How glorious is the weather we’re getting in London right now?! Last weekend was absolutely beautiful and we were lucky that we had planned a trip to The Hague to visit friends on the hottest weekend of the year so far! It was also my birthday which made it even more special. As you know very well, food is a huge part of traveling for me and we had some great experiences in The Hague.

De Dagvisser

https://www.dedagvisser.nl
Indisputably at the top of my list is this seafood restaurant a stone’s throw from the beach. After an afternoon of chilling out in the sun and playing beach cricket, we sat outside on their terrace as the evening sun faded with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and a platter of fresh oysters to kick off proceedings.

The menu, designed to look like a newspaper, is comprehensive to say the least and to be honest you can pretty much order whatever seafood takes your fancy and however you want it cooked. I went for the day’s set menu with a starter of swordfish tataki, followed by seabass served with samphire, asparagus risotto and caviar beurre blanc, and finished with a red berry parfait and pistachio sponge.

The tataki reminded me of the sea bream starter we had in Hotel Dukes Palace in Bruges, as it played on sweet-savoury flavours with a Japanese vibe. The swordfish was seasoned with a beautiful slightly sweet spice around the edges that married so well with the other accompaniments.

Sea bass with a good crispy skin will always hold a special place in my heart. This main dish served with salty samphire, fresh crunchy asparagus in a creamy risotto and a pretty extra-special caviar sauce absolutely nailed it. It was a simple concept with an injection of luxury and perfectly executed.

It was actually my birthday when we ate at De Dagvisser, and my sneaky sneaky friends organised a lovely sparkler in my dessert while they sang “Happy Birthday”. The dessert was a playful parfait served on an ice lolly stick and was a lovely, whimsical way to end a truly amazing meal.

In Stock

https://www.instock.nl/en/restaurant/the-hague/
Mark and I have been trying to be more waste-conscious lately, so this cafe that uses surplus food from local restaurants was an exciting find. Their menu is ever changing due to the nature of how the ingredients are sourced, and the quality of the food is excellent. My fish burrito was a generous serving with fresh and super crispy fish. Mark’s shakshuka was delicious too.

Lola’s Bikes & Coffee

http://www.lolabikesandcoffee.nl/?lang=en
A hybrid of coffee shop and bike workshop, Lola’s Bikes & Coffee is the definition of hipster goals. The coffee was great, but my highlight was their selection of cakes. There were two of us, so obviously we tried three of their cakes. My favourite had to be the Haagsche hopje cake made with a local sweet with a subtle coffee-caramel flavour.

Hollandse Nieuwe Haring at Haringkraam Buitenhof

Warning: If you aren’t a fan of fish, this isn’t for you…and you may find it a bit gross. Young raw herrings are preserved in a mild brine or pickling vinegar and eaten with raw onion. You can have them in a bun, or lift them up and eat them from the bottom like the locals. I was dubious about the raw onion, but the sweet, crunchy pieces were a necessary contrast with the salty fish. I would have found the herring pretty cloying had the onion not evened things up. I enjoyed it though and was glad we didn’t have to fight off any of the loitering seagulls.

Been to The Hague? Comment below if you have any more recommendations!