Market Hall

Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Dutch cuisine is unique in its kind. In Holland, you will eat fresh and regional produce of very high, internationally recognised quality. Holland is also home to many excellent restaurants and top-level chefs. The basis is always the produce, while the original and creative chefs make sure that they reach your table in a proper and healthy fashion. The unique local produce of Holland is given preference above other ingredients, and dishes follow the seasons. Discover the pure, delicious and honest cuisine of Holland!

There are many opportunities to taste fresh North Sea fish in Holland – from the finest seafood restaurants to the street food traders selling fresh herring and ‘kibbeling’ (North Sea cod pieces fried in batter). Scheveningen marina is lined by a range of elegant seafood restaurants, where you can sample freshly caught fish with views of the harbour or sea, or why not dine on fresh fish with your feet in the sand at the beach restaurants of Katwijk. Stellendam is home to several high-quality seafood restaurants, such as Restaurant Zoet of Zout, which is situated next to the marina, looking out onto part of the Delta Works. So sea-to-plate freshness is certainly guaranteed.

Scheveningen

The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands

The Dutch love their herring, which they call Hollandse Nieuwe or ‘New Dutch herring’. They eat their raw fish on a bun or as a snack with some chopped onions and pickles. It is not only very tasty but also incredibly healthy! Hollandse Nieuwe is the name for herring that is caught every year. The fish go through the same cycle annually: in winter it is too skinny and in spring, when there is more plankton, it fattens up until the fat content is at least 16%. It can be caught from May to July, with the herrings being cleaned and salted the traditional way aboard the ships.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands

Bite into the best food as you explore Holland. Fresh and sustainable produce is a culinary keystone in all corners of the country. Top chefs take inspiration from the stunning food on their doorstep, dazzling with creative menus in Michelin-starred restaurants. Of course, you needn’t empty your wallet to enjoy the highlights of Holland.

3 Stenenbrug
Maastricht, LI

When you walk towards the south of the city from Onze-Lieve-Vrouweplein square through the narrow alleys, you will easily find the Bisschopsmolen or Bishop’s Mill. The scent of fresh bread and the rattle of the oldest working water mill will show you the way. You can see the mill while standing on the bridge over the Jeker river. Inside, you can see the bakers at work and enjoy the freshly baked bread and vlaai (pie) the eating room.

With its rich mix of nature, wildlife, culture and an abundance of fine dining options, the picturesque Veluwe region is one of Holland’s most rewarding destinations, offering something to inspire all the senses. After exploring the untamed landscapes and wildlife, visitors can sample the produce from the area’s well-stocked natural larder of wild meat and locally grown ingredients at a range of culinary locations, from Michelin-starred restaurants to gourmet fairs.

Gouda

Gouda, South Holland, Netherlands

A thin round waffle is cut in half and stuck back together with a spoonful of syrup in between. Originally, these are two separate cookies stuck together with syrup: a ‘syrup waffle’. This poor man’s cookie was sold from the bakery’s back door. You can serve stroopwafels at home with your coffee or enjoy them as a snack in the street. Pretty much every market has its syrup waffle stand. They make the hot syrup waffles right in front of you. After such a delicious snack, you’ll have plenty of energy to continue shopping. The city of Gouda is more or less where stroopwafels were invented. Enjoy the ‘siroopwafel experience’ at the Goudse siroopwafelfabriek.

Zeeland

Zeeland, North Brabant, Netherlands

The mussels of Zeeland are farmed in the Eastern Scheldt. Mussels are cooked rapidly with a dash of white wine, onion, celery and carrot – simple and pure. Mussels taste even better with a mussel beer or a glass of white wine. Visit an oyster farm, a mussel business or the harbours where the mussel and oyster fishing ship are moored and take a look behind the scenes.

18 Utrechtsestraat
Amsterdam, NH

The Dutch love to eat bitterballen as a snack with their drinks early or late in the evening. At a party, the pub, or the sports cafeteria. A bitterbal is is a deep-fried meat ragout ball with a lovely crust. In 2020, this typically Dutch snack was elected a cultural heritage food. Bar Bitterbal in Amsterdam has specialized in bitterballen in countless sensational flavors. Groningen, a student city, has invented its own version containing a boiled egg. Want to try one? It’s on the menu at Grand-Café De Drie Gezusters in Groningen. You cannot leave the Netherlands wishout having tried a traditional bitterbal. You can simply order a portion at the pub or terrace. Dip the bitterbal in mustard and be careful, the first one is usually piping hot!

Gouda

Gouda, South Holland, Netherlands

Cheese has been a huge part of the Dutch economy and culture since the Middle Ages, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the average Dutch person eats a whopping 33 pounds (15 kilos) of cheese per year. It’s fitting then that Holland is home to an area known as Cheese Valley, made up of four regions: Gouda, Bodegraven-Reeuwijk, Woerden and Krimpenerwaard. Each of these has played – and still plays – an important role in the Dutch food industry. And naturally, Cheese Valley is the best place to find several interesting attractions, including an array of great cheese markets, stores and museums.