I’ve lived in The Hague for years but only recently visited Zahara for the first time. To be honest, I always thought it looked dodgy. However, friend J. was celebrating her birthday and her wish list included “cocktails, good cocktails!” So…”you only live once” and off we head to Zahara cocktail bar with high hopes. We were not disappointed.

You’ll find Zahara off the main boulevard and away from the crowds of Scheveningen. It’s located on the ground floor of an apartment building. The terrace is compact and slightly hidden by bamboo. Inside is small with the bar taking up one side and the other decorated with mirrors, pleather seating and what looks like a terrarium as part of the bar. We can confirm that there is a lizard in residence (it looked perfectly happy, no animal cruelty here).

Never mind all this, we came for the cocktails remember! The menu is extensive and covers more than just the classics: cream cocktails, fizzes, margaritas, champagne cocktails, mocktails and shocktails. You’ll have tonnes of fun just browsing the menu but don’t forget to order at the bar, otherwise you’ll be waiting a long time. The crowd is eclectic, service is friendly and the drinks are really very good, they come in two sizes: long or extra long. Tram 11 stops twenty metres away which proves to be very convenient after cocktail number 4.