9 of Holland’s Coolest Restaurants

Holland offers a rich selection of unique wining and dining venues which are driven by creativity, not least, the locals’ knack of transforming old industrial buildings into new urban hotspots.

The following are just a few of the most surprising and original eateries found across the country.

Rotterdam is a hip and happening city that is continuously reinventing itself with architecture, design, culture and food at its heart.

This restaurant is located in the former subtropical swimming pool Tropicana in Rotterdam. The restaurant with terrace overlooks the Maas river, one of the most beautiful spots in Rotterdam. Aloha produces its own coffee and cultivates mushrooms in former swimming pools. 

Explore Utrecht either from the water or dive into the old city centre, where the many shops, bars and restaurants will make you lose all track of time.

The restaurant Watertoren Utrecht serves culinary highs at high altitudes. In this former water-tower you can lunch, wine and dine on three different levels.  Situated in a unique industrial and modern setting, this unusual restaurant provides a spectacular view of the city.

In the romantic and medieval city of Den Bosch, birth place of the painter Hieronymus Bosch, you’ll find many nice boutiques, a large number of monuments and plenty of restaurants. The small river (the Binnendieze) allows visitors to discover the city from a different angle.

A pink factory is definitely going to stand out in the old city of Den Bosch. At Van Aken you’re invited to enjoy a drink, meal or to browse the designer’s collection, namely Social Label.

All dishes are served on plates designed by Edwin Vollebergh and the chairs are designed by Piet Hein Eek. Van Aken is both a restaurant and a concept store, the perfect place to meet people and enjoy a social workspace.

The ever so innovative Eindhoven became very important because of Philips’ headquarters and factories. Many of these former factories are now used by designers of the Eindhoven Design Academy and show that the city is a real nest for creativity.

In the former Philips ‘Energiehuis’ you can enjoy a dinner at Radio Royaal. The ‘Energiehuis’ is a huge 1300 square metre building with many tubes, cranes, machines and a restaurant that serves French and German cuisine.

The painter Vincent van Gogh moved to Tilburg in 1866, where he also had his first drawing lessons at the age of 13.  The city of Tilburg was very important for the Dutch textile industry and now hosts the TextileMuseum as well as the Pont Museum, showing modern art. You can rent a boat at the Piushaven to discover the city.

Trendy Restaurant EVE is situated in the former railway zone of the city in a building called Polygonale Loods. This building, now part of the industrial heritage, was established by the Dutch railways in 1937 and earned its name from its shape; half a circle with several corners.

EVE stands for Eating to Eat. A portion of EVE’s profit is donated to the World Food Programme; they aim to donate 100.000 meals on a yearly basis.

Nijmegen is a true cultural hotspot. Years ago, the Romans settled in the city, making Nijmegen one of Holland’s oldest cities. So much of this history can be discovered at Museum Vlakhof.

In Nijmegen you will also find several winegrowers. So, be sure to try some of the local wines.

Restaurant de Meesterproef is one of the companies located in the old food factory of the Honig brand. At Meesterproef, they try to cook with regional products from local suppliers and they love to cook in the old-fashioned way, even when this is more time consuming.

You can admire all this thanks to the open kitchen of the restaurant, which is in an industrial setting. If you prefer a panoramic view of the factory, the Waal river and its bridge, then take a seat on the terrace.

Get ready to shop ‘til you drop in Arnhem at one of the fashion concept stores. The Open Air Museum is also a must-visit. Here you can see monuments from all over Holland in a unique setting.

Only a stone’s throw away from the museum you will find the national park The Hoge Veluwe, a stunning area of nature in which the Kröller-Müller Museum will captivate you with it’s fantastic Van Gogh collection.

The Dudok café and brasserie is situated in a former bank building in the city centre.  The venue is now a state monument and has an eye-catching green city-garden and a terrace at the front.

This northern waterfront city has a young population of students. Groningen is surrounded by water and has plenty of old monuments like the Martini Tower.

The city also offers modern architecture such as the Groniger Museum, which gives Groningen a very special character and ambiance. 

Restaurant De Oude Gasfabriek is situated in a former gas factory that dates back to 1854. A significant part of the factory was destroyed in 1970, however two halls (built in 1910 and 1930) remained.

In 2017, De Oude Gasfabrief won the PETA Vegan Food Award for their offering of various vegan and vegetarian dishes. To add to the award-winning experience, De Oude Gasfabriek produces its own coffee as well!