So you came to beautiful Leiden and you’re wondering where to have a bite to eat or enjoy a nice drink. You should check out these places.
Bistro Bord’o
This French-style restaurant is staffed by young talents and have made a big name for themselves in a small amount of time. Fantastic food, super-friendly staff, wonderful wines, excellent value; you can’t go wrong here.
- Apothekersdijk 2
- bistrobordo.nl
- Closed on Sunday
De Engelenbak
Simple but good food at this laid-back restaurant. No nonsense dishes for fair prices, excellent chips, and they eschew the otherwise ubiquitous carpaccio. There’s lunch, too.
- Lange Mare 38
- deengelenbak.nl
Burgerzaken
Beautiful art-deco-like restaurant and café, that does fab lunches as well as dinner, in a Mediterranean style. There’s a good selection of vegetarian dishes here, too.
- Breestraat 123
- restaurantburgerzaken.nl
Woo Ping
Has been in Leiden forever, and serves some of the best Chinese food in town. But be sure to ask for their dishes to be made in traditional Chinese style (or ask for Sandra and mention “116” to her), or else you might get Dutch-Chinese grub, which isn’t nearly as tasty.
- Diefsteeg 15
- wooping-leiden.nl
Sushi Bento
Small Japanese style “restaurantlet” where they make really good sushi. Everything is prepared on the spot, so freshness guaranteed. Eat in or take-away. The latter takes a while, though.
- Haarlemmerstraat 191
- sushibentoleiden.nl
- Closed on Tuesday
Toko BungaMas
Small Indonesian take-away with a few tables if you want to eat in. Be it spicy or mild, their dishes are always authentic and very, very tasty. As an alternative, try Iboe Tjilik (Lammermarkt 9), which isn’t half bad either.
- Janvossensteeg 61
- bungamas.nl
- Closed on Sunday and Monday
Noroc
Great little place to have lunch.
- Pieterskerk-Choorsteeg 4
- eetwinkelnoroc.nl
- Closed on Monday
Chummy Coffee
Are you a coffee snob? Then try Chummy. Laid back, free wifi, tasty cakes and an excellent flat white. Good stuff.
- Breestraat 97
- chummycoffee.nl
- Closed on Sunday
’t Suppiershuysinghe
Cozy coffee house situated at one of the oldest and most beautiful little squares in Leiden.
- Gerecht 2
- koffiehuisje.com
Café De Uyl van Hoogland
Pub with an excellent selection of traditional and craft beers, enjoyable music on the backround (they’re playing Bowie as we speak), and the occasional cat. Loverly.
- Nieuwstraat 28
- facebook.com/deuylvanhoogland
De Twee Spieghels
Decent wines, delicious snacks, a wide variety of Scotch, and regular live jazz music. What’s not to like?
- Nieuwstraat 11
- detweespieghels.nl
Meneer Jansen
Bar. My local. Nuff said.
- Nieuwe Rijn 21
- cafemeneerjansen.nl