Meneer Smakers

Eating burgers with the family

TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTO © MENEER SMAKERS

After a day’s shopping, there is nothing more relaxing than stepping into a living room, greeting the family and enjoying a good burger. At Meneer Smakers, you basically walk into the dining room and are served the best burger in town. “It is like being at home with your family,” says Huub van de Vecht, co-founder of Meneer Smakers.

“We want you to feel at home when you eat at our restaurant’s three locations. They are all in the centre of Utrecht; the branch at the Oudegracht is the most central,” explains Huub. He and his brother Paul, along with partner Erik, opened the first restaurant four years ago. “People were queueing outside. We felt that we needed to open a bigger, second restaurant. But they are all offer the same: locally grown, fresh products and the best grilled burgers and fries.” The staff at Meneer Smakers will make you feel right at home. “When you order, you become part of our family,” says Huub.

The meat for the burgers is prepared in the restaurant and comes from the best butcher in Utrecht. “All the products are from here and around town. We have created a sub with a local baker, just for Meneer Smakers. The burgers are grilled instead of cooked, which gives them a richer flavour,” tells Huub. The burgers are all named after family members, such as aunts and uncles. “Some of them are inspired by our own family. For instance, the Aunt Connie is a vegetarian burger because our aunt Connie is a vegetarian.”

It is not only the burgers and condiments that are homemade, the fries that go alongside are too. “The potatoes are from a farm just outside of town. At the restaurant we make fresh fries from them.” To top it off, you can enjoy different beers from breweries in Utrecht. “We have a selection of beers from De Lekkere and Maximus. And some more special beers, from outside of town.”

These days you can also find Meneer Smakers at different food festivals. Huub: “We really like those festivals, so we bought an old UPS van and converted it to a mobile Meneer Smakers. Now you can taste our burgers at the festivals.”

Dining at Meneer Smakers is like coming home to a great burger meal. “So you can truly enjoy a homemade, grilled burger with the family, yours and ours!”

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