Hopper Rotterdam opened last year and already won the prize for best coffee bar in the Netherlands.

During weekdays there’s a big chance you will find me at Hopper, a coffee bar at Schiedamse Vest 146 for a great breakfast – home-baked sourdough bread with Stolwijk cheese and a large cappuccino:-) for example.

But I also like to meet up here with friends and colleagues for a working lunch as they have a nice and quiet area upstairs with tables with a great view below. There’s also a special corner with toys and books for (young) children.

In a typical post-war building with tons of light, high ceilings and spacious set-up, owner Karel created a nice no-nonsense ambiance. With terrace out front.

It’s all about serving good and honest food, home-bakes and delicious cakes, croque-monsieurs, sandwiches, soup and good salads. Also try their excellent wines – I like the white one .

A nice detail is the tap to get your own glass of water. They have a large reading table, small side tables and an open kitchen. In the future there will be art exhibitions upstairs.

This is the first place where I heard of ‘slow coffee’ and trust me when I say that coffee is serious business here! If you are interested in learning more about coffee, just ask the barista or you can always join a ‘cupping session’ or workshops that they organize here (with or without cooperation of Specialty Coffee) on a regular basis.

Italian ice-maker Giovanni Olivo and his lovely family are back from Italy to offer you old fashioned ice cream. I love having one on the terrace in front of the shop or buy one when passing by at the open window.

I have known Venezia for more than twenty years and appreciate the kitschy interior that never changes. The ice cream shop overlooks the Oude Binnenweg and the nice Eendrachtsplein, with Paul McCarthy’s sculpture ‘Santa Claus’, the weekly Tuesday farmers market and a flower stall. It’s lively in this Down Town shopping area which makes it nice to sit here while eating your ice cream.

When I sit indoors, my favorite choice is the small sorbet coupe with a cappuccino on the side. You’ll find the traditional selection of ice creams (including sugar free) here and Italian specialties such as Cassata, Spagetti ice and Tiramisu.

I entered so many times a really large door at Gouvernestraat 2 in the years that Nighttown’s (later known as WATT) office was located there. Not many people know why this door is so hugh, but the 2.37 meters high, 230 kilos weighing and 62 shoe sizing (European size) Rigardus Rijnhout lived here.

He was born in 1922 in Rotterdam. He must have had a terrible life cause of his size and all the complications that came with it. Rigardus died at the age of 36. 

We know Rigaldus as “De Reus van Rotterdam” (The Giant of Rotterdam). On June 6th 2011 a life-size bronze statue of Rigardus Rijnhout by artist Herman Lamers was unveiled in the parc next to his old house. Parc West Kruiskade 26. Now it’s the place where people go to get themselves a picture with The Giant of Rotterdam. It will make you feel small!

In my old neighbourhood are some pretty cool things like, duo MishMash – for interior, colour advise and murals at Lombardkade 53A and the largest weekly market on Tuesdays and Saturdays you’ll find a gem named Little Italy.

A typical small Italian supermarket-caterer. Officially located at the Lombardkade 51A, but they use the back entrance at the Binnenrotte.

Little Italy is a pleasure to shop for delicious, affordable and authentic delicatessen or for a quick bite, get a pizza slice or a sandwich. They’re specialized in Italian Food and if it’s not too busy the staff is very helpful in giving tips. I like to joke that in Little Italy size does matter when looking for the right size spaghetti.

Little Italy is a good place to snoop around and anything you can think of, you will find here for your Italian cooking. Cheeses, cold cuts, wide range of red, white, sweet, bubbling wines and if you look closely you will find some biological ones too, pasta´s, different kinds of olives, olive oils, truffles, herbs, mouth watering antipasti like the dried tomatoes, sea fruits, grilled eggplant and tapenades.

No time to cook? Get their fresh Lasagna and heat it up at home. Do try their Tiramisu, available in small and large portions!

Finally after only being able to pay cash, you can pay your purchased edible goodies with your bank/credit card now.

‘Buiten’ offers really good coffee, lunch and delicious local products:). This little gem can be found opposite Zigt, Koekela (check the Koekela article) and close to some nice clothes shops, Odile Hemmen winestore and the Wittetandenwinkel.

(Alles komt van) Buiten, meaning ‘Everything comes from outside’, has all sorts of delicious dishes and products made with love and care. Don’t kill me but those who know the Groene Passage might understand when I say it’s like a little mixture of Gimsel and Spirit but definetely in a MODERN STYLE! 

The shop is nice, open with a brightly designed interior and has very friendly staff. Buiten uses only organically grown products for their freshly homemade dishes, salads, pasta’s, soups, juices and more. They also offer a wide range of best cheeses, oils, coffee and other specialities like chutneys, (sweet) mayonnaise, bionades, hottie sambal, jams, regional season vegetables, pestos, bread and more. Fairtrade products can also be found like Tony Chocolonely chocolate and goods from Oxfam. And one day my famous Tiramisu will be on sale here (I’ll keep you posted:))

Go here to taste regional products, to do eco-friendly food shopping if you don’t feel like cooking or just for a good tea or a coffee to go. In the back you will find a large table where they let you read and eat in.