The Lemon Tree

What The Lemon Tree does

The Lemon Tree is a Dutch fine dining restaurant group founded in 2019 and headquartered in Deventer, Netherlands, operating under The Lemon Group B.V. with 94 employees. Its core offering is a seasonal Chapter-menu concept inspired by Nordic dining philosophy, in which the menu changes monthly without a traditional fixed card and guests choose between 4, 5, 6, or 7 courses (€77.50-€117.50 per person), with optional wine (€49.50-€72.50) or non-alcoholic (€37.50-€56.95) pairings curated by an in-house sommelier. The culinary approach combines French technique with Scandinavian simplicity and is led by Chef Erik de Meester, supported by co-owner and Maître Jelle Postma and founder Valentijn Bergers. Surrounding the flagship restaurant are a Chef's Table (13 seats, kitchen-side 7-course experience), Private Dining and a Boardroom for business meetings with private entrance, a Sunday-only 4-course lunch service, and a gift voucher program.

Distribution is direct-only: reservations are made via the Frank App, phone, or WhatsApp with a mandatory €25 per-person deposit, and the restaurant does not use third-party delivery platforms. The group has expanded through three sub-brands: The Lemon Skybox (a Go Ahead Eagles football stadium hospitality experience for 24 guests per home match), The Lemon Tree Curaçao (an adults-only casual fine dining location opened in 2025 using locally grown Caribbean ingredients), and recurring Shanghai pop-ups in collaboration with Asiades International during Furniture China. Five Deventer-area hotels (Finch, Pillows, Huis Vermeer, Gaia, Matanze) provide reciprocal referrals, and the restaurant is listed across Gault&Millau, Lekker, Star Wine List, Smart, Tripadvisor, and Business Restaurant for industry recognition. The Lemon Tree 2.0, a renovated concept with a new chef signature, was launched in 2026.

Name

The Lemon Tree

Legal name

The Lemon Group B.V.

Website

https://thelemontree.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Lemon Tree is a Dutch fine dining restaurant group offering seasonal Nordic-inspired multi-course Chapter menus from a flagship in Deventer, plus Curaçao, a Go Ahead Eagles skybox, and Shanghai pop-ups, serving affluent diners and corporate clients through direct reservation channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Exclusive Dining Access & Chef’s Table Reservations (HSACAMAJ)

Keywords

• Fine dining restaurant
• Seasonal tasting menu
• Private dining events
• Wine pairing services
• Culinary hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Deventer

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fine Dining Table Service: Revenue from multi-course dinner and lunch menus. Customers choose number of courses (4, 5, 6, or 7 courses) and optionally add wine or non-alcoholic pairings. Includes amuse-bouches and bread. Table reservations require a €25 deposit.
2. Skybox Corporate Hospitality: Revenue from exclusive Lemon Tree Skybox experiences at Go Ahead Eagles home matches. Includes 3-course dinner, unlimited premium drinks, reserved heated seats with name tags, and host service. Limited to 24 guests per match.
3. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers sold in configurable amounts, delivered by email or mail. Provides upfront cash flow and drives future reservations.
4. Curaçao Location: Casual fine dining on Curaçao opened in 2025, featuring a five-course Caribbean-inspired menu with locally grown ingredients. Adults-only experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Lemon Tree operates a fine dining restaurant in Deventer, Netherlands, offering seasonal multi-course Chapter menus (4, 5, 6, or 7 courses) inspired by Nordic dining philosophy and prepared with French technique and Scandinavian simplicity using locally sourced ingredients. Supplementary paid offerings include an intimate 13-seat Chef's Table with open-kitchen view, private dining with a Boardroom suited for business meetings, Sunday lunch service, optional wine and non-alcoholic pairings, and gift vouchers. The group also operates a casual fine dining location in Curaçao, an exclusive football stadium skybox with Go Ahead Eagles, and an annual pop-up in Shanghai.

Product overview

The Lemon Tree is a fine dining restaurant group operating primarily from Deventer, Netherlands. The core offering consists of seasonal multi-course dining experiences (4, 5, and 6-course Chapter menus) inspired by Nordic dining philosophy. Key product modules include the Chef's Table (intimate 7-course kitchen-side dining for 13 guests), Private Dining (customized menus in dedicated spaces including a business Boardroom), and Sunday Lunch. The portfolio includes sub-brands: The Lemon Tree 2.0 (renovated concept), The Lemon Skybox (football stadium hospitality), The Lemon Tree Shanghai (pop-up in China), and The Lemon Tree Curaçao (Caribbean expansion). Add-on offerings encompass Wine Pairing services and Gift Vouchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Lemon Skybox: An exclusive skybox experience at Go Ahead Eagles stadium offering fine dining, unlimited premium drinks, and heated seats with name display for 24 guests per match.
• The Lemon Tree Shanghai
• The Lemon Tree Curaçao

Products and services

• Fine Dining Experience (Chapter Menu)
• Chef's Table

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Asiades InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2026Annual culinary pop-up collaboration at the Asiades International stand during Furniture China in Shanghai. The Lemon Tree translates its signature style into a special menu with modern Asian influences. The fifth edition runs September 8–11, 2026. Exclusive access via WhatsApp request.
• Go Ahead EaglescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partnership with Go Ahead Eagles football club to operate The Lemon Skybox at De Graafschap stadium during home matches. The Lemon Tree provides full fine dining hospitality including a 3-course dinner, unlimited premium drinks, amuse-bouches, desserts, reserved heated seats with name tags, and host service for 24 guests per match. Reservations via WhatsApp.
• Hotel Finch, Pillows Boutique Hotel, Grand Hotel Huis Vermeer, Hotel Gaia, Landgoed MatanzeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFive partner hotels in and around Deventer recommend The Lemon Tree to their guests as the top dining destination. Partner hotels include Finch Boutique Hotel (5-min walk), Pillows Luxury Boutique Hotel (IJssel riverside), Grand Hotel Huis Vermeer (1-min walk), Hotel Gaia (Nieuw Rande estate, 5-min drive), and Landgoed Matanze (Terwolde, nature setting). The Lemon Tree reciprocates by recommending these hotels to its diners.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Mosa Canta: Fine dining restaurant on Curaçao offering multi-course tasting menus with Caribbean ingredients. Direct geographic and format peer for The Lemon Tree's Curaçao location; useful as a comparable for the international expansion thesis.

Broad incumbents

• De Librije: Three-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant in Zwolle with seasonal tasting menus and chef Jonnie Boer's signature narrative format. Comparable on Nordic-adjacent seasonal philosophy and on Dutch regional positioning outside the Randstad; sits a tier above on recognition and price.
• Spectrum (Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam): Two-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant inside the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. Comparable on premium tasting-menu format and sommelier-driven pairing, though it sits within a hotel rather than as a standalone destination.
• Bord'Eau (De L'Europe Amsterdam): Fine dining restaurant in De L'Europe Amsterdam with multi-course menus and a strong wine program. Comparable on premium tasting-menu format and corporate/private dining capability, though housed within a flagship hotel.

Direct peers

• Tribeca aan de Meeren: Fine dining restaurant in Heeze, North Brabant, with seasonal multi-course menus and a similar chef-led, single-format concept. Comparable on product format (tasting menus), regional premium positioning outside the Randstad, and reliance on destination dining.
• Aan de Poel: Two-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant in Amstelveen offering multi-course tasting menus with seasonal ingredients. Comparable on formal tasting-menu format, premium pricing, and corporate/private dining capabilities.
• De Plantage: Amstelveen-based fine dining restaurant with seasonal, locally-sourced tasting menus and a comparable intimate, chef-driven format. Closely matches The Lemon Tree on concept (multi-course seasonal menus), price tier, and target audience (special-occasion diners, corporate clients).
• Bolenius: Amsterdam fine dining restaurant known for Dutch-influenced seasonal cuisine and a vegetable-forward, Nordic-adjacent philosophy. Comparable to The Lemon Tree on culinary philosophy (seasonal, locally rooted, no fixed menu), price positioning, and the focus on a single tasting-format experience.
• Restaurant Parkheuvel: Two-Michelin-star Rotterdam fine dining restaurant known for tasting menus and corporate/private dining packages. Comparable on multi-course format, premium pricing, and a similar dual focus on individual diners and corporate/private events.
• The Mill Restaurant: Rotterdam fine dining restaurant offering modern multi-course tasting menus with a strong wine program. Comparable on price tier (premium per-cover pricing), wine-pairing structure, and Sommelier-led guest experience similar to The Lemon Tree's pairing offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thelemontree.nl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lemon-tree-nl
• Instagraminstagram.com/thelemontree.deventer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Lemon Tree