Say “Indian food” to most people in the West, and a familiar picture comes to mind: takeout containers, a lot of oil, and a spice level that’s either “mild” or “regret.” It’s cheap, it’s convenient, and — the assumption goes — it’s basically all the same, just curry in different colours.
It couldn’t be further from the truth.
India isn’t one cuisine. It’s thousands of them. The country splits into broad geographic zones — north, south, east, west, and the northeast — and each one cooks with entirely different staple grains, techniques, and flavour profiles shaped by its own climate, history, and culture. Kashmiri rogan josh and Chennai-style chicken Madras have about as much in common as a Neapolitan pizza and a Swedish meatball — they’re both “Indian food” the way both those dishes are “European food,” which is to say, technically true and practically meaningless. Travel across the country and the menu changes completely: steamed momo (dumplings) in the northeast, pork with fermented soybean, tangy tamarind-and-coconut curries down south, delicate mustard-and-fish dishes in the east. It’s a tapestry, not a single dish repeated in different sauces.
This is exactly the reputation Vinoth Govind is working to change from his restaurant, Mad’Ras, on Piet Heinstraat. Walk into Mad’Ras and the first thing you notice is that it doesn’t look like most Indian restaurants you’ve been to. Blue ceramic plates are lined precisely along the tables, copper wine goblets catch the light behind the bar. It reads more like fine dining than the casual spots the cuisine usually gets slotted into — and that’s deliberate.
Vinoth never trained formally as a chef. He was, in his own words, always a foodie. While he grew up in Chennai, he visited his grandparents who had a small farm in Tamilnadu, where feeding anyone who walked through the door wasn’t optional, it was the rule. “If you weren’t going to eat here, don’t bother coming,” his grandparents used to say. That ethic of hospitality followed him into a corporate HR career, one that took him and his wife through Singapore, the Philippines, and other parts of Asia before they eventually settled in The Hague in 2022.
But HR is not the industry for someone who believes food is love. Vinoth spent years on the exhausting, emptying task of laying off hundreds of people at a time, and at some point the pull back toward the kitchen got too loud to ignore. He’d already opened restaurants before, in other countries, each time leaving behind a piece of his heart along with the business. He wasn’t planning on starting another one when his wife’s job brought them to the Netherlands. Then he got lost on a walk one day and stumbled onto Piet Heinstraat.
There, he struck up a friendship with Clarence, owner of the café then known as Bij Clarence, and found himself pulled back into the food world almost by accident. A space on the street had just come free — previously home to a Brazilian fusion restaurant run by João Proença — and after six months of work, it became Mad’Ras.
Vinoth is quick to credit the neighbourhood for what came next. Plenty of people doubted a new restaurant could survive in that spot; others had tried and closed before him. But Clarence and João, along with the wider street community, backed him from day one. He now counts them as family, and it’s part of why The Hague, a city he arrived in almost by chance, has stayed close to his heart.
Mad’Ras keeps its menu tight, but each dish carries its own regional identity rather than blending into one generic “Indian” flavour. The lamb rogan josh — Vinoth’s personal favourite — carries a rich, warming character, and the tandoori prawns arrive smoky and char-kissed, in the northern tradition. And the chicken Madras brings the fire and depth of the south.
Crucially, none of it has been dialled down for a Dutch palate. What lands on your table is what you’d be served in Chennai or Kashmir itself — spice included. That said, if heat isn’t your thing, there’s still plenty on the menu to give you an honest taste of the cuisine without watering it down into something unrecognisable. You will also find some iems unique to Mad’Ras, such as the truffle naan which was inspired by Vinoth’s 13 year old daughter – a combination I had doubts about as truffle is often overused in most restaurants or of poor quality – yet paired with dishes like the butter chicken, it was sensational.
Behind that consistency is a kitchen team of four, all trained in five-star hotels across India, and it shows in the precision of every plate. The drinks list carries the same care. The Mad’Ras Tadka coktail — gin or whisky, lime, sugar, ginger ale, and chaat masala — is light and refreshing, built to stand up against the spiced food rather than disappear next to it. Vinoth’s own love of wine shows up here too, with bottles sourced from further afield than you’d expect, including Georgia and Lebanon, rounding out a drinks menu as considered as the food.
Mad’Ras is the kind of place you find yourself wanting to return to — and to bring everyone you know along with you. It’s comfort food, elevated without tipping into pretension, and Vinoth’s hospitality is evident from the moment you walk through the door. If you’ve been carrying around the wrong idea of what Indian food is, this is exactly where to go to have it corrected. I myself, am of South African-Indian heritage and this place tastes like a mothers embrace.
Vinoth has since moved back to India; however, he continues to operate the restaurant with his dedicated team. Soon, a new menu will be unveiled — one I’m eagerly anticipating.
Piet Heinstraat 97, The Hague
Open for dinner only, Tuesday to Sunday
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.
There is an Arabic word — baytna — that means our home. It is the kind of word that carries weight: not just four walls and a roof, but the smell of something slow-cooking, the sound of family, the feeling of being truly welcome. For the owner of Baytna Café, Tatjana Sharif, that feeling has a very specific geography. Every summer of her childhood, no matter where life had taken her, she would return to Palestine, the country of her father and his family – and every time, she was reminded of something she has never forgotten. “No one hosts like Palestinians,” she says.
She is right. Palestinian hospitality even has its own name: karam. It is not merely a social custom but a deeply held moral value — the idea that a guest must be offered food and drink before any other conversation takes place, and that turning someone away unfed is simply unthinkable. Walk into Baytna and you will understand immediately that this is not a concept she has left behind. Baytna’s owner is half German, half Palestinian, and has spent much of her life moving between cultures and countries. She studied in the UK, worked in human rights, and carried Palestine with her everywhere she went — in memory, in identity, and eventually, in food. As a child, she was a tomboy and didn’t particularly love cooking. What she loved was eating. Her grandmother made sure of that, quietly and consistently ensuring she was always well fed, always at a full table. It was only later, as a student navigating life abroad, that she began to find her way into the kitchen herself. Cooking, she discovered, was grounding. A way to slow down. A way to feel at home even when home was far away. “It became something that helped me relax,” she says.
Tatjana believes strongly that you shouldn’t force life to move in a particular direction; that when something is right, it finds its shape on its own. The café is proof of that philosophy. What began as a desire to share Palestinian food and culture with her community in The Hague has become something far more alive than a menu. Regulars now message her directly to ask what’s available that day. There’s a warmth to it, a neighbourliness – the kind of relationship between a cook and her community that used to be common and is now rare. Karam, alive and well, in the heart of The Hague.
Step inside Baytna and you are not simply walking into a café – you are walking into someone’s story. On the walls hang tapestries from the Tatjana’s parents’ home: rich, tactile pieces that carry the particular warmth of a family house, the kind of objects that hold memory in their threads. They are not decorative in the conventional sense. They are personal, and that is precisely what makes them so affecting.
It is a small but significant detail. In a city full of beautifully designed spaces, Baytna feels different. The kind of place where the décor has a history and the person who hung it could tell you exactly what it means.
Palestinian cuisine is one of the oldest continuous food cultures in the world, rooted in the Levant and shaped by thousands of years of trade, agriculture, and migration. It is a cuisine of the land — built around olive oil, sumac, slow-cooked meats, and grains — and deeply communal by nature.
At Baytna, the menu draws from this tradition while also reaching across the broader Arab world —the flavours that travel across borders because good food always does. Everything is made with care and intention, and the weekend brunches in particular have become something of a quiet institution. Expect dishes that are rich with spice, slow with flavour, and generous in portion — food that, as she puts it, is for the soul.
Her cooking style is intuitive, shaped by memory and instinct rather than strict recipe, which is reflected in her popular cooking classes. The goal isn’t to follow instructions to the letter but to understand ingredients, trust your senses, and cook the way her grandmother did: from feeling.
The seasonal menu shifts with what’s available and what feels right, which means there is always a reason to return — and her regulars certainly do. The space designed for people to linger. Book clubs meet here. Workshops are hosted here. Companies looking for a warm, characterful venue for team events or off-sites can hire the space, with Baytna providing the food and drinks. The events calendar reflects the owner’s background in community and human rights: thoughtful, inclusive, and always centred on bringing people together. “I love hosting,” she says, and you believe her entirely.
It would be impossible to write about Baytna without acknowledging the weight of this moment in history. Tatjana has lost family in the war. She carries that with her every day. And yet, she remains — extraordinarily — positive and hopeful. What she wants people to understand is this: Palestinian identity is so much richer and deeper than what the news cycle reflects. A people reduced in the global conversation to conflict alone lose something essential — their food, their laughter, their legendary hospitality, their culture of gathering and feeding and welcoming strangers as family. A quiet, delicious act of reclamation. A reminder that Palestinians are warm and loving people with a food culture worth celebrating — one plate, one gathering, one shared meal at a time. And on the walls, the tapestries from her parents’ home bear quiet witness to all of it. Every dish served here is a small piece of that story.
Baytna Café is located on Piet Heinstraat 112 and is open for weekend brunches as well as private events, workshops, and community gatherings. Follow them on Instagram for updates on seasonal menus, upcoming events, and daily specials.
Images: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers and provided by Baytna cafe
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 happens when you let Jan Taminiau and Lisa Konno look at the largest fashion and costume collection in the Netherlands? In 2026, Kunstmuseum Den Haag celebrates a special milestone: 75 years of the fashion collection. With this large-scale fashion exhibition, the museum, together with a wide range of co-curators, reflects on the rich, multifaceted, and surprisingly contemporary fashion and costume collection throughout the years. Reflections on Fashion features iconic designs by Iris van Herpen, Coco Chanel, Fong-Leng, Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Jan Taminiau, Viktor & Rolf, Frank Govers, and Karim Adduchi, among others. But, through the eyes of the co-curators, you see them each time in a new and surprising perspective.
Innovative collaborations
This exhibition is realized in collaboration with a wide variety of renowned guest curators, including Jan Taminiau, Tess van Zalinge, Ronald van der Kemp, Lisa Konno, Janice Deul, and KledingCast. Their perspectives ensure new stories, surprising combinations, and a fresh look at the collection.
Each room is designed differently, based on the vision of the co-curators within a unifying design by Maarten Spruyt, inspired by the Berlage building where the collection has been housed for 40 years. The co-curators dove into the depot with great enthusiasm to each devise their own concept and use it to furnish a room. Let yourself be surprised in Tess van Zalinge’s open depot, where the invisible becomes visible. Discover the animations of 18th-century costumes by Alu Studios. Explore the stimulating combinations of ULKUHANBATUHAN, the many shades of black selected throughout the ages by Jan Taminiau, and the forms of protest brought together by Lisa Konno. In Bas Kosters’ space, you contribute to a Gesamtkunstwerk: a safe home for everyone.
From ‘worthless’ to crowd favorite
Reflections on Fashion offers a glimpse into the work behind the scenes of a fashion collection, from the restoration studio to the depot. One of the showpieces of the exhibition is a soft pink Chanel dress from 1926, known from the AVROTROS program * Geheimen van het museum* (Secrets of the Museum ). The dress was discovered as an unexpected find in a collection of fabric remnants, causing a moment of great astonishment. After intensive in-house restoration, this object grew into a crowd favorite online and is now being exhibited for the first time.
Reflections on Fashion brings these kinds of processes to life, offers a fresh perspective on the highlights of the collection, and takes visitors behind the scenes. With an ‘open depot in the gallery’ and the opportunity to follow restorations up close like a true ‘dress detective,’ the making process becomes tangible. For the open depot, Tess van Zalinge selected collection pieces from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries that can be viewed inside and out: from crinolines and corsets to the hidden lining of a gown.
Living collection
From 17th-century showpieces to recent creations fresh off the catwalk: the Kunstmuseum’s fashion collection demonstrates how fashion continues to renew itself and how clothing tells stories of identity, craftsmanship, and the spirit of the times. What began in 1951 as the Netherlands Costume Museum grew within 75 years into the largest fashion and costume collection in the Netherlands, comprising more than 50,000 costumes and accessories. The collection is alive, inspiring, and embraced by a new generation time and again. And that is precisely what was written in the 1950s: that the collection aimed to be ‘a living institution,’ one that ‘stands at the heart of life.’ Reflections on Fashion shows exactly that.
For 75 years, many people have worked on this collection with so much love: collecting, restoring, narrating, and exhibiting. Always from different visions, fashions, and perspectives, with the collection as a constant factor. With this exhibition and the hefty catalogue, we honour the work of all the makers, donors, and colleagues who have worked on the collection with heart and soul. The collaboration with all the enthusiastic co-curators brings a wonderful energy. Also very special: we asked them ‘what is missing,’ and where possible, we are now filling those gaps. All this shows that our fashion collection is loved by many and continually inspires and offers new perspectives, generation after generation. I am proud of that.’ Madelief Hohé, Curator of Fashion and Costume .
Reflections on Fashion looks back and forward with optimism. Co-creations, never-before-seen items, and new additions to the collection provide surprises. A feast for the eyes, and moreover, a celebration of fashion and special stories. An ode to 75 years of fashion history, and to the inspiration that fashion can offer. Margriet Schavemaker, General Director
Public program
The public program of Reflections on Fashion seamlessly aligns with the presentations and collections of the co-curators in the exhibition, offering visitors a multifaceted and in-depth experience. For instance, they can attend a demonstration of tying the angisa by Tailors & Wearers, receive an in-room explanation of the kotos from the collection, and enjoy a historical fashion show presented by the Dutch Costume Society.
In addition, several Female Gaze tours are on the program, during which various co-curators guide visitors through the exhibition and bring the collection to life from their own perspectives. These personal approaches offer new insights and invite reflection on fashion, heritage, and identity.
For those who want to get creative themselves, workshops have been organized by DeSteek and others, and there is a maker table with designer Bas Kosters. The program is further enriched with two panel discussions, in collaboration with Patta Academy and KledingCast. The full program, including dates and participants, will be announced shortly.
Reflections on Fashion is on view from July 4, 2026, to January 3, 2027, at Kunstmuseum Den Haag.
Images: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers
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.
From July 11 to August 22, the Atelier Ferron Summer Salon will take place at gallery Atelier Ferron: a rich and diverse group and sales exhibition featuring 62 artworks of 31 artists who have exhibited there before, will do so soon, or hold Atelier Ferron in high regard.
The festive opening of the Atelier Ferron Summer Salon is on Saturday, July 11, from 3:00 PM.
Participating artists: Isabelle Backer, Rudi Bastiaans, Daniëlle Davidson, Rozemarijn de Man, Maarten Demmink, Corah Dijkstra, Marc Fabels, Wendy Fabels-Kruse, Diederik Gerlach, Helen Hartmann, Bettina Honig, Niels Janssen, Moki Last, Annemieke Louwerens, Chiel Lubbers, Hélène Penninga, Loes Schepens, Els Snijder, Annemarie Spijkerman, Tineke van der Pouw Kraan, Manini van Eck, Lisette van Hoogenhuyze, Scott van Kampen Wieling, Ton van Kints, Maartje van Ringen, Cassandra van Veen, Elisabeth van Vreeswijk, Jean van Wijk, Liesbeth van Woerden, Paula van Zeggeren, Ilse Versluijs.
All works will also be on view and can be reserved online at atelierferron.nl.
The Atelier Ferron Summer Salon is a celebration of what founder Esther Ferron intended for her gallery from day one: to be a pleasant and inspiring place for a loose-knit ‘family’ of artists, art lovers, art collectors, and other kindred spirits. The fact that this has been achieved is evident from the fact that a number of the participating artists are helping to organize the Atelier Ferron Summer Salon and staff the gallery!
ABOUT ATELIER FERRON Atelier Ferron was founded in the summer of 2023 by Esther Ferron and has since become a household name in The Hague art scene. Esther brought her extensive experience in the (inter)national art world to do things just a little differently: Atelier Ferron is a small but lovely gallery featuring surprising exhibitions of often unique art – and at the same time a place with a warm and welcoming atmosphere for artists, art lovers, art collectors, and actually everyone. Atelier Ferron has become a permanent part of the well-known Hoogtij Contemporary Art Route in The Hague
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.
