Old hospitality legend returns to Rotterdam
Villa Kakelbont in Rotterdam
Villa Kakelbont in Rotterdam
Villa Kakelbont in Rotterdam
Villa Kakelbont in Rotterdam
Villa Kakelbont in Rotterdam
You walk in and it feels as if time has stood still. This month, hospitality legend Villa Kakelbont made its comeback in the centre of Rotterdam, on Halvemaanpassage behind the Meent. Once the café of the Oude Haven, now a new place: a warm living room for the city. With a vintage interior, board games and pub classics on the menu, you’ll soon find yourself staying the whole evening.
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Return of a legend | Villa Kakelbont
Villa Kakelbont saw the light of day in the 1990s in the Oude Haven, where it grew into one of the most famous nightspots for a generation of Rotterdammers. A place where evenings began and rarely ended according to plan. That name now adorns a Rotterdam façade once again, this time a stone’s throw from the Meent. Not as a copy of the past, but as a contemporary interpretation of the same feeling.
Villa Kakelbont caters to a wide audience: from weekday drinks after work to long evenings with friends at the bar, but also families who come together for a bite to eat or a drink.
The comeback of the daily special
The menu does not feature complicated constructions or culinary delights with espumas. Villa Kakelbont deliberately opts for classics that are simply good, such as smoked sausage on the bites menu, grilled entrecôte and pork tenderloin. In addition, there is a changing daily special that is shared weekly on social media, featuring serious dishes that are prepared with care. The cuisine is accessible, without compromising on taste. Behind the bar, it remains familiar with draught beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Guinness and Paulaner, complemented by a number of classic cocktails.
Brown, cosy and full of character
The interior of Villa Kakelbont is anything but new. Old panelling, stained glass details, marble tables and a vintage sofa with fringes give the space a lived-in character. The venue can accommodate around two hundred guests, spread across cosy corners, tables and a bar where you can pull up a chair. Pool tables, dartboards and games are just as much a part of the café as its own play corner for children. During the day, you can come in for a drink or a game of pool, and in the evening it remains filled with guests who linger until late.
Our colleague Leonie went there last week and enjoyed a wonderful evening out in a retro setting.
We regularly write about new hospitality establishments that are opening their doors.
Website: Villa Kakelbont
