October 21, 2024 · Team HG
It is perhaps one of the most fairytale-like places in our province, the estate. Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren. You can see the beautiful manor house sparkling from afar. But just before that manor, on the left, you will find restaurant De Boerderij. The establishment of Merijn van Dijken and Aniek Busscher.
‘When we started here, it was very dated,’ says Busscher. ‘There were fussy tablecloths on the tables and tea was served in teapots. People often thought it was very chic, but that was exactly what we didn’t want to be.’ So those tablecloths came off the tables and De Boerderij became the establishment the couple themselves had envisioned: unpretentious hospitality, accessible to everyone, but definitely good.
‘We’ve turned it into a place we’d love to visit ourselves,’ Busscher continues. ‘A welcoming restaurant with a nice selection of craft beers and a lunch menu that’s just a little different. The lunch menu is more than the croquettes with bread you see everywhere. Think, for example, of flammkuchen, good pan-grilled sandwiches, and homemade nachos. Just a bit trendier than what’s on the menu elsewhere in the neighborhood, but not too crazy.’
De Boerderij is a place where you can feel good all year round, Busscher also points out. ‘And more and more people from the city of Groningen know that too; they come to Slochteren to find some peace and quiet. In the summer, you can sit wonderfully on the terrace, and the children can play to their heart's content in the grass surrounding the terrace, or in the large climbing tree.’
In the winter, you can warm up nicely at De Boerderij after a lovely walk. "We really have a fantastic large forest behind here where you can walk for hours," says Busscher. "And of course, you can visit the museum as well. It is really the combination of the fairytale setting, the forest, and the nice hospitality that makes this place so unique."
In addition to the grand café, De Boerderij also has two other spaces: the Heerenkamer, where you can sit down for an extensive high tea, dine with a large group (from 15 people), or hold meetings with a view of the Fraeylemaborg. Furthermore, there is the Fraeylemazaal, suitable for parties, celebrations, corporate drinks, and so on.
De Boerderij is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For more information, please visit www.de-boerderij.net.
