Three cafes with an excellent outdoor terrace for the ultimate holiday feeling. These are my 3 favorite (corona proof) spots west of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
They’re great in summer and even more so in a summer with corona. There are many cozy and trendy cafes in Rotterdam, but what you’re looking for right now is a table with lots of personal space. The three cafes and restaurants in this post are somewhat remote, of the beaten path so to say, but that makes them perfect for a situation like this.
1) Bij de buurvrouw @ Maasland
Bij de buurvrouw (“at the neighbor’s”) is the perfect stop for cyclists and hikers. It is located on the road between Maasland and Schipluiden, west of Rotterdam and south of Delft. From the outdoor terrace, you can see many cyclists while you enjoy a drink with a home-made tart or lunch.
For those of you who like tea: they serve all kinds of white, green, black, and herbal tea, both from loose leaves and tea bags. Their home-made tarts are delicious!
This is also a great area for a walk in nature. You don’t have to go far to leave the ‘big road’ behind and find yourself surrounded by farmland, streams, and beautiful houses. Nearby you can visit Museum De Beeldenkas, a greenhouse filled with mosaic sculptures and paintings.
As pictures say more than a thousand words, here are some more pictures.
Opening hours and location
- Thursday – Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00 (May – September)
- Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 – 17:00 (October – April)
Location: Oostgaag 18a, 3155 CG Maasland, Netherlands
2) Op Hodenpijl @ Schipluiden
An organic restaurant with a small shop selling organic food and drinks. There is a beautiful chapel adjacent to the restaurant where you can often visit exhibitions and music events.
But let’s focus on the outside. At the grass field behind the building, there are many tables with plenty of personal space for everyone. Here they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but you can also have a drink with something sweet or small bites. The tea selection is smaller than Bij de buurvrouw, but instead, you have a bigger selection of food.
When you visit Op Hodenpijl, you can also explore the greenhouses and vegetable gardens at the Buitenplaats on the other side of the road.
Check out my post about a past exhibition for some pictures of the chapel.
Opening hours and location
Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 – 22:00 (Sunday until 17:00)
Location: Rijksstraatweg 20/22, 2636 AX Schipluiden, Netherlands
Also read: Tea drinking culture in the Netherlands
3) Buitenplaats @ Vlaardingen
A pop-up terrace in the orchard of a farmhouse where you can have a drink with Liege waffles with strawberries. The Buitenplaats is ideal for a relaxing morning or afternoon, I mean, just look at the seats! A visit to this cafe feels like you’re camping in nature. During your visit, you can also explore the survival area (for kids or company team-building events) behind the terrace.
Nearby you can take a walk in the forest and around the lake called the ‘Krabbeplas’ in Vlaardingen. Perfect for a stroll before or after your visit to this cafe.
Opening hours and location
10:00 – 17:00 but only when the weather is good
Location: Zuidbuurt 85, 3132 KA Vlaardingen, Netherlands
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