West Rotterdam – All our local tips

In the past the Nieuwe Binnenweg connected Delfshaven with Rotterdam. Nowadays it’s reckoned to be the longest shopping street in the Netherlands.

Why not bike from the city centre all the way down to Marconiplein, through West to Delfshaven. Or hop on and off tram 4? On your way you’ll find many interesting shops, bars and resto’s from all over the world.

One of them is traiteur-catering Chez Mo-i, which was recently opened by Monica van Leeuwen at number 302. Opposite Verheyden where we used to do our luxury food shopping for special occasions when we still lived close. Now Chez Mo-i gives us a new reason to go West.

Monica acquired her chef experiences as caterar and her colleague Catrine Bakken in the Zwetheul kitchen. Having her own traiteur – catering shop was a dream come true for Monica.

The place is light, spacious, cosy and beautifully styled with a mixture of 60ties furniture, nicely integrated in the total design done by Wouter Roeterin

k. In the back ther is a reoom where you can eat or drink and read in books about Rotterdam and food.

Upstairs is also a nice room specially for kids to play! In the front they sell Vlaamsch Broodhuys bread, in the middle freshly made sandwiches, pies, delicious grilled vegetables, couscous-, chicken- and tuna salads, olives, pasta, salt, oils and more mouth watering things to eat in or to go. Different Bionade lemonade available too! That presentation is important for Monica is obvious as everything looks tasteful.

Fans of Vlaamsch Broodhuys and cook books like Moro, The River Café and Ottolenghi amongst others can eat their heart out at Chez Mo-i.

The only thing I regret is that they don’t use fresh milk for the cappuccino.

In the summer you can sit outside in the garden!

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Chez Mo-i | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Bread)
Nieuwe Binnenweg 302 | West | +31104771578
Tue – Sat 10:00 – 17:00

I go to the zoo a lot. That is not very surprising since I have an annual commutation ticket for me and my son. So I go here about once a month with him. And because I can get a discount for every visitor I bring along, I also go with a friend sometimes. The only thing I have never done and what I would like to, is come alone with a drawing book. I try to plan it, but I have seldom the time, and when I do my son comes along anyway.

I like the zoo a lot. They rebuilt a lot of animal homes over the last few years. This means that the change is very big, you do not get to see the animals you like too much, but at least the animals enjoy their stay and since they have to live there, that is the most important thing.

I do not know how populair this news was abroad, but Blijdorp is the zoo with Bokito, the escaped gorilla. Personally I do not visit the apes much. I like to look for feathers. I do not encounter many, but I have collected some birds’ feathers over the years, although I lost a few too (has something to do with cats and they stealing it from my shelves…). And I like to make pictures. I love them in a natural environment, so it is quit a challenge to make pictures without the fences.

Last time I was there I forgot my camara and a monkey caught a mouse, he was trying to kill. My friend was so upset, she ran off with her camara. I still consider it a lost chance. But my search for specialties goes on and on.

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Diergaarde Blijdorp | Art & culture | Age 10 – 64 € 18.00
Blijdorplaan 8 | West | +310104431495
Winter 09:00 – 17:00 daily

I discovered this bakery filled with homemade cookies, bread and other mouth-watering goodies some years ago when I attended school nearby.

One day during a break, I browsed the streets and as I have a flavour for savoury food I was immediately drawn towards the window where these freshly baked buns with feta cheese and tomato were displayed.

That was my first contact with the Kaya family, the second generation of a bakers family, originally from Hatay, Antakya in Turkey. They have their shop since 1982 in this busy street in Rotterdam. It’s still a nice place to visit from time to time to either get that feta cheese bread or many other yummy things.

Kaya refurbished the shop some time ago and now you’re able to sit there too and have a cup of çay or coffee accompanied with a nice piece of baklava or whatever your choice is.

Their sweet and sticky goodies like the baklava come in several flavours and shapes with exotic names like Dolama and Havuç (bigger pieces of baklava).
Other sweet stuff are Lokum (Turkish fruit), Bülbül Yuvasi (unfilled airy pastry) and Dilber dudagi (pastry dough with nuts).

The wide range of cookies always look attractive and inviting to eat. Do try the Peynirli Börek (Kaya bun with cheese), a simple Simit or even the Turkish pizza, Lahmacun.

Turkish wines are also for sale.

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Kaya Pastanesi | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | From € 1.50
1e Middellandstraat 123 | West | +310104772319
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 18:30, Fri 10:00 – 21:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

I love the wind, so I love kites.

Just outside of the centre of town you will find Luchtwerk. A shop that is known for their big collection of kites and also a wide range of juggling equipments, yoyo’s, frisbees, aerobies, boomerangs and disc golfs. And if you really want to challenge gravity you can also find one-wheel bikes here.

The enthusiastic staff is very helpful and if you’re only looking for original presents, know that fun shoppers are always welcome.

Why mentioning this shop?

First of all, Luchtwerk is located in a beautiful old street with buildings from the 1917 and big Sycamore trees. It’s an interesting street with a strong and active local community. Who cares about the history, the present and the future of the street; they invite you to come and have a look.

Secondly, it’s a nice neighbourhood to wander around. Opposite Luchtwerk is the the Beatrijsstraat. A side street of the Graaf Florisstraat where the Rotterdam based MVRDV architects built a blue rooftop extension that can’t be missed and is very photogenic!

Thirdly, because Luchtwerk is the best place to buy your kite or boomerang in town and gives you a reason to play in one of the many Parks in Rotterdam or take the train to the beach in Hoek van Holland.

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Luchtwerk | Art & culture, Shopping
Graaf Florisstraat 24 b | West
Wed – Thu 10:00 – 19:00, Fri 11:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

In 1937 they began to build the Maastunnel, which included the moving of the Norsk Sjomannskirke (check the Seaman’s churches article) which is in the park nearby nowadays. The building continued during WWII.

There is a story that while they were officially opening the tunnel at one side, two schoolboys had entered the tunnel at the other side. I would have love to see their faces, when they saw the two boys, before the cutting of the ribbon. This opening was in 1942, and back then it was the first car tunnel in the Netherlands.

Besides a car tunnel there is also a bike tunnel and a pedestrian tunnel. You can go down the escalator with your bike (if not possible, you may request to take you down with the elevator). There you can ride to the other side, where another set of escalators are taking you up again. The tunnel for pedestrians is another stairway down, since you are not allowed to walk in the bike tunnel.

I have been biking here about once a day up and down for five years. When I lived on the south bank and my work my son’s school was on the north bank, we always took the Maastunnel on our way. Next to that have been biking a lot of 17km tours in Rotterdam, where I also took the Maastunnel. Especially in the summertime you are met by a pleasant fresh air, since it is quit cool under sea level.

Going up the escalator with your bike takes some getting used to, but since my son has been doing it since he was five years, I suppose you can manage. As long as you take care to put your back wheel firmly on one stair, you can hold your bike with only the touch of a finger.

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Maastunnel | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Maastunnel | West
24 hours daily (with security)

The HUB is a place for working, meeting, innovating, learning, for people who sees and do things differently, where ideas originate that might change the world a little.

It was only a matter of time, but finally The HUB ROTTERDAM opened a SHOP in at the Nieuwe Binnenweg 195B, a concept where HUB members sell their fair trade or organic products and services.

If you are hip, authentic and involved, THE HUB shop is definitely a must go!

What they sell is as diverse as the HUB members are, what makes this a unique place. Shakshulca is an original baby-line, Ecocouture for elegant woman’s wear made of bamboo, Streethip Ecokatoen t-shirts and boxer shorts with great prints, original bike handglovers from Colores, support starting jewelery designers from Chili, swap clothes or buy for only €5,00 a piece, be beautiful with Isabella pearls, cool with wooden furniture made by Niels Verwey, learn you can fight poverty, isn’t doing business all about flirting or find a light in a jar and more …

I found some original presents for Sinterklaas that will be great for X-mas too. A stylish bouncing ball of elastics, a car as ‘key chain’ made in Madagascar of old can, a bottle of wine with a story. All around €5,00 each. Got a good laugh and a poem for free. These are things you are hoping for when you are stressing around to get ready in time.

It’s typical for THE HUB SHOP, meet interesting people, find time for humor, a story, inspiration, exchange ideas and activities.

This all happens in a spacious, nicely designed shop ran by Mila, Cathelijne and Ursel.

Upstairs they welcome you for cake and drinks. Via the shop-blog you can vote which cake they’ll bake next week.

For the latest news check the THE HUB SHOP ROTTERDAM blog.

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The HUB Shop | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | From € 2.50
Nieuwe Binnenweg 195B | West
Tue – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

This hidden treat is located somewhat far from the city centre, but worth every cent. Jump on the tram 21 or 23 that run through the city centre -hop on at Blaak, Erasmusbrug, Coolsingel, Weena or Central Station- and hop off just over the bridge in Spangen. Here you will find the best biological food of Rotterdam.

Before going into the tasty treats at Van de Boer, I should point out how nice it is to see such a great place emerge in a formerly unpopular neighbourhood like Spangen. Some years ago, Spangen was known to be one of the most poorest and dangerous places in the Netherlands. However, increased efforts of the local government to restore buildings and attract young new families are paying off -and for me, Van de Boer is a nice example of the improvement this location is going through.

So, back to Van de Boer. This restaurant and shop is an excellent choice for every meal of the day. All the dishes are made with the freshest and eco-friendly ingredients available, all coming from the farmers in the direct area of Rotterdam. On the menu you can find the origin of a lot of ingredients. And, let’s say, you had lunch and tasted this delicious cheese or mustard, you can go the shop next to the restaurant.

If you come at a quiet moment, ask the waiters about the projects they are doing to promote the use of fresh farmer produce by city-folk. The people running van de Boer, Rianne Andeweg en Nicole Hove, are really friendly and passionate about their dream. Going to Van de Boer is more than eating out, it is a whole experience in itself.

(For the tech-minded, there is free internet available at Van de Boer.)

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Van de Boer | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Ecological) | Lunch € 10.00
Mathenesserweg 2-4 | West
Tue – Thu 11:30 – 22:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 22:00

“Voorlopig” could be translated into ‘for the time being’. A nice name for a special gift shop focused on creative people like me. Located in one of the nicest shopping streets down town, the Nieuwe Binnenweg. Opposite the oldest Dutch interior design-shop Metz at number 170.

At Voorlopig you will find a mixture of intuitively combined collection of beautiful presents you won’t find anywhere else. Handcrafted art objects made by poets, writers and artists. Funny gifts such as ceramic elements that can be used as a vase, mini garden. The ‘Raaf birds’ are beautiful. I like the envelopes I bought, made of recycled maps. Ever since I sent my bills in these envelopes and feel I sent a hidden treasure along;)

Ask for the ceramic ‘Rotterdamse Aardmannen’. They are really cute mini gnomes with a mark on the back of the date when they made. Notepads from recycled posters comes with a free pen holder.

There are many interesting, touching, surprising books on architecture, tree houses, birds, life, poetry and more. Limited edition screen prints, lino’s and paintings, lucky balloons, amazing birdcages, crow your own mushrooms, original postcards.

Snoop around, be touched and warned as this shop will inspire you finding nice presents for, young and old, yourself and your beloved ones.

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Voorlopig | Art & culture, Shopping
Nieuwe Binnenweg 165 | West | +310104367668
Wed – Thu 14:00 – 18:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 18:00/19:00