This week my blogpost ’the best hamburger restaurants in Rotterdam – 2015′ became frontpage news in the daily newspaper Metro. My followers on Twitter and Instagram already knew that I ate more than 30 hamburgers in the last few weeks, but now it’s official 😉 ! Since I have only mentioned only 5 restaurants in my post, you might want to know about the others. And because some of them have a unique approach or specialty burger, I decided to create this list of best alternative hamburger restaurants in Rotterdam, including the best veggie, the best skinny, the gayest and the worst hamburger in Rotterdam. Here we go! 

Chef Diego en LiveLikeTom met de Beste Hamburger in Rotterdam 2015

LiveLikeTom and Chef Diego portrayed with the best hamburger in Rotterdam 2015 by Vincent van Dordrecht for Metro

Best skinny burger in Rotterdam – Gracy’s

Mauritsstraat 1A, 3012 CE

A good hamburger is served on a (warm) bun. Most of the times when I order a skinny burger, I get the original burger without the bun. At the fifties-styled hamburger restaurant Gracy’s they understand that ordering a skinny burger, does not mean that you want to leave the place starving. A good and rich salad is served with your perfectly grilled burger. If you are really hungry, order the coleslaw with almonds like I did. But you need a good appetite to finish it both. This hamburger restaurant is definitely worth a visit if you are on your way to the theatre, concerthall or just want to eat close to the most popular Rotterdam gay bars. And while you wait for your burger, you can enjoy fresh popcorn with your drink. Now that’s classic!

 gracys rotterdam

Best veggieburger in Rotterdam – Burgertrut

Hang 5, 3011 GG

A lot of restaurants in Rotterdam offer vegetarian food. If you like burgers or you are out for dinner with someone who loves hamburgers, there are a few places that offer good veggieburgers: Mart Cafe (where the main picture of this article was taken), Hamburg and  to name a few. However, the best veggieburgers are served at Burgertrut. The restaurant is alternative and located in a former gym just behind the Markthal. You won’t be disappointed!


Best burger-chain in Rotterdam – Ellis

Stationsplein 49, 3013 AK

The Belgian hamburger-chain Ellis opened his 2nd Dutch branch last year next to Rotterdam Central Station. It’s such a great place for good hamburgers that you almost forget that it is a chain. The burgers come with a nice oversized bun which makes it easier to eat with your hands. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is cosy. So if you are about to leave Rotterdam (or have just arrived) and want to eat something before you go, this makes a great hamburger-goodbye. (Other burger-chains are Pickles and De Burgerij. And no: McDonalds or Burger King were not considered for this list.)

ellis gourmet burger ritterdam

The gayest hamburger in Rotterdam – Ferry

Westblaak 127, 3012 KJ

You probably never thought of a hamburger being gay. And I doubt the meat was. But at gay grand café Ferry you understand how gay a burger can get: a fashionable bun and a lot of truffle mayonaise make it more than the average beef and ketchup hamburger. Ask for a good knife though, as you will need it to eat the burger in some sort of stylish way. Or anyway.

grand cafe ferry gay bar hamburger rortterdam

Worst hamburger in Rotterdam – Hugh

Kruiskade 15, 3012 CM

For LiveLikeTom I only like to write about positive things as the promise is to deliver No Nonsense Happiness. But warning you for a big disappointment is the only reason I have decided to make an exception. It’s all about the ‘looks’ at Hugh. The people, the interior and the food all fit easily in classy magazines. Looks can be deceiving though; the beautifully dressed burger on a very nice plate did not live up to the expectation of a new hotspot. The little egg on top, caramelized onions and a (cold!) truffle bun; they all couldn’t hide the flavourless meat. To me a bite in a cold bun is like kissing a dead body. Maybe they celebrate dead meat here and I just did not get that sense of humor. Good news though: Hugh has super friendly staff and it really looks like a great place. Oh, and their website has nice tunes…

worst hamburger hugh rotterdamhugh rotterdam

Where can I find your favorite burger? Leave a comment below: I am super curious!

By the way, did you know I also like coffee? And if you need suggestions for a hotel in Rotterdam: these hotels have a stunning view!