Lunch spots where you can easily park

Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam

I do everything by bike. Really everything and also through rain and wind. I used to pull out my rain suit around the corner from my appointment, but even now I wouldn't care less and everyone can see it. If you come in dry, you're cool anyway. I take the train out of the city because I don't have a car. I always find it so lovely when I have an appointment with May and can get in her car while she sometimes longs for a bike, because of how many rounds are sometimes driven for a parking spot; you might as well say in advance that you'll be late. I secretly enjoy driving around looking for an empty spot, but if that becomes a daily routine, that's not okay. So that's why for the ladies and gentlemen who have a lunch appointment in the afternoon and are in a car: handy spots where you also have a nice parking space. Today I'm talking about Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.

This is the restaurant of Herman den Blijker where you can mainly eat incredibly delicious fish. It's located in the harbor of Rotjeknor and next to the building is an underground parking. Be careful, because the wine list is also amazing and you're in a car, remember?

Maybe a little out of the city, but that does mean a private (free!) parking space. The menu features as many products from the local area or even from their own land as possible. Eggs from the chicken, lettuce from their own garden, and they even have their own mushroom cultivation. It can't get fresher than this. I must admit that it's not fancy here and maybe even a bit laidback, so whether or not to meet here depends a bit on what kind of appointment you have. If it's mainly very informal, then this is a lovely place.

A huge place located in a Renault garage. One floor below the establishment is still intact, so you can zoom in there with your car. A little staircase up and you're in the restaurant. Dauphine has an extensive menu with bagels, omelets, seafood, and a good steak tartare. In the afternoon, there are many business appointments, so the pace of service is high. That can be nice sometimes.

Enjoy delicious fish by the IJ. This is a large establishment, so it's easy when you need to meet with a group, but you can also close yourself off here if you want to talk a bit more quietly about important matters. On nice days, you can sit by the water and there's plenty of space for the car. At Stork, it feels like you've briefly left the city, and it's also a good place if you're lacking a bit of inspiration.

On Plein (that's really what the square is called) are these two nice lunch spots where business meetings are daily fare. At George, you feel more like you're in Paris, and at Millers, in New York. Under Plein is a large parking garage, so that's easy peasy.

This is just outside the city in a business area where there's plenty of space for your car. It opened not too long ago, so everything looks brand new. They call themselves an urban bistro, and I can agree with that; a large industrial brasserie.

The menu is very clear: chicken or lobster. And I happen to find both incredibly delicious. You can choose chicken or lobster on bread, in a salad, or in soup. Fries are served with it. So everything is possible.

And also so handy is that when you're done, you can get on the highway in just a minute.