn [F 2022]

Restaurant Petit Bonheur is housed in a 17th-century urban farmhouse in Maastricht’s Jekerkwartier, at Kapoenstraat 32. The restaurant is part of Hotel Au Quartier, a three-star hotel located in an 18th-century town mansion with 14 rooms. French cuisine is central, with a changing menu that also offers vegetarian and vegan options. The covered inner courtyard is used both in summer and winter. For groups of up to approximately 35 people, the restaurant has a separate salle à manger.

Ralph Collijn is the owner of Hotel Au Quartier and Restaurant Petit Bonheur.

Restaurant Petit Bonheur is located at Kapoenstraat 32 in Maastricht.
 

Harvest Hub – Casper Nieboer [F 2024]

Harvest Hub is a café and catering company located at Boschstraat 67 in Maastricht, opened in 2025. The café serves fresh bowls, salads, sandwiches, soups, specialty coffee, and homemade beverages. Some of the ingredients are sourced from the owners’ own nature-inclusive family farm. In addition to the café, Harvest Hub provides corporate catering throughout South Limburg for offices, companies, and events. The café is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Harvest Hub is located at Boschstraat 67 in Maastricht.
 

Restaurant Enigma – Lisa van Vulpen [F 2023] & Ferry Gorren [F 2023]

Restaurant Enigma opened on 1 March 2024 at Sint Bernardusstraat 20 in Maastricht. The intimate restaurant with an open kitchen seats 22 guests and is open from Thursday through Monday. The concept is carte blanche: guests choose only the number of courses (four to six) and indicate any allergies or dietary requirements. Everything else remains a surprise until the dishes are served. With each menu, host Ferry creates a matching wine and craft beer pairing. Restaurant Enigma is listed in the Gault & Millau guide.

Lisa van Vulpen is the chef and acquired her classical French foundation at the one-Michelin-star restaurant ’t Raedthuys in Duiven. Ferry Gorren is host and owner. Both studied at Hotel Management School Maastricht and subsequently worked at Café Servaas in Maastricht.

Restaurant Enigma is located at Sint Bernardusstraat 20 in Maastricht.