1. La Patrona

Natalia Garcia and John Gulay are both from Mexico and previously ran restaurant Popocatepetl on Buitenhof together. Now they are opening La Patrona: a Mexican cantina in the building next to O'Casey's on Noordeinde, the pub John owns. At La Patrona, you walk in for ceviche, tacos, botanas (small dishes to share) and tequila. Inside, it feels like stepping into Plaza Garibaldi, Mexico City's famous square where mariachis and party converge. The mural of La Catrina, the skeletal figure of Día de los Muertos, immediately catches the eye. Colourful dolls fill the alcoves and a portrait of Frida Kahlo hangs on the wall. Día de los Muertos will have a permanent place here, just like other Mexican holidays that make The Hague's Noordeinde forget for a moment. Mexico, Mexico... but at the Noordeinde.

📍Noordeinde 138a
www.lapatrona.nl

2. Café Three

Just when you thought the Hague coffee scene didn't have anything else to offer, Café Drie pops up on the Goudenregenplein. A cosy café with a terrace in front and a little garden behind, great for sunny days. Specialty coffee, including a pour-over (where hot water is slowly poured over ground coffee), is a staple here. Along with it, they serve homemade baked goods, such as lemon blueberry cake and white chocolate sesame biscuits. Lunch also has surprising options, such as avocado toast with burrata and broad beans, served on bread from sourdough bakery Meneer Leffers. Café Drie is open almost every day until four in the afternoon, except Tuesdays.

📍Goudenregenplein 5
www.instagram.com/cafe.drie/

3. EVE

The striking white futuristic building on Scheveningen's Noordboulevard is finally getting a new lease of life. RE:BORN, known for renovating the Pier and Het Spaansche Hof, is taking over and will open EVE there from 14 June.

EVE is a place where work, food and nightlife come together. During the day, you can go there to work or have lunch overlooking the sea. The menu features a mix of South American and Asian dishes, such as ceviche, sushi rolls and bao buns. In the evening, the restaurant transforms into Club EVE, with a programme ranging from salsa to jazz.

According to RE:BORN, the plan is to give the pavilion a permanent role on the North Boulevard. The initiative is seen as a way to make the area attractive to visitors and residents again. After the opening season this year, EVE will temporarily close its doors for refurbishment, before reopening in 2026.

📍Strandweg 180
www.eve-scheveningen.nl

4. Nomon

Another newcomer to the beach: Nomon, the restaurant at the renovated Carlton Beach Hotel on Scheveningen's Noordboulevard. The name is derived from gnomon, the vertical part of the sundial that shows the time with its shadow and is at Nomon's doorstep. That element represents the role of light in Nomon's concept, in which colours, atmosphere and dishes combine to create a summer feel, whatever the weather.

The menu includes dishes from the Josper grill, a charcoal oven that gives dishes a smoky flavour, such as sea bass or a tender rib eye. You will also find chef's favourite dishes like spaghetti al vongole, and guilty pleasures like passion fruit meringue. Nomon calls itself an ode to Scheveningen. We say: we definitely want to sit there one day.

Photographer: Kelly Olman

📍Gevers Deynootweg 201
www.nomon.nl

5. The Hague Social Club

Housed in an old print shop on Prins Hendrikstraat, The Hague Social Club is far from stuffy. Roger Langhout is at the helm of this wine bar and is committed to a low-threshold approach. Visitors here can tap wine themselves from more than a hundred wines by the glass, deciding how much to take and what price to pay. A five-euro glass or one for 30: you can have both. There is plenty of choice on the table too, with more than 30 small dishes, from bitterball to lamb shank. On Sundays, there are six oysters for nine euros.

The interior combines 1920s art deco elements with a bright, open feel. This is enhanced by a striking skylight that lets in daylight and creates a fresh atmosphere. Here, enjoyment is central, in an informal and welcoming way.

📍Prins Hendrikstraat 53
www.thehaguesocialclub.com