By Alaric 
There are some magical restaurants at De Efteling but the best has to be Polles Keuken Restaurant or Polles Kitchen.
It’s a magical pancake house based on the enchanting story from the Symbolica ride.
You can join Pardoes’ friend and chef Polles in his kitchen at the Hartenhof for some delicious pancakes and sweet treats.
As it was my first trip to Winter Efteling, this whimsical restaurant was the perfect place for fun ambience, comfort food and warming up.
Here is a complete guide to De Efteling’s Polles Keuken Restaurant and if it’s worth visiting.
What is Polles Keuken restaurant?
Polles Keuken is an enchanting themed restaurant based on the Royal Kitchen of Symbolica.
It’s a place where kettles whistles, pans bubbles and ladles fly around the stove amongst cakes and bakes.
It’s based on the story of Symbolica where Pardoes sneaks guests of King Pardulfus around hidden parts of Hartenhof Castle or the Court of Hearts.
During the ride, you see the sous chef Polles in the Royal Kitchens just before the ballroom pushing the world’s largest pancake stack.
This restaurant is an immersive experience where you can try some of Polles’ specialities from his kitchen.
I recommend riding Symbolica first to get a feel for the story before you eat in the restaurant as it makes a little more sense that way!
A magical pancake house
As soon as I walked inside Polles Keuken I was taken aback by the vibrant atmosphere.
It felt like you had walked inside a bespelled kitchen with all the chaos and utensils moving around the room.
All the seating is set around an enchanted central stove piled high with desserts for the royal banquet table.
Every 15 minutes or so the stove spins around with pots banging, doors slamming and kettles whistling for a fun show!
You’ll find that the kitchen is open plan so you can see the chefs cooking up a storm and flipping pancakes for guests.
There’s also a Barrel Bar at the back of the room for those who may only want to stop by for a drink.
What’s on the menu at Polles Keuken?
It will come as no surprise that the menu is nearly all pancake dishes except for a few desserts.
Dutch Pancakes or Pannenkoeken is a very popular dish in the Netherlands and comes served in both sweet and savoury options.
These are large, flat and thin pancakes similar to a Crêpe not to be confused with Poffertjes or the mini batter pancakes.
There is an entire restaurant dedicated to Poffertjes in De Efteling if you prefer.
Savoury choices
Polles Keuken have a great range of savoury pancakes which are perfect for lunch or dinner.
There are simple cheese, bacon and ham options or more complex options with salmon, goat’s cheese and chicken.
I tried their local farmer’s pancake with ham, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, pine nuts and spring onions. It was so good!
They serve all sorts of drinks to go with your pancake including juice, coffee, tea, soft drinks, cocktails, beers and wine.
I was very intrigued by the ‘magical water’. Turns out, it was a glass of glowing water with a colour-changing ice cube dunked in!
Something sweet
After my savoury pancake, I knew I couldn’t leave without a dessert.
They have an entire menu of sweet pancakes served with all sorts of toppings.
You can choose from apples, sugar, banana, pineapple, hazelnut spread, hot cherries and whipped cream.
I decided to order a decorate-your-own-heart pancake which came with fruit salad or candy + a surprise.
It was from the children’s menu but I really wanted a heart pancake and it even came with a free gift.
If you’re curious it was a board game with Symbolica characters and was very cute.
On my next visit, I treated myself to ‘Pardoes’ Magic Jester Treat’ . This was an ice cream sundae served in a giant ladle spoon.
It came with scoops of ice cream, whipped cream, sweets and strawberry sauce.
Again, it was all so delicious and the perfect tonic after walking around the park in the cold and rain!
Is Polles Keuken worth visiting?
Yes, Polles Keuken is worth visiting. It was easily my favourite restaurant at De Efteling for the magical atmosphere and scrumptious food.
Symbolica is one of the best rides at the park taking you through the castle in hidden rooms of wonder.
So, an immersive experience like this one where you can feel a part of the ride again is extra special.
If you can, I would try to secure a table near the stove to see the show as it’s spellbinding.
Don’t skip Polles Keuken Restaurant at De Efteling. It’s a fun place for all the family.
Where is Polles Keuken at De Efteling?
Polles Keuken can be found right next to the popular family ride of Symbolica in Hartenhof Square.
This is accessed by walking down Pardoes Promenade from the main entrance gate.
It’s easy to spot beside Symbolica Castle as you’ll see a massive stack of pancakes outside similar to the one pushed by Polles on the ride!
When you arrive at Polles Keuken, a friendly staff member will ask for your reservation and/or show you to your table.
Depending on the time of day and how busy they are, you may have to wait to be seated. But, thankfully, service is very quick once you’re inside.
I recommend downloading the De Efteling app as it has a handy map and gives you GPS directions to walk there similar to Google Maps.
Opening times
Polles Keuken is open from 10 am to 7 pm daily. Hours may change so it’s best to check their website.
Something cool is that this restaurant remains open after park closing hours.
This was the only restaurant open in the evenings during Winter Efteling that wasn’t in a hotel so I enjoyed dinner here twice during my stay.
It meant a dark walk through an empty theme park back to the hotel. Although a bit eerie, it felt very safe as the paths were lit.
Can you eat in Polles Keuken without a park ticket? No, you must have a valid park ticket to dine as it’s located inside the theme park.
Should you reserve a table?
Polles Kitchen is a very popular restaurant at De Efteling.
It’s also one of the only places to eat at the park with seating that remains open until late.
Although they do take walk-ins, it’s recommended to make a reservation to guarantee a table.
This is especially important if you’re visiting in the summer, on a weekend, or there are lots of people in your group.
It’s easy to book a table via their website or app for free. Click here to book your table!
Magical things to do in De Efteling
De Efteling has so many magical things to do, that it will be difficult to mention them all.
Of course, if you haven’t already you must ride Symbolica which is in the soul of this restaurant.
You’ll meet Polles, Pardoes and King Pardulfus in the Court of Hearts.
My favourite ride was Droomvlucht (Dream Flight) which takes you on a ride through the land of the fairies, elves and trolls.
I also loved Fata Morgana inspired by 1001 Arabian Nights and the Flying Dutchman rollercoaster.
A new ride which has opened is the Dance Macabre. It’s a whirlwind dark ride of spooky music and ghostly fun in a haunted house!
Don’t forget that this theme park isn’t just about rides, there are also shows too.
Raveleijn is an action-packed stunt show based on valiant medieval knights and dragons of old and Aqauruna is a fountain & light show.
You can also take a leisurely stroll around the Fairytale Forest to discover popular folktales around the world.
Of course, no visit to De Efteling would be complete without meeting Pardoes and Pardijn! Look out on the app for meet & greet times.
Where to stay in De Efteling
As it was my first visit to De Efteling, I booked the Efteling Hotel located right next to the park.
The best part about staying here is you get to have early entry which means you get inside 30 minutes before the regular opening.
The hotel is magical with spacious rooms, a huge buffet breakfast, a restaurant, a bar and a gift shop.
There’s also a chance to meet characters like Pardoes, a Raveleijn knight and Little Red Riding Hood in the lobby and restaurant.
I loved my stay here and would recommend it. They often have special offers. I booked a Winter Efteling deal where I had 25% off.
The location is very convenient and I loved the short walk to my room after a long day of walking around the park!
Read more of my Netherlands travel guides
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25+ Hidden Gems and Secrets Spots in Amsterdam
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25+ Things to do in Haarlem that make it worth visiting
The magical Amsterdam City Archive
How to visit the majestic Muiderslot Castle
How to Find Zevenlandenhuizen (Seven Country Houses)
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