The name ‘De Hemel’ translates as ‘Heaven’ or ‘the sky’. Religious connotations aside, I prefer to think of this name refers to the space this brewery occupies, so near to the bustling central square of Nijmegen yet tucked just a street away in a cocoon of peace. And of course, there’s the beer and food that graces this heavenly sanctuary. My first visit was for a coffee with a colleague in the evening under the blooming cherry trees. The cherry blossoms lit up by the party lights strung in the trees gave the terrace a lovely dreamy quality. Then returning on the King’s birthday with a friend, we sat down in the sun for a lunch comprising of a grilled cheese sandwich, jalapeno burger sans bread and steak fries. The rich juicy burger is shown here without the bun because I personally need to avoid bread. So I missed out on testing the quality of their bread. However, my friend who had the grilled cheese sandwich testifies that the bread they serve is excellent. He also enjoyed the glass of ‘Luna’, one of the De Hemel beers. Not being a beer drinker myself, the brews are lost on me. However, beer-drinking friends all appreciate the various brews which are listed on a dedicated menu page. It is also possible to book special beer tastings and tours of the brewery. Note: the brewery building actually houses another restaurant that hosts lazy weekend brunches as well as serving lunch and dinner. When the terrace is open and you have a preference for the one restaurant or the other, make sure you are sitting in the correct section of the garden. The terrain is divided between the two establishments and the boundaries are not that clear.
