A Dordt invention
The frikandel comes from Dordt
It is the snack of the Netherlands: around 600 million are made every year, more than 37 per Dutch person. And according to the best-known story, it all began in Dordrecht.
In 1954 the Dutch food law was changed. The meatballs made by Dordt local Gerrit de Vries contained too much binder under the new rules to still be called meatballs. De Vries came up with a solution: he rolled the same mixture into a long sausage and called it a frikadel. The Dordt invention was born.
To be fair, Deurne also claims the frikandel. There, at the end of the 1950s, Jan Bekkers ground the meat much finer, and his recipe is the basis of the frikandel as we know it today. But for us it is clear: the first one was made in Dordt.
Want to honour the frikandel yourself? Join the Frikandellentocht (frikandel walk): a walk through Dordrecht with three frikandellen along the way. It takes place several times a year.
Tasty from Dordt
Besides the frikandel, Dordt has more treats that locals are proud of. Don’t miss these addresses:
Hazelnut pastry from Banketbakkerij Brokking
When people in Dordt go visiting, they bring hazelnut pastry from Brokking. This patisserie has been a household name in the city for generations and is famous for its hazelnut cake. Tip: come early, because popular treats sometimes sell out fast.
Address: Krispijnseweg 49, Dordrecht · brokkingbanket.nl
Sausage rolls from Bakkerij De Man
Warm, crispy puff pastry with a spicy filling: for the best sausage roll in Dordt, head to Bakkerij De Man on the Singel. A regular stop for many locals.
Address: Singel 185, Dordrecht · Bakkerij De Man on Facebook
Schapenkoppen
Of course the schapenkop belongs on this list too: a crunchy butter biscuit named after the nickname of the people of Dordt. Find out where that nickname comes from under Did you know?
Is there a Dordt treat or shop that really should be on this list? Let us know via About Visit Dordt.