August 6, 2024 · Culinary Journalist
There are sometimes those spots you wouldn't immediately think of when heading into town. Often because they are just outside the center, meaning they are less ingrained in your ‘system,’ or simply because the food isn't fun or tasty. But at the Harbour Café That is certainly not the case. If only for the terrace by the water, where boats pass by in the summer, you should go there at least once. There is no terrace in the city where you sit better.
The Harbour Cafe has been around for a while. It has had various owners, but for the last few years, entrepreneur Pol de Bruin has been at the helm. ‘The concept we run here is shared dining, but you can also stop by for a main course or a nice charcuterie board. On one side of the establishment, there are higher tables with stools, which is an ideal spot for drinks, while on the other side, it is more of a restaurant with low tables.’
‘Our establishment is actually known for its terrace,’ Pol adds. ‘We have four terraces. A facade terrace along (how could it be otherwise) the building, with those nice benches that you can fold out and where you can enjoy a drink. In front of our entrance, we have a small terrace by the water for about 45 people. On the side, there is also a terrace adjacent to our restaurant area. A place where guests actually dine and sit a bit longer. On the hottest summer days, we can also set up our island terrace, which is the largest terrace we have. In peak times, that means a maximum capacity of well over 200 seats.’
Harbour Cafe opens at three o'clock in the afternoon on days with good weather; in bad weather, it opens an hour later. The menu, from which you can choose throughout the day, consists mainly of shared dining dishes. "You can pick out your own shares," explains Pol, "or you can choose from one of our 'full table' menus, where you can choose from 3 or 4 courses including amuse-bouches, which the chef then puts together for you. Naturally, allergies and dietary requirements are taken into account."
If you look at the history, the location where Harbour Cafe is situated has always been a place where hospitality businesses are located. ‘It really is a unique spot,’ emphasizes Pol. ‘It was one of the most important supply routes, perhaps even the most important, from where larger ships could easily sail to the Oosterhaven. From there, they sailed on to the nearby warehouses.’ And the concept of Harbour Cafe is based on that as well. ‘With plenty of fish on the menu, of course, and specifically fish from the North Sea. But also the use of various spices, because that is naturally something that used to be brought along on those boats.’
For more information, see www.harbourcafe.nl.
