De Beukenhof

First mention of an inn in Oegstgeest is made in 1355. The inn owes its name 'de Voskuyl' (the foxhole) to the fact that in this area people caught foxes in holes. In 1517, the inn was destroyed, rebuilt and subsequently served as a place where religious meetings or 'conventicles' were held.

The road on which the inn is located connects the historical town of Leiden with the fishing villages of Noordwijk and Katwijk on the North Sea coast. It was on this road where in 1926 two enterprising young men bought 6000 m2 of land with an idyllic white house on it with the idea to start a teashop. One of them, Leo van der Putten, was an imaginative garden expert who got his ideas in England. Back in Holland, Van der Putten wanted to try his luck in garden architecture. His companion in this adventure, the carpenter Brik, converted the small house into a teashop. Thanks to the three centuries' old beech, the name is changed into 'Beukenhof' (beech garden). Van der Putten designed a stroll garden and with Brik started selling plants and serving tea to noble families on their way to town or the sea. In 1948, 'De Beukenhof' became the restaurant as we know it today.

At present, 'De Beukenhof' is one of the best known and most respected restaurants in the Netherlands. It has a contemporary design but without having lost the distinction of the centuries' old ambiance and its intimate private atmosphere both inside and outside in the garden. Many celebrities have gone before you and enjoyed an evening of culinary delights, including Queen Beatrix, Maria Callas, Liz Taylor, Montgomery, Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima... while many more will no doubt follow.

Questions and Reservations
If you have any questions or you wish to make a reservation, please contact the department for Guest Relations- sales on telephone number +31 (0)71-517 31 88 or send an e-mail to info@debeukenhof.nl.