Hungry for Rotterdam

Location, location, location?- the hospitality industry in Rotterdam seems to disregard this popular saying in real estate and is moving in an opposite direction instead; new venues and concepts are popping up in unexpected places. So much even, you might call it a trend.

A Chinese speakeasy hidden in a basement, an 80s inspired restaurant in a co-working space and fine dining on rooftops, Rotterdam’s culinary scene is bold, booming and ballsy.

Business, but not as usual

Though the Witte de Withstraat is infamous for its many eateries and nightlife, you’ll have to look twice to find 80s inspired restaurant and nightclub Tech-Noir, located inside tech co-working community 42workspace. Go there for Korean chicken and waffles with sriracha and maple syrup or cauliflower nuggets covered in crispy panko served with Japanese mayo or smokey chipotle BBQ sauce.

Fontein Rooftop opened shortly before the pandemic and absolutely deserves a second chance in terms of publicity. Located smack down in the middle of the business district, overlooking the Hofplein fountain, city hall and Rotterdam’s skyline; the chef’s menu with umami flavours comes with surprising wine pairings.

Tucked in between two creative co-working hubs in the ZOHO area, you will find Le Petitjean. This patisserie and coffee bar is the closest you’ll come to Paris in Rotterdam. French expats take note. Think brioche feuilletée, Pecan mouse eclairs and Pistachio brownies with amarena cherries.

The art of good food

The Museumpark is getting a new culinary impulse as not one, but two celebrated chefs are making their way to the art district of Rotterdam. Jim de Jong is famed for his vegetable menus and will run restaurant Renilde on the top floor of the, soon to be opened, art storage facility Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. Imagine being seated on top of 151,000 art objects, enjoying food while being enveloped by a rooftop park and the city’s skyline.

Manuela Goncalves Tavares has started at the neighbouring Het Nieuwe Instituut and is known for her, mostly plantbased, Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Her peanut soup has a cult status in Rotterdam, you’ll have to taste it to understand why.

Hide and seek

An underground speakeasy and contemporary Chinese restaurant; welcome to OX. The name is inspired by a proverb that means ‘hard work will be rewarded’ and the exact location is revealed after you’ve made a reservation. Expect new interpretations of traditional dishes and stellar cocktails inspired by Chinese Zodiac signs.

Bitter is located in a former brothel next door to the atelier of renowned artist Joep van Lieshout in the industrial M4H area. The venue is a combination of a restaurant and club with a concept described as ‘confusion kitchen’. High quality dishes with an unexpected twist; for example, celeriac scallops with gazpacho and oyster leaf.

What’s coming

Scheduled to open in November, Putaine is the latest restaurant of renowned restaurateur Eva Eekman and chef Michael Schook. The cheeky name refers to the rowdy past of Katendrecht, the area where the restaurant is located. You won’t find it on the mainland though, Putaine is housed on the Floating Office Rotterdam, an off-grid and carbon neutral timber building designed by Powerhouse Company. By next summer you are also able to splash around in an outdoor swimming pool.