Block & Barrels
Block & Barrels exudes craftsmanship. On entering, you walk past the lunch kitchen, which is reminiscent of a small butcher’s shop. Here, sausages hang to dry, meat is left to mature, ham is sliced and minced meat is freshly ground.
Have a look now
Location
On the left is the Café with its courtyard garden, where we light the braai in summer. Upstairs is the Pub with a kitchen, where you can enjoy a good meal and a cosy drink. Thanks to the many different spaces in the building, we can offer groups a variety of options.
Sustainability and craftsmanship. That’s what matters to us. That’s why we choose Blaarkop pork …
On the left is the Café with its courtyard garden, where we light the braai in summer. Upstairs is the Pub with a kitchen, where you can enjoy a good meal and a cosy drink. Thanks to the many different spaces in the building, we can offer groups a variety of options.
Sustainability and craftsmanship. That’s what matters to us. That’s why we choose Blaarkop beef and free-range pork. Both sourced from the province. And that’s why we also work with the Smit family. A family of butchers who have been in the trade for three generations. In the past, they used to buy the cows themselves at the cattle market. Now they buy the cows directly from the farmer. Pure Dutch beef. Together with the farmer, they are reintroducing the Blaarkop breed into the Groningen countryside. Gezinus visits the farms every week to check on the cows. Everything in the butcher’s shop is still done by hand. It could hardly be more traditional. That is why Block & Barrels works exclusively with this butcher.
The Blaarkop is an ancient breed of cattle that was already present in Groningen during the Middle Ages. The cows are solid black or red with a white head. Around the eye, the Blaarkop has a black or red patch, known as the ‘blaar’. It is a hardy breed of cow. They require hardly any supplementary feeding in winter, have a strong constitution and therefore do not need preventive antibiotics.
The Blaarkop has traditionally been a dual-purpose cow: used for both meat and milk. As a result, they have a lower environmental impact. For most of the year, they graze in the meadows, eating whatever they find there. Unlike other breeds, the Blaarkop does not disrupt ecosystems. In fact, it contributes to biodiversity. The Blaarkop is a good and sustainable breed. Its meat is marbled, giving it a very refined flavour. Wherever possible, we serve Blaarkop beef.
This benefits flavour, quality and the environment.
Opening hours
- Every Monday 5.00 pm – midnight
- Every Tuesday 5.00 pm – midnight
- Every Wednesday 5.00 pm – midnight
- Every Thursday 5.00 pm – midnight
- Every Friday 12.00 – 00.00
- Every Saturday 12.00 – 00.00
- Every Sunday 12.00 – 00.00