Travel & Hotspots
7X CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
IN MAASTRICHT
That they are tremendous Burgundians in the south of the country, I can only confirm (born and raised, you remember?). When May asked me to make a nice Christmas shopping list for Maastricht, I immediately knew it would be a list of places where you can get all your treats for the Christmas table, under the Christmas tree, or to give as a gift to your mother-in-law. Oh yes, and where you should end up after your shopping. And in between shopping, you light a candle in the Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk like a true Maastrichtenaar. Indeed, in that famous square. And on the way, you can grab a bag of freshly roasted peanuts at Maison Blanche Dael.
Fin Bec
A well-known name in Maastricht is traiteur Fin Bec. As you walk through the cozy idyllic Wyck, the chances are high that your eye will catch the ‘window display’ of this famous traiteur. Here you can find the tastiest appetizers, a complete meal when you don't feel like cooking, and even a custom-made buffet. From the perfect bouillabaisse to a rillette of goose or an old-fashioned coq au vin. Don't go in here hungry, because you are guaranteed to step out with food for an orphanage.
BLOOMBAR by Frissen Pieters
BLOOMBAR is the place for your fresh flowers in the historic heart of Maastricht, at the foot of the atmospheric Onze Lieve Vrouweplein. Here you can find the most beautiful bouquets, to give or to treat yourself. In my case, it's usually the latter. A nice bouquet should not be missing from mother-in-law's dining table, so add it to your to-do list.
Adriaan
Opposite Café Sjiek (I already told you that you absolutely have to eat there once) lies the famous Adriaan de Smaakmaker. Adriaan is known for his special herb mustard (for the perfect honey-mustard dressing) and wiemelkesjam. Here you can get, among other things, artisanally produced mustard, jams, chutneys, dressings, vinegars, mayonnaises, and more. Adriaan's jars must be on the cheese board and of course at breakfast.
Friandises
Of course, you can't show up empty-handed at your parents‘ house. And where can you get better chocolates than from the royal supplier Friandises? If you have chosen your box of chocolates (I would go for the largest size because the choice is huge), also grab a bag of ’Mestreechter steerkes' and homemade sprinkles. Winning.
Patisserie Peter Lemmens
When there is a birthday celebrated in our family, there is a good chance that a large white box from Patisserie Peter Lemmens is on the table (unless my mother bakes herself, which is usually the case). If there is a banana cake or ‘cherries with foam and whipped cream’ in it, I am at the front of the line (and of course, I run an extra round). Yes, for the absolute best cakes and tarts, you have to go to Lemmens.
Maison Blanche Dael
As you walk through the Wolfstraat, the chances are high that the smell of freshly roasted coffee greets you. That smell comes from Maison Blanche Dael where they still roast their own coffee beans in the store. Blanche Dael cherishes craftsmanship and that can be smelled. Every package of coffee is hand-packed, in the same way as a hundred years ago. For the best tea and freshly roasted peanuts (they are even a royal supplier for Saint Nicholas), you must go to Wolfstraat 28.
De Bisschopsmolen
Delicious fresh bread for breakfast? De Bisschopsmolen is the first 100% spelt baker in the Netherlands and has plenty of choices. This baker loves honesty and goes back to the essence of food. No chemical additives, no incomprehensible E-numbers, and no lengthy labels. Bread as bread is meant to be, I love it.
All that shopping makes you thirsty. For the best glass of wine, you naturally go to Via Mucca in the Koestraat, but you already knew that.
