When you arrive in our city you are of course eager to grab a bite to eat. When you arrive at Rotterdam Central you are in luck, because there are plenty of nice restaurants and cafes here for great food and drinks.
Below are some of the editors' favourites! Whether you need something to-go or want to take your time at the restaurant.
A good cup of coffee, all kinds of tea, cappuccino, latte macchiato and more, you have all of this at Lebkov & Sons. And I haven't even mentioned the delicious sandwiches!
Everything at Lebkov is homemade with fresh ingredients. They have fresh sandwiches, soup, salads, sweets and juices. Easy to grab as a to-go, but you can also sit in the store and eat everything at your leisure.
This nice café/restaurant is located in the iconic Groot Handels building, right on the Stationsplein next to Rotterdam Central Station. It's a beautiful restaurant. That, in combination with the top location, good food and drinks, makes it a favourite of many travellers and residents of Rotterdam.
Do you love Italian food? Then A Proposito is an excellent option. This Italian restaurant is located in the Nationale Nederlanden building.
Enjoy an authentic Italian experience in this family-run restaurant. The menu changes daily and is written on a chalkboard. Be sure to enjoy it with a delicious matching Italian wine!
Right opposite Rotterdam Central Station and just inside the Central Plaza shopping centre you will find The Gallery Kitchen. The atmosphere is hip and homely and you can easily sit for hours watching all the people rushing to and from the station.
The menu features numerous dishes created and prepared right there in Sylvia's kitchen, and the aromas of her homemade specialties draw you to Central Plaza. If you're on the go, stop by for a takeaway coffee and a fresh croissant.
The staff is super friendly and always willing to go the extra mile. Open every day of the week, with a wide range of menu options to choose from.
Walk a little further to Kruisplein and here you will find Ayla, a popular Mediterranean restaurant. Ayla takes you through the Mediterranean with their dishes, from Casablanca to Beirut, via Seville and Istanbul. You are welcome here every day for brunch, lunch, drinks, dinner or just a drink.
Think of dishes such as fresh burrata, ceviche, delicious patatas bravas or a portion of fried oysters. Dishes that are great to share!
Be sure to order one of their specialty cocktails, too. Ayla's bar manager, Allan Brown, even bears the title of Best Bartender Rotterdam 2020!
Behind the central station, on the cosy Proveniersstraat, you will find restaurant The Harvest. Almost everything on the menu is vegetarian, but you can opt for a piece of meat. They cook local, seasonal meals.
Choose a ready-made bowl or put together your own bowl. First you choose the basis of the dish, then two dishes from the greengrocer and finally you can choose a vegetarian dish or a piece of meat. Enjoy!
As a Rotterdam resident, there is a good chance that you know O'Pazzo from their branch on the Mariniersweg. But are you already familiar with their second location? From Central Station you can walk via Central Plaza to the corner of Karel Doormanstraat and Kruiskade, to O'Pazzo Schouwburg.
This is a perfect place for the pizza discoverer, because O'Pazzo always continues to experiment with creative new pizzas. For example, try the Pizza O'Pazzo Due with tomato sauce, mozzarella, four types of cheese, anchovies, capers, black olives, garlic, red peppers, oregano, arugula and basil.
In addition to pizza, they have delicious starters here, such as burrata, bruschetta and Arancini, and authentic pasta and risotto. But fish, meat and vegetarian dishes are also on the menu.
Where are you going to grab a bite to eat?