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
No summer is complete without good ice cream, or better yet, gelato. But the latest spot to open in our city is no ordinary place. Don’t expect the usual flavours like plain vanilla or strawberry. Instead, tap into how you’re feeling and let that guide you. Perhaps you’re new to the city and need a fresh start, or you’re going through a challenging period in life right now and need a reminder that there is still light to be discovered even in the darkest moments. Well, Soul Be It has a flavour and a space for you.
This spot – and the woman behind it – has a special story. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Karen SL Huang moved to The Hague about nine years ago, after spending her whole career in the high-pressure world of advertising and later, marketing. She always had a dream to open her own gelateria since she was a child, and this feeling persisted until, around two years ago, she made the decision to really go after it. Now, Soul Be It is open for everyone to enjoy – a meeting place for friends to catch up, with a record player playing softly in the background and books on mindfulness scattered about.
I was really touched by the passion Karen has. She’s not trying to churn customers in and out of her store quickly; instead, she wants to bring three things to the city that work together: emotions + flavours + connection. The sleek interior feels like an extension of Karen’s own home – and an extension of yours, too. When she saw her customers sitting down, enjoying the gelato and reading some books, this was when she knew her dream had been realised.
It was hard to pick a favourite from the flavours, so instead, I’ll share the story behind a few of them. Fresh Start – to signify that every day is a chance to start over: a sorbet made up of pear and mint. The burst of freshness was undeniable, with an almost savoury feel, and the flavour could even work as part of a palate cleanser between courses.
A Light Unto the Darkness – a reminder that even during the hardest moments in life, there is often a silver lining if we remember to look for it. The taste of dark chocolate comes together in a gorgeous richness without being too bitter, with a hint of orange zest that cuts through.
Rosemary, Greek yoghurt, pink peppercorn — Gezellig is built on a taste you never knew you needed. The flavour takes its name from the Dutch expression for cosiness and warmth, and kumquat compote pieces round it out with a surprising sweetness.
Beyond the storytelling, there’s substance too – most of the ingredients are organic, and Karen is looking to increase that even more. Everything is freshly made every day. You’ll want to come back often, not only to try the new flavour of the week, but also to chat with Karen and have a moment to yourself, with a friend or family member.
Soul Be It is located on Heulstraat 25, walking distance from the Binnenhof
Images: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers
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.
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.
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
How would you like to enjoy a meal created by the world’s smallest chef? At just 6cm tall, according to legend, he was born in April 2015 in Marseille, France.
Le Petit Chef is a fully immersive 3D dining experience where a tiny, animated chef is projected directly onto your table, cooking your meal right in front of your eyes. It’s playful, it’s cinematic, and it’s genuinely unlike anything you’ve experienced at a dinner table before — and he has officially taken up residence in The Hague for the very first time.
The concept was created by Belgian artist collective Skullmapping — Antoon Verbeeck and Filip Sterckx. Previously focused on projections onto house walls and streets, and participants in light festivals worldwide, the duo decided to try it out on tabletops. The premiere took place on Antoon Verbeeck’s terrace, where both artists cooked for their friends. Le Petit Chef himself is a 3D scan of Verbeeck’s son, and the inspiration for the entire show.
Le Petit Chef was previously only available in Amsterdam — however, voco The Hague, the quintessential hotel with Dutch design, wanted to bring this truly one-of-a-kind experience to our beach city. It’s an extraordinary dining concept, one that goes far beyond a traditional dinner, and they felt The Hague deserved its own piece of that magic.
Le Petit Chef offers different show editions globally, and The Hague is currently running Show 1. The menu is a set five-course offering, and what makes this version special is that the hotel has incorporated locally sourced ingredients from regional suppliers, keeping it rooted in local identity. A curated wine pairing option is also available to complement each course.
Each course begins with a show projected directly onto your table, right before your meal is served. From the chef dealing with a mischievous mole in the garden to sailing the sea in search of seafood, it’s charming and sweet — and right up your alley if you’re looking for something genuinely different.
So the show is the highlight, but what about the actual food? I tried both the classic and vegetarian menus, which were freshly made and satisfying. From a caprese salad with gorgeous burrata, beautifully plated, to a vegetarian main of rich and creamy mushroom ravioli and a classic main of beef sirloin paired with broccoli — the menu delivers lovely ingredients and flavours you may not expect.
Le Petit Chef is an evening that will surprise you, and a wonderful way to mark a special occasion. Click here to read about the concept and to make a booking: https://lepetitchef.com/the-hague/
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.
Images: voco The Hague and Sherika Rooplal-Clappers
