Between 1904 and 1908, the Zuid Hollandse Elektrische Spoorweg Maatschappij (the South-Holland Electric Railway Company or Z.H.E.S.M.) built the Hofplein railway line. The Hofplein Viaduct was built in the northern part of Rotterdam, right through the existing 19th-century city districts and the nearby polder landscape.

This 1.9-kilometre-long viaduct was the start of the Hofplein Line, a 28.5-kilometre-long railway line that connected Rotterdam with The Hague and Scheveningen via Schiebroek, Rodenrijs, Berkel, Pijnacker, Nootdorp and Voorburg/Leidschendam.

The Hofplein Line offered an alternative to the existing railway connection to The Hague via Delft and transported mainly Rotterdam bathers and commuters from The Hague and Wassenaar. Moreover, it was the first electrified railway line in the Netherlands.

Renovation

Although the original construction drawings show that the entire viaduct was designed as an open structure, it soon became apparent that it would be appealing to rent out the spaces under the arches. After the construction of the first part of the viaduct, a large number of arches were gradually fitted with standard façades and put into use as small shops, workshops and cafés.

Eight of these pre-war façades, designed by Anton Hamaker in 1905, have been preserved and can be seen on the Vijverhofstraat.

Relocation

The FG Restaurant moved from the Lloydkwartier to the Hofbogen in 2016. By placing FG Restaurant next to FG Food Labs, it was no longer necessary to shuttle back and forth between the two locations. This gave François Geurds time to focus. And better focus leads to better performance – after all, his goal is to excel in refinement. Fabulous Gastronomy becomes even more Fabulous Gastronomy at FG Restaurant.