Best Burgers in Rotterdam: Centrum, Katendrecht

The best burgers in Rotterdam are found in the Centrum, above all along Witte de Withstraat and Nieuwe Binnenweg, two long streets of bars and restaurants, and around the Markthal and the Oude Haven. South of the Maas, Katendrecht, a former harbour district reached across the Rijnhaven, has become a dining area of its own.

Rotterdam is a port city that rebuilt its centre after the bombing of May 1940, and its food scene feels as new and mixed as its skyline. The city’s own fast-food invention is the kapsalon, first made in Rotterdam in 2003: a tray of fries topped with shawarma or döner meat, melted Gouda and salad, named after the hair salon whose owner ordered it. That appetite for loaded, late-night food is the backdrop every burger here plays against.

Burgers in Rotterdam: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Witte de Withstraat, Nieuwe Binnenweg, Oude Haven, Kop van Zuid, Katendrecht and Delfshaven.
• Local invention: the kapsalon, fries with shawarma, cheese and salad, created in Rotterdam in 2003.
• Market stop: the Markthal, the horseshoe-shaped market hall opened in 2014.
• Getting around: metro, tram and water taxis; the Erasmus Bridge links the centre to the south bank.
• When locals eat: dinner from around 18:00, with bar kitchens serving later.
• Currency: euro (EUR).

Every guide we publish on Rotterdam is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For Amsterdam and other cities, see all our burger restaurant guides.