What if I told you that one of Portugal’s greatest cultural experiences isn’t found in a museum, but around a dining table?
The tasca is more than a restaurant — it’s a place where locals come together to gather, share, and connect as a community. It is a celebration of authentic flavours, local traditions, and the relationships built over a meal. Because sometimes, food tells the best stories.
If you’re traveling to Portugal this summer, chances are you already have a list of must-see attractions. But there’s one experience that may not be on your radar: the tasca. These beloved local establishments have long been at the heart of Portuguese communities, and now Portugal is inviting the world to discover their charm.
Click here to view the extensive list of tascas around the country. From duck rice, to bacalhau (cod fish) – your taste buds are in for a treat.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, hosted jointly across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first time three nations have co-hosted the tournament. It features 48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days, up from 32 teams and 64 matches in previous editions.
The final
The tournament culminates with the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Fun bonus detail: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed there will be a half-time show at the final, with Coldplay involved — inspired by the NFL’s Super Bowl tradition.
Oranje in Group F
The Netherlands are in Group F alongside Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia. Here are the Dutch fixtures in Dutch time (CEST):
Sunday 14 June — Netherlands vs Japan: 22:00 (Dallas)
Saturday 20 June — Netherlands vs Sweden: 19:00 (Houston)
Friday 26 June — Tunisia vs Netherlands: 01:00 (Kansas City)
The Netherlands have reached the World Cup final three times (1974, 1978, 2010) without ever winning. With a relatively favourable group, there’s real belief this could be their year!
Here’s a list on the best places to watch the games:
O’Casey’s Irish Pub & Restaurant(Noordeinde 140) One of The Hague’s best-loved Irish pubs, O’Casey’s brings genuine warmth and energy to match days. With screens throughout the bar and a crowd that actually cares about the game, it’s the kind of place where a late equaliser gets the whole room on its feet. Book a table in advance — it fills up fast for big fixtures.
The Fiddler(Riviervismarkt 1) A Den Haag institution, The Fiddler is an English-style pub spread across two levels with multiple large screens and locally brewed cask ale on tap. It draws a loyal international crowd and has a long track record of hosting major sporting events. The atmosphere during a big match here is reliably electric.
Sports Café Not Out(Valeriusstraat 18) The most dedicated sports venue on this list. Not Out is built around the game — a large pull-down projector screen, a relaxed neighbourhood feel, and a crowd of genuine football fans. Slightly off the beaten tourist path, it’s a favourite among expats and locals who take their sport seriously.
Voco The Hague by IHG(Kneuterdijk 8) For those who want to watch the World Cup in comfort and style, the bar at Voco The Hague offers a more laid-back alternative to the pub scene. Located in a beautifully restored city-centre building, it’s a good option for smaller groups or anyone who prefers their football with a cocktail rather than a pint of lager.
Café Restaurant Rootz(Grote Marktstraat 14) Right in the heart of the city centre, Rootz is a lively all-day café-bar with over 160 beers on the menu and a warm, bustling atmosphere that suits a big occasion. With its high ceilings and historic interior, it hits a sweet spot between neighbourhood café and proper football venue — the kind of place you settle in for the whole evening.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
Venue provided complimentary food and drinks during Sherika’s visit for this feature. The Hague Online retained editorial control, and the views expressed are the writer’s own
Legendary chef and writer Anthony Bourdain once said, “You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together” — and this philosophy is nowhere truer than at the newly opened The Storycafe.
Moroccan-Dutch owner Meryem Hammiche, who is also a dietician and mental health coach, knows the power of food and how it can bring people together. She created this space for exactly that: the community.
When you walk into the café, you feel a sense of warmth and community support right away. Drawings cover the walls, painted by hand by a Mexican artist. The corners are filled with beautiful homewares for sale — bags, cards and toys — from small businesses that Meryem personally wants to support. Each table carries words of encouragement, and the delicious smells of soup and baked goods fill the air.
“Everyone has their own story and when they come together, they make one story. I want to bring people together and create a space where people feel welcomed. The café is like an extension of my living room.”
The menu is varied, drawing influences from Morocco, Ukraine and Japan. Everything is homemade from the freshest ingredients, health-conscious and plated in bright colours that reflect the cheery atmosphere. One of Meryem’s favourites is from Chef Layla: the black sesame dream bowl — yoghurt with homemade chia, granola and energy bites of dates, walnut and matcha — freshly made, filling and kind to your waist. The Harira soup, containing chickpeas, lentils and warming spices, arrives with a chicken-filled pastry that is both sweet and savoury. It was deeply comforting and reminded me of a soup my mother used to make when I was a child — you know a place is special when it can bring up memories like that, particularly from childhood. On arrival, I also got to try a mini tasting platter of sweet Moroccan treats: a pancake, a semolina cake and an almond and honey wrap — all new flavours for me, and it almost felt like I was in Meryem’s home, catching up with an old friend.
Their coffee is sourced from DiMello fairtrade beans and their sourdoughbread comes from Pain de Mer Bakkers, a bakery based in Zeeland that makes all of their bread with seawater — making it suitable for people with food intolerances. You can feel that Meryem has put a lot of thought into each and every corner of this café, and because of that, it feels truly special. The space also works beautifully if you need a change of scenery from your home office, and everyone from young to old is welcomed here — dogs included, as puppuccinos are on the menu too.
The Storycafe is open seven days a week on Appelstraat 175. Events like Closet Confetti (buy and sell second hand clothing) and a cookie pop up are on the calendar, so be sure to follow them on Instagram so you don’t miss out. If you’re a small business looking to sell your items, feel free to reach out to Meryem.
Do you have a story about your own café, restaurant or bar in the city? Reach out to sherika@thehagueonline.com to possibly be featured.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
One of the largest open-air markets in Europe, De Haagse Markt sits on Herman Costerstraat with more than 500 permanent stalls stretching across 450 metres and three wide walkways. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9am to 5pm, roughly 35,000 people pass through it — and once you’ve been, you’ll understand why. This is not a quaint farmers’ market with artisan candles and €8 sourdough. This is the real, loud, colourful, chaotic heart of the city.
Dutch cauliflower sits next to fresh ketoembar coriander, baklava, sharon fruit, and fresh fish. Street food stalls cover Turkish, Moroccan, Antillean, and Dutch cuisines alongside cheaper clothing, flowers, rugs, household items, and more. It is, in the best possible way, a place where everything exists and nothing costs what you’d expect.
Which brings me to the question I decided to answer on a recent Wednesday morning: what can €35 actually get you here?
I arrived at 10am, cash in hand — many vendors prefer cash, so come prepared. Here is my mini haul
Fresh produce — a bunch of fresh herbs and veggies, mangoes, and fresh Hollandse strawberries and salmon for 4 people. Prices here are significantly lower than at supermarkets, and the quality of meat and fish is often better Total €21
Street food —2 chicken pasties Total €8
Flowers — Fresh roses for €5
Grand total of €34 for a light lunch, flowers and dinner for 4 people
What to know before you go
The market is best experienced without a list and when you’re not in a rush. Go with a rough idea of what you need, then let the stalls take you where they want to. The market is divided into several sections covering food, clothing, living, and nature.
Wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking on uneven surfaces and covering more ground than you expect. Bring a tote bag, or two. And bring cash — it will make everything faster and occasionally cheaper.
One more thing: the market reflects the genuinely multicultural population of The Hague in a way that few places in the city do quite so openly. Walking through it on a busy Saturday morning, hearing five languages in ten minutes, eating something you’ve never tried before, is the real thing the Haagse Markt gives you.
De Haagse Marktis located on Herman Costerstraat, between Hobbemaplein and Hoefkade. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
As part of the “TASCA – Authentic Portuguese Restaurant” project, promoted by AHRESP – Portuguese Hospitality and Restaurant Association in partnership with Visit Portugal, another international initiative celebrating Portuguese gastronomy will take place in the Netherlands on 11 and 12 June.
Following activations held throughout 2026 in Japan, Spain, and Germany, the project now arrives in The Hague with the Portugal Food Festival – Taste the Tasca, hosted at Leo’s International Flavors restaurant.
Over the course of two evenings, guests can experience a menu of authentic Portuguese flavours created by Portuguese Chef Rui Lima Santos, from the restaurant Deselegante in Santarém. Inspired by comida de tacho – traditional, hearty, and flavourful dishes commonly served in Portuguese tascas – the menu celebrates the essence of Portugal’s traditional cuisine.
Coinciding with Portugal’s popular summer festivities, the activation will also recreate the informal and convivial atmosphere typically associated with these celebrations, offering visitors an immersive cultural and gastronomic experience.
The “TASCA – Authentic Portuguese Restaurant” project will introduce international audiences to the Portuguese tasca, as an authentic representation of the country’s gastronomy and an expression of identity and culture. The initiative will reinforce Portugal’s reputation as a world-class gastronomic destination while simultaneously promoting regional diversity, local products and Portuguese culinary traditions.
The tasca goes beyond a restaurant concept, it is a symbol of Portuguese culture: a place of gathering, sharing and community, where simplicity becomes authenticity and where gastronomy intersects with hospitality and social connection. The project also aims to recognise tascas as living spaces of culture and sociability, fostering closer relationships between producers, chefs, local communities and visitors.
“More than a place to eat, the tasca is a meeting point for the community, a stage for the authentic flavours of our cuisine, and a distinctive element in the global tourism landscape,” says AHRESP.
“By promoting tascas, traditional flavours and local gastronomic culture, this project contributes to strengthening Portugal’s international culinary identity, highlighting gastronomy as a decisive factor in differentiating and positioning the destination,” adds Visit Portugal.
During the festival, a curated list of Portuguese Tascas will also be unveiled, inviting the Dutch public to discover these authentic culinary destinations across Portugal.
The Portugal Food Festival – Taste the Tasca is presented by the Embassy of Portugal in The Hague and Visit Portugal, in collaboration with AHRESP.
Click here to make a booking and find out more about the menu
Images: Visit Portugal – The Netherlands & Belgium
