°23/05/1937, Tilburg, NL
On May 27, 1971, Marie-Thérèse opened the legendary tavern Koekoek on Langestraat. What started as a simple eatery quickly grew into an iconic establishment, famous for its rotisserie chicken that you eat with your hands. And you could do that day and night, because until 2009, the door remained open 24/7!
Over the years, Koekoek welcomed countless famous guests, including soul legend Marvin Gaye and singer Rick de Leeuw, who even gave the place a spot in his novel Zuiderziel. Alderman of Tourism Dries Vermeesch once called it “the barometer of tourism in Ostend” – because if things were good at Koekoek, things were good in the city. In 2016, son Ronald and his wife Christine took over the torch. More than 50 years later, Koekoek remains the place where Ostend comes together for coziness, tasteful nostalgia, and of course, that unbeatable chicken.
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