Who doesn’t like drinks!? Well, it’s not a secret that I do (my friends will definitely admit)! Especially in combination with some good bites. In Dutch we have a word for pre-dinner drinks and bar bites: “borrel”. And I love to “borrel”.
In the months before I moved to Singapore, I lived in Rotterdam. In that period I explored Rotterdam even more than before and I tried a lot of nice places for drinks (or borrel). I would like to share my eight favorites with you:
1. Nostra
Nostra is one of those places where you could spend the whole afternoon. You start with lunch and a glass of wine and you’ll leave Nostra hours later, completely satisfied. And you’re still able to do something in the evening (or next day, depending on the amounts of wine), because Nostra closes at 7 pm. Nostra only has a couple of tables and some chairs at the bar. A great place for a lunch, high wine (or tea) with your friends, parents or a date!
Tip: Nostra also offers private dining of party options in the evening. That’s what we did and you’ll be totally fine. Tasty bites, great wines and the staff is very helpful!
Location:
Nostra Lunch & Winebar
Van Oldenbarneveltstraat 127A, 3012 GT Rotterdam
Email: reserveren@nostra-rotterdam.nl
Tel: +31 10 213 22 22
Website: https://www.nostra-rotterdam.nl/Open: Every day from 9:30 am – 7 pm
2. Café LaBru
Find a seat at one of the comfy couches in this super cozy bar (or in Dutch: “kroeg”). The decor in LaBru feels a bit like a scene from the English 20s, like the series Peaky Blinders. Besides the draught beers, LaBru offers a lot of cocktails, a great variety of gintonics and an extensive liquor menu. The mixed audience completes the experience. LaBru is my favorite place to relax and rewind with a drink and nice music after a day in the city. LaBru is also a perfect date-spot.
Tip: Every Wednesday there’s live jazz music at LaBru.
Since LaBru is a pub (“kroeg” in Dutch), the food menu is limited to (Dutch) bar bites, cheeses and tapas like patatas bravas. Don’t miss the typical Dutch borrelhap “bitterballen”!
Location:
Café LaBru
Hartmansstraat 18A, 3012 VA Rotterdam
Tel: +31 107371205
Info: https://www.facebook.com/CafeLaBruOpen: Weekdays 3 pm – 1 am; Weekend 2 pm – 2 am
Tip: Looking for a restaurant in Rotterdam? Check out my list Must visit restaurants in Rotterdam for some hotspots for great food in Rotterdam.
3. Brewpub en Proeflokaal Reijngoud
This place is perfect for beer lovers! A real beer pub with over 200 beers (draught and bottles) and Rotterdam at its best. Reijngoud serves fingerlicking food from the grill, like spit-roast chicken, slow cooked spare ribs or fries with pulled pork. You could smell the BBQ from the street! But don’t forget to try the flammkuchen.
You can choose between location Brewpub Reijngoud or Proeflokaal Reijngoud. Brewpub Reijngoud, located in the “Hofbogen, is my favorite. The monumental ceiling is covered with very cool photos and there’s a huge bar. You could also take a look at the tanks where Reijngoud brews their own beer. When the sun is out you could also take a seat at the terrace in front.
Fun fact: The Hofbogen is the longest monumental building in The Netherlands. For a century trains drove across the Hofbogen between Rotterdam and Scheveningen (The Hague). Nowadays there are many hip and trendy shops, bars and restaurants settled in the 2 kilometres long acres under the old railway.
Proeflokaal Reijngoud is situated at the corner of the Schiedamse Vest and the Witte de With. I love to watch Feyenoord play soccer here; all Feyenoord matches are live-streamed on a big screen at this location. Proeflokaal Reijngoud also has a huge sunny terrace to enjoy your beer.
Location:
Brewpub Reijngoud
Vijverhofstraat 10, 3032 SN Rotterdam
Tel: +31 10 – 503 63 27
Email: info@brewpubreijngoud.nl
Website: https://brewpubreijngoud.nl/Open: Wednesday – Friday from 3 pm; Weekends from 12 am
Proeflokaal Reijngoud
Schiedamse Vest 148, 3012 BG Rotterdam
Tel: +31 10 414 60 50
Email: info@proeflokaalreijngoud.nl
Website: www.proeflokaalreijngoud.nlOpen: Sunday – Thursday from 12.00 pm – 1 am; Friday and Saturday from 12 pm – 2 am
4. El Parador
For wine fanatics, there’s El Parador! Just a little outside of the centre of Rotterdam, but definitely worth the detour! El Parador is a very cosy winebar with nice corners to enjoy your wine. You’ll just tell the staff in what kind of wine mood you are and they’ll serve you the perfect wine. The staff is very helpful and enthusiastic about their wines. Combine your wine with one of the delicious food platters (“borrelplank”) of cheeses and cold cuts or order the tasty pincho’s.
You could also buy wine in the wine store (next to the bar) or taste the wines in the tasting room. This also a perfect place to organize a party; the service will be great.
Location:
El Parador
2e Middellandstraat 8, 3021 BM Rotterdam
Tel: +31(0)651672600
Email: info@elparador.nl
Website: https://www.elparador.nl/Open: Monday from 10 am – 3 pm; Thursday from 4 – 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 4 – 11 pm; Sunday from 4 – 8 pm
Wine Store: You could send El Parador a Whatsapp message from Monday until Thursday from 10 am – 3 pm for advice on wine.
5. Mooie Boules
What’s more fun than having a drink with friends or colleagues and be a little “sporty” in the meantime. At Mooie Boules you could throw a ball at one of the indoor Jeu de boules lanes, have drink and order some food at one of the food stalls at the food court. And they also play some nice music. Or you could choose to make your own beautiful sound in the karaoke bar (I’m not welcome there anymore…).
If you’re not in the mood for competition, there’s also a lot of space to just enjoy your drink and watch the others play from the nicely decorated balustrades, the food court tables or cosy, homely corners (with your own beer tap!).
Location:
Mooie Boules Rotterdam
Vijverhofstraat 45, 3032 SB Rotterdam
Email: rotterdam@mooieboules.nl
Tel: +31 108447059
Website: https://www.mooieboules.nl/Open: Every day
6. De Gele Kanarie
When a Rotterdammer orders a “gele kanarie” (or: “yellow bird”), they want a beer. De Gele Kanarie is a spacious restaurant, but because of the interior it feels rather cosy. The fire place in the front and the huge bar in the middle divide the restaurant in corners for smaller or bigger groups. A great place for a drink and a bite with friends or colleagues, but on Sunday afternoon I also like to play a board game from the big pile to choose from.
Do try the home brewed beer. De Gele Kanarie brews her own beer in the basement. Check the website for upcoming events, like a pubquiz, bierfest or superfun bingo-night. From time to time there’s also live music.
Location:
De Gele Kanarie
Goudsesingel 284, 3011 KH Rotterdam
Tel: +31 10 333 5444
Email: info@degelekanarie.com
Website: https://www.degelekanarie.com/Open: Sunday – Thursday: 11 am – 1 pm; Friday and Saturday 11 am – 2 pm
7. Bokaal Rotterdam
A typical location for Friday afternoon drinks (“vrijmibo”) for young Rotterdam professionals, situated close to Blaak station. It’s always crowded at Bokaal and the there’s always a nice vibe. There are not many table inside, but the enormous terrace compensates for that. If you’re lucky you might find a table to grab a bite. Bokaal stays crowded until closing time.
Don’t miss the typical Dutch bite (borrelhap) “bitterballen”!
Location:
Bokaal Rotterdam
Nieuwemarkt 11, 3011 HP Rotterdam
Tel: +31 10 720 0898
Email: info@bokaalrotterdam.nl
Website: https://bokaalrotterdam.nl/Open: Sunday – Thursday from 10 am – 1 am; Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm
8. Biergarten Rotterdam
Last but – definitely not! – least; Biergarten, close to Rotterdam CS. During the summer, this is the place to be for your Friday afternoon drinks (“vrijmibo”). It’s in the name: the inspiration for this place can be found in the German biergartens. Biergarten is a combination of raw Berlin and the down-to-earth mentality and “gezelligheid” of Rotterdam. Besides the variety of beer, they serve great – also vegetarian – burgers or fingerlicking good nachos with pulled chicken.
Location:
Biergarten Rotterdam
Schiestraat 18, 3013 BR Rotterdam
Email: contact@biergartenrotterdam.nl
Website: https://www.biergartenrotterdam.nl/Open: Every day from 2 pm until at least midnight
Check out my list Must visit restaurants in Rotterdam for some hotspots for great food in Rotterdam. For tips on where to be in Breda, read my blog Breda, the best city centre in the Netherlands. Or check out Friesland, the state of lakes and ice skating or my walking or cycling route in The Hague that I have mapped out for you. Would you like to know why I started TeppieTravels.com, please read my blog post about starting a travel blog in a pandemic here.
Please leave a comment (below) if you have a suggestion about which city and about what you’d like to read, so I know what kind of blog to publish soon at TeppieTravels.com. Choose another destination here for more travel inspiration.
PS. I don’t get any payments from the locations I mentioned in this post. This is just my own experience I love to share with you. But I don’t mind if you invite me for a drink 😉 Cheers!
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