# Food & Drinks
Just opened
New restaurants in Rotterdam Centre
From 14 to 16 February, OBJECT will be coming to Rotterdam. A unique pop-up for design labels, well-known designers and upcoming talents, with the AIR building as its location. The perfect starting point to explore Rotterdam Centre!
Have you managed to score tickets for OBJECT and do you want to go into town afterwards? Then we have mapped out the ideal walking route for you along the highlights of the city. You don't want to miss these places!
The AIR Offices is the home base for this artistic pop-up event and also the starting point of the walking route. Before you leave OBJECT, it is nice to look back, because what do you actually know about this iconic building?
AIR is the former V&D building, which many Rotterdammers can still remember well. In 1947, this building was designed by architectural firm Kraaijvanger and was a textbook example of Rotterdam's post-war architecture. Despite the fact that the building has had various residents, such as V&D and Hudson's Bay, it always retained its function as a department store.
In recent years, a lot of work has been done on a new purpose for this building. WOMO Architects have worked hard to turn it into a fully sustainable building, suitable for working, shopping, meeting and relaxing.
You might not expect it, but in the middle of the city you will find a surf pool! Surfing, SUPing, canoeing... you can do it all in the canals of Rotterdam. It is a concept that you will not find anywhere else and therefore cannot be missed in this walking route.
Now we understand that catching a wave during your walk is not very practical, but we definitely recommend spotting surfers! Find a spot in RiF010's beach bar 'Surfbar & Kitchen', order a nice drink from the menu and watch the Rotterdammers fly over the waves!
From AIR offices: 2 minutes walk
Let's walk back a bit, because you don't want to miss the largest ZARA in the world! In this enormous corner building on the Coolsingel and above the Koopgoot you will find 8,000 square meters of shopping pleasure. Here you can shop the extensive collection of this world-famous chain, spread over several floors.
Try not to linger too long, no matter how difficult that is. Because there are still a number of unmissable places waiting for you!
From RiF010: 4 minutes walk
Magnets, mugs, key rings... Whatever you're looking for, KKEC has it. In this store you simply can't get enough of it and it's hard not to buy something. Take a snow globe from the Erasmus Bridge home or a magnet for the fridge with "niet lullen maar poetsen", one of the well known Rotterdam phrases.
From ZARA: 3 minutes walk
The Koopgoot, where KKEC is located, offers an entrance to the best department store in Rotterdam: de Bijenkorf! Rotterdammers love to come here, because the shopping is great. Beautiful bags from Louis Vuitton, make-up from Charlotte Tilbury, clothing from Sandro, Jacquemus and Max Mara, a great children's and home department and so much more.
When you leave the department store, don't forget to look back. Because in addition to the iconic building from 1957, there is also a mega work of art in front of the door, namely 'the stylized flower'. This work of art has been there as long as the building and was designed by Naum Gabo. Fun fact: the nickname for this work of art is "the thing". Very Rotterdam, huh?
From KKEC: 2 minutes walk
Just cross the Coolsingel and you'll be right in front of WTC Rotterdam. A national monument that can be recognized by the wide steps, the large square and the impressive entrance. Around this building you will find numerous nice shops, with the ZARA home on the Coolsingel side. Fancy a drink? Then stop by SERVED, because here you can score delicious coffee, chai lattes and more!
From the Bijenkorf: 2 minutes walk
A building that is just a little bit different from the rest of Rotterdam architecture. This is because the City Hall is one of the few buildings in Rotterdam Centre that survived the bombing of the Second World War. What remains is therefore a historic building that you walk past in amazement.
The nice thing about the City Hall is that it is freely accessible to visitors. The City Hall was built in Beaux-Arts style, with Byzantine, Romanesque and Art Deco influences and the facade is adorned with historic sculptures and symbols with hidden meanings.
Once inside, you will see more of these sculptures and hidden symbols, such as the coat of arms of Rotterdam with accompanying motto. If you want to be surprised, we recommend that you also visit the inner garden of the City Hall, because this is really a hidden green oasis in the city, where beautiful flowers and plants cover the facades.
From WTC Rotterdam: 4 minutes walk
Are we hungry yet? Then walk towards Schouwburgplein, where the all-day restaurant Bertmans is located. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and everything in between: for tasty dishes that are also healthy and seasonal, you are in the right place here. If the sun shows itself, find a spot on the (heated) terrace. If you prefer to sit inside, there is plenty of room in this real Rotterdam hotspot.
From the City Hall: 10 minutes walk
After such a delicious lunch, you probably have enough energy for this long Rotterdam shopping street: the Lijnbaan. You will not know where to look, because both sides of the street are filled with the nicest shops.
Are you a fantasy fan? Then stop at Elbenwald, where you will find a large collection of merch from films such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and of course student at Hogwarts: Harry Potter. Are you more of a racing type? At the Racing Store you can indulge yourself in Formula 1. Of course, the Lijnbaan has many more shops, here you will also find the more well-known chains, such as Mango, Stradivarius and JD sports.
While you walk along the Lijnbaan, don't forget to look beyond the shops! Because did you know that there are various display cases spread across the Lijnbaan, which are regularly filled with cool mini-exhibitions? There is also art to be found here: have you spotted the 'Playing Bears' yet? Designed by Anne Grimdalen and placed in 1956, Or for example the bronze statue by Adri Blok, who designed the Trommelslager in 1958. A statue of a boy who, as the name suggests, beats a drum.
Still hungry for dessert? Then walk to the end of the Lijnbaan, the Binnenwegplein, for a sweet snack at Waffel!
From Bertmans: 3 minutes walk
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Donner is a bookstore you don't want to miss. Whether you're looking for something to read or not, this monumental building is worth a visit.
The building where Donner is located is a former bank building, built for the Rotterdamsche Bank. The building was completed in 1941 and has been a national monument since 2010. And not without reason: the building has beautiful elements, each with its own story. Did you know, for example, that you can see Mercury, the Roman God of trade, above the facade? You can also see symbols of agriculture, trade, fishing, commerce and shipping: the most important sectors of Rotterdam both before and after the war.
After admiring the exterior, we recommend that you take a look inside. In addition to the immense book collection, they also sell puzzles and games, beautiful notebooks and stationery, agendas and much more!
From the Lijnbaan: 1-4 minutes walk
The walking route is over! To end it well, we have a nice dinner tip for you: Ajisan! Here they serve not only tasty, but also healthy Mukacho ramen. For these ramen, no added flavours are used and only natural ingredients are in the soup.
From Donner: 1 minute walk
