Hilversum

Catalonia

Don't expect a full meal here, just a quick snack in a greasy place. Their focus is on Italian pizzas and shawarma, but try the the Lahmacun with döner often called 'Turkish pizza' in the Netherlands. It's quite expensive still, but worth it. A good place to eat at night time.

Lorenza

Relatively cheap Italian restaurant, but don't expect a lot. The pizzas are greasy, salty and sometimes even served with wrong ingredients. The interior is in need of a redesign and the staff is not very welcoming.

A cheap Argentinian/Egyptian restaurant. Don't expect luxury cuisine here, but good meat for a good price. It's especially a nice place for small dishes, like steaks, shawarma and döner kebab. The tables can be sticky though. At Fridays and Saturdays, the official closing time is 3AM, but it often stays open till 4AM or later. That makes it a great place for eating shawarma with pita bread after the bars close.

Nice budget restaurant if you want to try authentic Dutch pancakes. Ask Chris the owner to order for you if you want a true Dutch experience. Their also typical Dutch poffertjes are a special treat paired with cappuccino.

Old-style restaurant with an interesting history. Good place to have an easy dinner with fries and mayonnaise.

Proper French/Mediterranean restaurant with a friendly staff. Try the carpaccio.

The best Japanese restaurant in town with impressive paintings on the walls. The staff are friendly and dressed in Japanese style. Try the Californian handroll or the teppan yaki meals.

Interesting French restaurant in the middle of the Spanderswoud forest, only accessible by car or bike. The food is not original, but has a good quality and taste. Sit outside when the weather allows it.

Indian and Nepalese restaurant with an absolute stunning interior. Everyone is sitting on benches with pillows, which makes for a very warm atmosphere, and the walls are decorated with Buddha images. The staff is friendly, lots of menus to choose from and the food is served in large quantities. Try the Gulab Jamin, it's good.

One of the best Chinese restaurants in town, and not a typical one. It's definitely high-class with the French wine list as one of its features. The staff is professional and the food is delicious. Try the Peking Duck.

Proper Thai restaurant in the area, which is specialized in the cuisine of Northern Thailand. The place has the usual Thai dishes, but also some interesting ones with rabbit and turkey. Good service and relatively cheap prices, but expect a bad interior with fluorescent lamps.

A typical "brown cafe" mostly known for its simple and tasty menus. It's especially recommended to visit their wine tasting sessions. At the late evening, you can have a beverage as the place turns into a bar.

A mix of international cuisines, this place is standing out from the rest with its hip and trendy interior. Some of the ordered food can be in rather small amounts though.

Well-known and appreciated Indonesian restaurant that has more than 35 years of experience. Very friendly service. It has dinner a la carte or in a traditional buffet form.

This restaurant with international menus is based in a historic building from 1902. Go upstairs to lounge or downstairs for an interior like a small village in France. Try the "Lusterijen", a plate filled with a couple of smaller dishes, served with a suitable wine.

At lunchtime, handicapped people will be waitressing in this French/Mediterranean restaurant. You will be surprised by their service and kindness. It's the best time to visit, as the bread they serve is very tasty. At dinnertime the regular staff takes over.

Very popular Spanish tapas restaurant. The menu is in Dutch, so hard to read for foreigners, but the staff will gladly help you with ordering. The garlic bread, artichoke and feta salad, garlic prawns, sautéed mushrooms, bruschetta with feta and pine nuts are tasty. The bill is cheap for the amount of food served. They only accept cash.

Entertaining Japanese restaurant, as the chefs really do their best to put up a good show. That makes it a good place to bring children. They have unlimited sushi for €10 from Monday till Thursday. Nice staff, good food, not expensive.

Excellent restaurant with a mixed international cuisine. The focus is on French and Mediterranean seafood, but plenty of meat menus are available as well. The interior is stunning, which resembles a harbor, even with sand on the floor. The staff serve the dishes with care and seem to love their job. Finish it with a choice from their worldwide wine list.

Based in one of Dudok's designs, French restaurant Lakes is probably the most expensive and luxury of Hilversum. The black and silver colours give the interior a stunning hip-chique atmosphere. Its location at the water enhances the experience, as well as the excellent service and winelist. Be ready to pay.

High-class restaurant specialized in French and Mediterranean cuisine. They know what style is, as seen in the trendy interior, which gives a warm atmosphere.

This Chinese restaurant is interestingly based in a historic Dutch farm and is widely considered one of the best Chinese Restaurants in the country. The staff is really friendly and very knowledgeable. The restaurant might seem expensive but price-quality ratio is in perfect balance. A good suggestion is the surprise menu, with good value you will taste what the chef is capable of. You will be impressed.

This is the most upscale "brasserie" of Hilversum and the best place to run into Dutch celebrities. It is listed 57th in the Top 100 Best Dutch Cafes of the magazine Horeca Misset. At any time of the day you can walk in for coffee or tea, accompanied with a muffin or pie. The interior looks professional and the Dutch word gezellig nice and cosy definitely applies here. Sitting outside is nice during summertime, as a breezy green neighborhood is outside. Eating dinner is possible, but waiting queues take ages and the food quality is poor.