Young Entrepreneurs & new locations | Café-Bar Vita Lente and KFC Rome’s flagship store

24-10-2025

Every day, we spot fun and inspiring new concepts. This week: Café-Bar Vita Lente, the new hotspot in Amsterdam West from former Coulisse (*) owner Simon Witmaar. And on September 28, Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its first Italian flagship store in Rome.

KFC Rome boasts a truly unique location, not just for Italy, but for all of Europe. The store showcases many innovative elements in design, sustainability, service, and technology. At Café-Bar Vita Lente, fine dining has made way for a more relaxed atmosphere. The menu features robust, Southern European dishes, and plenty of wines by the glass, sherry, vermouth, and small bites made for sharing.

We wish these entrepreneurs and their teams the best of luck and lots of fun with their new and renovated concepts.

3 minutes read

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Trends we spotted | Week 40

3-10-2025

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• This Saturday, October 4, Brewery ’t IJ will once again host ‘The Amsterdam Party Under the Mill’ at the iconic windmill in Amsterdam East. From 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM: music, beer and good vibes.
• Chuck E. Cheese celebrates Halloween with BOO-TACULAR™. The largest family Halloween event in the U.S.!
• The Lievergoed Collection acquired ownership of Castle Maurick in Vught, 10 years after start of operations.
• the iconic MONOPOLY® Game at McDonald’s is making a comeback in the U.S. for the first time in nearly a decade.
• In the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, restaurant Atomix is named The Best Restaurant in North America.
• Six Flags Over Texas is announcing the ‘Tormenta Rampaging Run’, a record-breaking, adrenaline-pumping roller coaster that will redefine the thrill-seeker experience!
• Bibi van der Velden has been appointed as the official in-house jeweler of Rosewood Amsterdam.
• What will Tourism look like in 2035? Four scenarios for the Future of Travel in Europe. A report by the European Travel Commission in cooperation with Dr. Albert Postma (lector Transformative Foresight in Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality)) at the European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI) of NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences.

Enjoy reading!

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Trends we spotted | Week 38

19-9-2025

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• Heineken Hoek on the Leidseplein in Amsterdam gets a new bistro concept, hearty food without fuss.
• Central Perk Coffeehouse, the iconic Friends hangout, is coming to Times Square this fall.
• The Belgium Sake Festival will take place on Octobre 4 & 5 in Antwerp.
• Restaurant Suus, the restaurant of Hotel De Plesman and culinary hotspot in The Hague, has a new chef and a new menu. And their deli Suusje has opened.
• Great tiny gesture: Scarlet Letter cocktail at Mr. Fogg’s in London.
• Mandarin Oriental will debut Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai in October 2025, located in the iconic Wasl Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road.
• Radisson Hotel Group opens Radisson Collection The National Hotel, Brussels, located at the prestigious The National Golf Brussels, 15 minutes from the city centre.
• We recently came across a great example of HosPETality – a BARKUTERIE Board – at BrewDog South Eveleigh in Australia!
• The first NYC Bakery Run takes place this weekend, we wonder when the first Bakery Run will be held in Amsterdam?

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Young Entrepreneurs & new locations | Kamer le Deux en Rabajà Wine & Kitchen

12-8-2025

Every day, we spot fun and inspiring new concepts. This week, Kamer le Deux that will open by the end of this month on the Maliestraat in The Hague and in Leiden opened an Italian Wine bar, Rabajà Wine & Kitchen on the Morsstraat.

Kamer le Deux will open at the end of August in the former Bistrot Deux la Place location. Guests can look forward to a Mediterranean menu with classic French flavors. Kamer le Deux will sometimes feature live music. A beautiful tribute to the previous owner Marc Cruellas, who made dining at his restaurant special with his French chansons! The wine bar Rabajà has already opened its doors in June. Here, you can enjoy a fine glass of Italian wine paired with treats such as paccheri fritti, olive ascolane, and chuletas de cordero alla plancha.

We wish these entrepreneurs and their teams the best of luck and lots of fun with their new concepts.

2 minutes read

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HosPETality | Tail-wagging ideas to pamper four-legged guests

11-8-2025

On August 26, it’s International Dog Day once again – the perfect moment to share some more fun examples of how the four-legged friends of guests are welcomed in hotels and restaurants. More and more, we see reels showing even large dogs going on holiday, sometimes even flying on planes! Honestly, I can’t imagine taking our office dog Jimmy on a long flight… In this article other examples of HosPETality, like: the Chief Happiness Officer at the Fairmont Tokyo, enjoying a martini, beer or ice cream with your dog, off-leash play areas, a ‘Dog Stick Library’ and more. ^Marjolein

This article follows up on our earlier HosPETality piece from 2022, with more examples of pet-friendly initiatives.

3 minutes read

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Trends we spotted | Week 31

1-8-2025

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• Tomorrow (August 2) Pride Amsterdam’ Canal Parade is celebrated. A great beer to enjoy during the Pride and beyond is the IPGAY by Queer Beer. A tropical summer beer with a statement!
• At Lotti’s Bar in The Hoxton hotel in Amsterdam, you can enjoy a glitter brunch during the Pride. And The Jollof Club from August 7 through September offers refined African cuisine by chef Nicolas Aquaa.
• Le Bristol Paris is celebrating their centenary! They unveiled the Eden Suite, a lush 6th-floor sanctuary dedicated to wellness luxury.
• ‘Une collab gourmande’ between Deliveroo × French Bandit’s. Order a meal for yourself and receive a pet toy! A great way to target pet owners? We love the pizza slice and baguette toy!
• Glacerie Enzo & Lily Libre in Paris. Here Lionel Chauvin creates spectacular ice cream flavours – like glace hot dog or glace bouillabaisse. But we love to taste his glace Fraise des bois blanche.
• Immersive restaurant pop-up of ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ in Santa Monica. Subway® sends fans to their Happy Place!
• A great example of a family room! We love the Rocket Room, spotted at the Shangri-La Singapore.
• Center Parcs De Vossemeren is the first location of this brand that unveiled their completely renovated restaurants. A collab with Albron.
• Design hotel brand TRIBE, part of Accor hotels, is expanding rapidly in Europe, with among others a new location in the Netherlands, TRIBE Den Haag Centraal.

Enjoy reading!

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De Lola | The new pod hotel in The Hague’s ‘De Haagse Bluf’

17-7-2025

As of July 16, 2025, you can experience a new way to stay in The Hague. De Lola Podshotel has opened in ‘De Haagse Bluf’ – the very first true pod hotel in The Hague and the Netherlands. No standard rooms here, but cozy sleep pods: compact, stacked cocoons with everything you need for a comfortable stay right in the city center. De Lola brings the smart and efficient sleep concept, already popular in global cities like Tokyo, New York and London, to the Netherlands. The hotel features 62 pods accommodating up to 70 guests, and a contemporary food concept and a stylish retro 70s-inspired lobby.

2 minutes read

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New Summer Drinks | Will we also go for a Sarti Spritz, a Matchatini or a Spicy Sauvy B?

8-7-2025

We’ve been enjoying glorious summer weather for a few weeks now, and the popular seasonal drinks are already known. Mocktails, cocktails, spritz variations, rosé, and white wine remain favourites. Still, we’re seeing some new developments, both here in the Netherlands and around the world. Hard seltzers have firmly established themselves here in the Netherlands, especially at festivals, and alcohol-free beer is becoming increasingly popular. We’re curious whether summer drinks like the Sarti Spritz, the Matchatini, Osan Drinks, Established, and wines such as Kaiken Disobedience from Argentina will become more common. We do have our doubts about the Spicy Sauvy B, but luckily, the choice is yours!

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Trends we spotted | Week 22

4-6-2025

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

•  Apply sunscreen, unwind and explore: this is what summer feels like at Bagels & Beans with Naïf.
•  Le Provençal partners with Hôtel Belles Rives for five-star luxury on the French Riviera.
• Aalten launches local summer beer ‘De Witte Linde’.
• The Nolet Copper Club opens its doors: mix your own cocktail among gleaming heritage.
• Exclusive wardrobe: fashionable uniforms for the Rosewood Amsterdam team.

Enjoy reading!

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Trends we spotted | Week 19

12-5-2025

At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:

• Dominique Ansel, the creator of the Cronut®, is celebrating its 12th birthday with a special box of Cronut® Holes featuring a selection of flavours from over the years.
• We’re a bit late covering this, as the Za’co by &pizza was only available on May 5 — but we love the idea of the pizza and taco combination!
• the Pop-Up Playground in Amsterdam will be open every Thursday and Friday throughout May: Ping Pong Madness and much more!
• Buona in Chicago celebrates the tenth anniversary of its founding the ‘National Italian Beef Day’.
• Parkhotel De Wiemsel in Ootmarsum will continue as Fletcher Hotel starting June 1, 2025.
• Kamado Joe kicked off the BBQ season last Thursday with a clever and eye-catching response to breaking global news: the election of the new pope. Let’s start the BBQ season with this white smoke.
• The restaurant festival ‘Bite of Amsterdam’ is back! From June 13 to 15, the Amstelpark in Amsterdam transforms into a culinary paradise.
• As of early May, the organic bake-off bagels from Bagels & Beans are available in all 90 Ekoplaza stores across the Netherlands. #Bagellogical
• Asparagus season has officially begun, and Otomat is celebrating with one of their most beloved seasonal pizzas. The ‘Asparagus à la Flamande pizza’.
• This spring season, The Connaught is proud to be honouring Goodwoof, the ultimate dog’s day out at the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, and introducing a brand new, limited-edition ‘paw-tisserie’ cake for the month of May.

Enjoy reading!

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