Rotterdam is the second biggest city in The Netherlands and one of the most underrated vegan cities in Europe 🇳🇱 With its striking modern architecture and thriving food scene, Rotterdam is a brilliant destination for plant-based travellers.
Whether you’re a long-time vegan or just plant-curious, Rotterdam has something special waiting for you. Here’s my guide to the best vegan and plant-based restaurants in the city, tried, tested, and loved.
Best Vegan Restaurants in Rotterdam
1. Nori — Rotterdam’s Best 100% Plant-Based Sushi Restaurant
Nori on Nieuwe Binnenweg is Rotterdam’s finest 100% plant-based sushi restaurant, and it’s a place that takes vegan Japanese cuisine very seriously indeed. The menu features beautifully crafted rolls, nigiri, and small plates built around seasonal vegetables, marinated tofu, crispy tempura, and innovative plant-based proteins that replicate the textures of traditional sushi with impressive skill. The spicy edamame to start is a must, and the rainbow roll — a riot of colour and fresh flavour — is the dish to order for the table. The sleek, minimalist interior and attentive service make it feel like a proper special-occasion restaurant, yet the prices are very reasonable. A true Rotterdam gem.
📍 Nieuwe Binnenweg 91, 3014 GB Rotterdam | ☎️ +31 10 436 5588 | 📸 @nori.rotterdam
2. Copper Branch — Plant-Based Bowls & Burgers on the Lijnbaan
Copper Branch brings its acclaimed plant-based comfort food concept to Rotterdam’s Lijnbaan — a central shopping street that makes this an ideal stop when you’re exploring the city on foot. The menu covers all the bases: hearty grain bowls packed with roasted vegetables and tahini dressings, stacked burgers with proper flavour and satisfying bite, and fresh salads and wraps that are genuinely tasty rather than an afterthought. The ingredients are clean, the portions are generous, and everything can be ordered quickly — making it a brilliant option when you need a solid vegan meal without fuss. Reliable, delicious, and consistently good.
📍 Lijnbaan 96, 3012 EL Rotterdam | 🌐 copperbranch.com | 📸 @copperbranch_nl
3. SUE — Hillegersberg’s Beloved Plant-Based Brunch Spot
SUE in the leafy Hillegersberg neighbourhood is the kind of vegan brunch café that makes a Saturday morning feel like the best possible start to a weekend. The entirely plant-based menu centres on beautifully made brunch dishes — think thick-cut French toast with caramelised banana and coconut cream, shakshuka with perfectly spiced tomatoes and seeded bread for dipping, and granola bowls layered with house-made cashew yoghurt and seasonal fruit. The baked goods from the bakery counter are outstanding — especially the cardamom buns, which have developed something of a cult following in Rotterdam. Warm, welcoming, and a joy from start to finish.
📍 Kleiweg 76, 3051 ZA Rotterdam | ☎️ +31 10 737 0003 | 📸 @suefoodrotterdam
4. Vegan Pizza Bar — Slow-Fermented Sourdough, 100% Plant-Based
Rotterdam’s Vegan Pizza Bar on Nieuwe Binnenweg does exactly one thing — great 100% plant-based pizza — and it does it with remarkable consistency. The sourdough bases are made with a slow fermentation process that gives them a distinctive tang and an irresistibly blistered crust, and the toppings are applied with a generous hand and genuine flavour instinct. The house-made vegan mozzarella melts beautifully, the roasted vegetable combinations are creative without being overcrowded, and there’s always a daily special worth trying. It’s casual, affordable, and utterly satisfying — the kind of neighbourhood pizza spot you wish existed on your own street.
📍 Nieuwe Binnenweg 113A, 3014 GC Rotterdam | 📸 @veganpizzabar
5. Rotown — Rotterdam’s Legendary Café & Music Venue with a Plant-Based Kitchen
Rotown is a Rotterdam institution — a legendary café and live music venue on Nieuwe Binnenweg that switched to an entirely vegan kitchen some years ago and hasn’t looked back. The food is honest, hearty, and seriously good: loaded fries, stacked burgers, seasonal specials, and the kind of unpretentious comfort food that pairs perfectly with a cold craft beer and a live set from one of Rotterdam’s many brilliant local bands. The atmosphere is effortlessly cool without being try-hard about it, and the crowd is a genuine cross-section of the city. If you only have one evening in Rotterdam, spend it at Rotown.
📍 Nieuwe Binnenweg 19, 3014 GA Rotterdam | ☎️ +31 10 436 2669 | 🌐 rotown.nl | 📸 @rotowncafevegankitchen
6. Happy Food and Health — Plant-Based Bakery & All-Day Café
Happy Food and Health on Schiedamse Vest is one of Rotterdam’s most charming vegan spots — part bakery, part café, and entirely plant-based. The morning pastries are exceptional, the lunch menu is packed with wholesome and flavoursome dishes, and the bakery counter is stocked with everything from crusty sourdough loaves to show-stopping celebration cakes that happen to contain no dairy or eggs. The focus throughout is on using clean, nourishing ingredients that taste genuinely wonderful — not just “healthy for vegan food” but good in absolute terms. A brilliant place to start your day or stop for a restorative lunch mid-afternoon.
📍 Schiedamse Vest 149, 3012 BH Rotterdam | ☎️ +31 10 281 9660 | 📸 @happyfoodandhealth
7. Backyard — Plant-Based Burgers & the Best Hidden Terrace in Rotterdam
Backyard on Henegouwerlaan is a relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable plant-based pub and restaurant in the Delfshaven area of Rotterdam. The menu is all about comfort: excellent vegan burgers with creative toppings, crispy loaded fries, seasonal specials, and a rotating tap list of local craft beers that complements the food perfectly. The terrace (the actual backyard, as the name suggests) is one of the nicest outdoor dining spots in Rotterdam when the weather cooperates — a hidden green space behind the main building that feels miles away from the city. Great for a long lunch or a lazy Sunday afternoon session.
📍 Henegouwerlaan 20, 3021 KJ Rotterdam | ☎️ +31 10 280 3950 | 📸 @backyardrotterdam
8. Mensa Mensa — Rotterdam’s Unique Plant-Based Buffet Concept
Mensa Mensa near the Luchtsingel pedestrian bridge is one of Rotterdam’s most unique and exciting food concepts — a plant-based buffet restaurant that draws inspiration from cuisines across Europe and beyond, resulting in a spread that is constantly surprising and consistently delicious. The offering changes daily, but you can expect a rotating selection of grain salads, roasted vegetables, legume stews, freshly baked breads, and creative small dishes that reward the curious diner who works their way around the whole counter. The space is open, light, and lively, and the pay-by-weight model means you can eat as much or as little as you like. An absolute gem.
📍 Luchtsingel 7, 3032 AC Rotterdam | 📸 @publicfood.mensamensa
9. Nabati — Exquisite Plant-Based Jordanian Mezze
Nabati on Schiedamse Vest is one of the most exciting and distinctive vegan restaurants in the Netherlands — a 100% plant-based Jordanian mezze restaurant that brings the warmth and generosity of Levantine cuisine to Rotterdam with extraordinary results. The hummus here is exceptional: silky, rich, and made fresh daily, served warm with olive oil and dukkah and flatbread that’s baked in-house. The falafel is crispy and perfectly spiced, the stuffed vine leaves are delicate and fragrant, and the meze spreads are designed for sharing and arriving slowly and convivially. The atmosphere is warm and hospitable, and the food makes a compelling case for Jordanian cuisine as one of the world’s great plant-based traditions.
📍 Schiedamse Vest 78, 3012 AN Rotterdam | ☎️ +31 10 414 1020 | 📸 @nabatieatery
Tips for Vegan Travellers in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is one of the most underrated vegan cities in Europe. The best neighbourhoods for plant-based food are the Nieuwe Binnenweg area, Witte de Withstraat, and the Markthal food market. Rotterdam is much more affordable than Amsterdam, so you’ll get great value for money. The city is very bike-friendly, and cycling between restaurants is a great way to explore. Don’t miss the Markthal — one of Europe’s most stunning covered food markets, with several vegan-friendly vendors.
Have you visited Rotterdam on a plant-based trip? I’d love to hear your favourite spots — drop them in the comments below!