Food destinations within easy reach of Utrecht, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Utrecht. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: The historic Thursday morning cheese market on the Markt, where farmers weigh and sell gouda wheels in traditional dress from April to August
Gouda's Thursday cheese market on the Markt is a living tradition. Farmers sell gouda from young to aged; canal cafes and stroopwafel stalls complete the day.
Famous for: The Markthal's 100-stall indoor food hall under the arched mural ceiling, plus Fenix Food Factory in Katendrecht
Rotterdam's Markthal: 100 food stalls under an arched ceiling mural. The Fenix Food Factory in Katendrecht adds craft beer, cheese and Surinamese food.
Famous for: Medieval city with a Saturday market on the Hof, traditional Dutch brown cafes around the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren and artisan cheese shops
Medieval city 18 minutes from Utrecht. Saturday market on the Hof sells Dutch cheese and street food; brown cafes around the Vrouwetoren pour Belgian beer.
Famous for: The Haagse Markt on Witte de Withplein, one of the largest multicultural outdoor markets in the Netherlands, plus Plein grand cafes
Den Haag's Haagse Markt is the Netherlands' largest multicultural market. Indonesian, Turkish, Moroccan and Dutch stalls spread across the Witte de Withplein.
Famous for: Waterbus lunch at the windmill village visitor centre with Dutch cheese and erwtensoep, then afternoon at the UNESCO windmill array
Kinderdijk's UNESCO windmill array is an hour from Utrecht by train and ferry. The visitor centre serves erwtensoep and cheese sandwiches in the polders.
Famous for: Wednesday and Saturday outdoor markets along the Nieuwe Rijn canal, with Dutch herring stalls and the Leidse hutspot tradition
Leiden's hutspot tradition dates to the 1574 Spanish siege. Wednesday and Saturday markets on the Nieuwe Rijn sell Dutch haring, cheese and seasonal produce.
Famous for: Thursday market on the Markt, Dutch herring from the Visbanken stalls and craft beer at Stadscafe Van Kinsbergen
Delft's Thursday market sells Dutch cheese and herring beneath the Nieuwe Kerk. Canal eetcafes serve stamppot and mussels; craft beers at Van Kinsbergen.