Hans’ personal recommendations for Rotterdam!
These are my personal tips -based on experience and research- for a great experience in Rotterdam! This resulted in a good list of tips! You can click on the bold text to get to the Google Maps location of the establishment.
All of you good luck in Rotterdam!
And don’t forget to write me a review here of course 😉
Food / Restaurants
Dutch Snacks & Sweets
(Food) Markets
Bars
Nightlife
Shopping
Museums & Art
Parks
FOOD / RESTAURANTS
Bierhandel De Pijp
A down-to-earth and very Rotterdam restaurant, with the best baked potatoes, beef stew, sole. It’s full of graffiti and 1000 ties hanging on the walls. You will definitely have a conversation with your neighbors. Hidden in the Gaffelstraat.
Little Vie
Good Asian food, almost next to Erasmus Statue and Laurens Church. Easy to find after the tour ends!
Indonesian Restaurant Dewi Sri
Because of our historic connection to Indonesia, food from the Southeast Asian continent is widely available. Dewi Sri is one of your top choices to enjoy a spicy ‘gado gado’ (steamed vegetables with peanut sauce) or a chewy ‘satay kambing’ (skewered goat meat).
Good vegetarian choice of food, especially for a nice lunch on the Schouwburgplein. Also serves a chicken burger for your non-vegetarian companion.
Vibrant spot on the south side of Rotterdam town. Take the Water Taxi from Leuvenhaven, Point 47and get yourself dropped at point 44. Order their vongole in white wine sauce as a starter and the tuna as a main course, with a Pinot Grigio. Then cross the Rijnhaven bridge to Katendrecht at De Ouwe Hoer (The Old Hooker), on the Deliplein square.
DUTCH SNACKS & SWEETS
Stroopwafel, but only the orginals from Gouda. (buy them in the Markthal, red bag from Van Vliet)
Bitterballen, the Dutch version of a tapas dish. The ones at the Frietboutique on the Witte de Withstraat are arguable one of the best.
The famous fries of Bram Ladage in the Markthal.
Apple pie at Dudok, best in town (and possibly the country).
When in the Netherlands, you must try a herring with onions. Eat it like the Dutch, raw and off its tail. There it goes…
(FOOD) MARKETS
Foodhallen Wilhelminakade
Wilhelminakade Foodhallen are a nice concept, with a lot of cuisines, a bar and plenty seats. You can select from Japanese food, while your companion goes for TexMex.
Markthal
The start and ending point of the tour is a great place to enjoy all the finger food stands and restaurants.
Markt Binnenrotte
Every Saturday there is a market, right in front of the Markthal. Order your fresh herring here!
BARS
Melief Bender
The bar of my younger days was, and still remains this cafe at the Oude Binnenweg. Nothing special, just a good spot to check out the best beers and meet some real Rotterdammers.
Cafe Ari
This used the be the hangout spot of Jules Deelder, my favorite Rotterdammer. Unfortunately he passed away in December 2019, but this place still pays great honor to this extravagant poet. Go to the male toilet to have a good laugh.
De Witte Aap
You can visit any pub on the Witte de Withstraat, but the most crowded one is the ‘White Monkey’. Once chosen by the Lonely Planet as the best pub in the world!
NIGHTLIFE
Depends on what you’re looking for, my personal favorites are Jazz & Blues cafes Dizzy and Bird. Both host regular live music nights.
SHOPPING
The finest shopping areas include the cosmopolitan Meent, the alternative Pannekoekstraat, the upscale Kruiskade and of course the premier Coolsingel, with the Bijenkorf as the house of brands.
MUSEUMS & ART
Kunsthal
Check out this ‘Art Hall’, for interesting exhibitions.
Natural Historic Museum
This funny museum has funny animals, like the Domino sparrow and the Iced Kingfisher.
Boijmans van Beuningen
Currently closed for a major rebuild, but the collection is spread out through several museums close by. Visit Kunsthal, Museum Rotterdam and the Belasting & Douane Museum.
Donner Bookstore
Museum-like, this big bookstore on the Coolsingel has a large selection of books and audio collections.
Rotterdam Tourist Information
Recognizable by its 3D printed Erasmus statue and a good scale model of today’s Rotterdam.
Stadium De Kuip
Birthplace of the Feyenoord soccer team. Take the Watertaxi and hop off at point 10, to admire the Champion League Cup won by Feyenoord as the first Dutch team.
PARKS / EXTRA
The Park
Visit ‘Het Park’, right under the Euromast. Sip a white wine on a sunny day in one of the restaurants like the Harbour Club or when you are on a high budget Parkheuvel (2 star-Michelin restaurant).
Kralingse Bos
On the east side of Rotterdam you will find the Kralingse Bos. Enjoy the terraces of De Tuin Van De Vier Windstreken or De Schone Lei, or just make a nice stroll in this long stretch of green in Rotterdam. Ideal for running your usual miles around the Kralingse Plas lake.
Under The Brienenoord Bridge
The small island, on the south side and close to the bridge is a special place to visit. Nature along the river highway to Germany and under the road going south to Belgium and France.
Looking for a special running route?
Start at the colorful Marathon Runner Monument near the Erasmus bridge for your signposted run of 5, 10, half-marathon and the Bridge Run of 3,6 km across the Erasmus bridge and Willemsbrug.