As a wine lover, the first countries that come to mind when thinking about wine are the classics: France, Italy, South Africa, Chile. But after sitting with Ofran Badakhshani, the owner of De Filosoof wine bar, I learned about the true history of wine.
Wine is a story. Nowhere is that truer than in Persia, the civilisation we now know as Iran, where wine was not simply consumed but revered. Long before it reached Europe, it was woven into the very fabric of Persian life — into its religion, its rituals, and most enduringly, its poetry. The great Sufi poet Rumi used wine as a metaphor for the soul’s journey toward God, describing spiritual ecstasy as being drunk on something far beyond the earthly. Omar Khayyam filled his celebrated Rubaiyat with it, using each glass as a quiet argument for living fully in the present. And Hafez, perhaps the most beloved poet in the Persian tradition, wrote about wine with a provocation that was as much political as it was spiritual — raising a cup, in many ways, against rigidity itself. It is one of history’s more poignant ironies that the country which gave the world its oldest confirmed traces of winemaking — clay jars from the Zagros Mountains dating back over seven thousand years — is today one where wine cannot be legally produced or consumed. Before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran had close to 300 wineries. Now it has none. The culture remains, pressed into the pages of its literature.
This history is personal at De Filosoof. Ofran, who grew up in Amsterdam, originally studied philosophy and was later offered a role at Delft University — unpaid, as it turned out, which prompted him to think seriously about his next move. Beyond philosophy, what did he know deeply? Wine. And so he began to explore how the two might come together. In 2014, he started hosting art history and philosophy discussions shared over a glass, bringing together a small community of intellectuals that grew steadily over time. Of Persian descent himself, Ofran introduced this community not to French or Chilean pours, but to wines from Bulgaria, Moldova, and Greece. There was hesitation at first — these were unfamiliar regions, unfamiliar grapes — but over time, Ofran earned their trust, and the wines spoke for themselves. Restaurants in The Hague couldn’t fully tell the stories behind bottles like these; most owners know France and Italy and little else. And so what had begun as a gathering became a destination. De Filosoof wine bar opened in 2019.
Built from the ground up by Ofran, his girlfriend, and his mother — the three of them doing much of the work with their own hands — the bar had barely found its feet when Covid arrived. When the world eventually quietened down, they opened their doors fully, and something quietly remarkable happened: different cultures began to flock in. Brazilians, Turkish, Dutch — strangers sitting side by side over a shared glass, the noise of the outside world briefly held at bay. What Ofran has built is not simply a beautiful bar that serves delicious wine and food. It is a space where background becomes secondary, where the common ground is a well-chosen bottle and the willingness to be curious. At a time when many world leaders are pushing division, De Filosoof makes a gentle case for the opposite — that we can sit with our fellow humans, talk, and remember that at the end of the day, we all carry the same hopes for ourselves and the people we love.
With over 500 wines available by the glass — many sourced from conflict zones including Lebanon — there is something quietly radical about the place. It almost makes you wonder what could be resolved if more of the world’s decision-makers sat down together over a good bottle.
De Filosoof hosts regular events each month: new wine launches, performances by Persian musicians, tastings, and evenings centred on literature and art. I attended the launch of Château Heritage’s new Brut — the first sparkling wine from Lebanon from a house currently ranked 33rd best in the world. Bursting with crisp green apple, juicy pear, and zesty citrus, it is exactly the kind of wine you reach for when there is something worth celebrating.
Food is very much part of the experience too. Small bites are on offer, and I tried Ofran’s mother’s famous aubergine dish, Burani — fresh tomatoes served with yoghurt and coriander. It was fragrant, light, and completely at home here. The Kufta followed: spiced meatballs with ginger, paprika, and warm spices, slow-cooked in a fresh tomato sauce. With my eyes closed, I could have been somewhere else entirely — somewhere much warmer, and further away from the Dutch cold.
So, can world peace be achieved over a glass of wine? That may be a loaded question and one we cannot answer simply. But after seeing so many different people come together to enjoy brilliant food, wine and art, it does make you think.
Check out De Filosoof’s website and Instagram for information on future events. De Filosoof can be found on Molenstraat 16.
Images: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers and De Filosoof
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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.