We spent a day in Rotterdam to find some fun healthy hotspots for you! For both of us, it was a new city where luckily there was much to discover. So do you have a day trip or a weekend getaway to Rotterdam planned? Then be sure to read this article!
Op ‘t dak – Schiekade 189
Less than 10 minutes from Central Station, you’ll find the little spot ‘Op ‘t Dak’ where (as the name suggests) you have a view over the city. By chance, we spontaneously came across this place, and we didn’t regret stepping inside for a second. You can enjoy breakfast and lunch here in a cozy, homely atmosphere. Not everything on the menu is vegan, but they can make certain dishes vegan. In the summer, most of the ingredients (and flowers!) are harvested from their own garden. On the roof, they have a large garden where you can sit outside in the summer. Can you imagine it? Delicious food with a fantastic view over the city! Anouk hadn’t had breakfast yet and ordered the porridge with figs (from their own garden), orange, and cloves. What else is on the menu? How about a vegan Buddha Bowl or a vegan soup?
Lof der zoetheid – Noordplein 1
Along the water, you’ll find ‘Lof der Zoetheid’ where you can go for breakfast, lunch, and sweet treats. Everything is fresh and homemade. Our eyes were particularly drawn to the sweet plant-based delicacies, such as the stewed pear marzipan tart and oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies. On the weekends, they have extra plant-based (and gluten-free!) options. Not only is the food top-notch, but the entire decor is meticulously cared for. Jorian is quite sensitive to this, so she was glued to her camera. We later heard from people we spoke to that there’s a lovely takeaway point next to this place, handy when you order something for a party. So, if you’re in need of a treat after a long walk through the city, this place is definitely recommended! Try to hold back ;).
Bertmans – Zaagmolenkade 15
If you walk a little further from Lof der Zoetheid, you’ll end up at Bertmans. A super cozy healthy hotspot where cream & whipped cream are banned words in the kitchen. You can come here all day for breakfast, lunch, smoothies/juices, or a drink. After a fun walk along the water, we were hungry again and chose (on the friendly staff’s recommendation) the Brunch Platter (ideal for sharing) and an Orange Smoothie. The Brunch Platter included toast with avocado, mushrooms, and vegetable chutney, a pancake with cashew cream, a chia pudding with coconut yogurt, and a homemade seed cracker with hummus. So incredibly tasty all around! We actually wanted to try everything on the menu. When the weather is nice, you can sit outside with a view of the water. And do you fancy visiting some shops? You can enjoy some shopping around Bertmans.
Spirit – Mariniersweg 9
Have you worked up an appetite while shopping in the (super fun!) Blaak area, but don’t have much time for a leisurely lunch? Then Spirit is the perfect solution! It is located in the Green Passage where you will also find an organic supermarket and other fun fair trade shops. The concept? You fill your plate with all the goodies from the buffet, and then your plate is weighed. Most of it is vegan and some dishes are vegetarian. Be sure to check out the dessert buffet as well. Vegan ice cream, Scones, Muffins, and Spicy Pumpkin: do we need to say more?
GYS – Nieuwe Binnenweg 182
This restaurant was a little bit out of the way (at least, for us), but after all the good stories we heard about GYS, we definitely wanted to stop by for lunch. You can come here all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. GYS has an extensive menu with many vegetarian and vegan options. Not only is the food sustainable, but this is also reflected in the interior. You see a lot of green and everything is very light and spacious, super cool! We ordered the vegan tasting platter; 4 delicious dishes on a platter. Especially fun is that they serve a vegan kapsalon, as this is a typical Rotterdam dish. As a dessert, we ordered the best vegan chocolate mousse EVER. Oh and when you walk out of GYS, there is a nice store ‘Plek’ in the street. Definitely worth a look.
Sajoer sapbar – Botersloot 46A
We ended our day at Sajoer, a juice bar in the Blaak district. We were warmly welcomed here by the owner Gaby; you are guaranteed to leave with a smile. At Sajoer you can enjoy the best slow juiced juices and smoothies, but also breakfast, salads, and sweet snacks (to go and to stay) are available here. We chose the slow juices ‘Slanky Janky’ and ‘Sajoer Groene Monster’. Gaby made us a delicious Acai bowl with homemade granola. As the cherry on top, we received a Salted Caramel tartlet from SUE. Fun to mention; Sajoer sells some beautiful food & lifestyle books!
Vers Rotterdam – Oudedijk 159A
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit Vers. Because oh, how time flies when you’re having fun. Since Vers was on our list and we got excited about their concept, we wanted to mention them anyway. Vers serves a changing weekly menu with salads, soups, burgers, but also smoothies, juices, and sweet snacks can be found here. They have a wide range of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options (to go and to stay). “Everything fresh, fresher, freshest”.