Botanero is a mexican restaurant in Centrum, Rotterdam.
A Mexican cantina near Mariniersweg serving handmade tortillas, proper mole, and agua fresca. One of the more authentic Mexican restaurants in the Netherlands.
Must order: Tacos and a mezcal-based cocktail.
Tip: The happy-hour snack menu from 17:00 to 19:00 offers the best value in the room.
Address: Mariniersweg 55, 3011 ND Rotterdam
A Rotterdam Surinamese institution since 1982 on Pannekoekstraat, serving pom casserole, roti wraps, saoto soup, and bakabana at prices unchanged for decades.
Order: Roti met kip (chicken roti) and the daily pom if it is still available before noon.
Tip: Arrive before peak hours: the room fills up fast and queues form early on weekends.
The Rotterdam outpost of Amsterdam's legendary steak house, serving straightforward dry-aged Dutch beef with no frills in a busy dining room next to the Markthal on Binnenrotte.
Order: House steak, cooked medium-rare at the table.
Tip: Book the terrace for lunch on a sunny day; the Markthal is visible from your seat.
A Rotterdam Surinamese institution since 1982 on Pannekoekstraat, serving pom casserole, roti wraps, saoto soup, and bakabana at prices unchanged for decades.
Order: Roti met kip (chicken roti) and the daily pom if it is still available before noon.
Tip: Arrive before peak hours: the room fills up fast and queues form early on weekends.
Three floors of Moroccan, Persian, and Levantine cooking in Hotel Bazar on Witte de With. The souk-panelled interior and long terrace make it the street's most.
Order: Mezze platter and the lamb tagine.
Tip: Book ahead for the terrace in summer; the interior is loud but lively on Friday evenings.
The Rotterdam outpost of Amsterdam's legendary steak house, serving straightforward dry-aged Dutch beef with no frills in a busy dining room next to the Markthal on Binnenrotte.
Order: House steak, cooked medium-rare at the table.
Tip: Book the terrace for lunch on a sunny day; the Markthal is visible from your seat.
A legendary Rotterdam harbourside restaurant in Kralingen Park since 1929, known for its terrace on the Kralingse Plas lake and classic Dutch dishes like uitsmijter.
Order: Bitterballen and the traditional Dutch meatballs.
Tip: Ask for the daily stamppot when it is on; it sells out by early evening.
A long-running Indonesian rijsttafel address in Hillegersberg, open since 1995, with a garden terrace and a kitchen that balances classic Javanese stews and sambals with lighter contemporary dishes. The reference rice table dinner in the north of the city.
Order: The full Javanese rijsttafel with extra sate ajam.
Tip: Book a terrace table on a summer evening and pre-order the rijsttafel so the dishes land in the right order.
Rotterdam's most acclaimed craft burger bar on Witte de Withstraat, using dry-aged Dutch beef and house-baked buns. The best burger in the city by consistent.
Order: The signature smash burger with Asian-inspired toppings.
Tip: The shoestring fries with truffle mayo are shareable and worth ordering alongside the burger.
