Vintage stores can be overwhelming: cargo pants to one side with leather jackets galore and Levis jeans spilling over the shelves. Firstserved Vintage is anything but; everything, from the cowboy belts to the towering heels, the shirts to the denim jorts are carefully curated by the small team. As a result, this corner hugging store is home to a dazzling number of clothing, one-off finds. What is more, if you don't feel up for the hunt, pop by for their personal shopping  experience and leave laden with vintage goods just one hour later. 

In the sunniest corner spot on Noordplein by the Rotte, Wolly serves breakfast and brunch classics such as loaded pancakes and avocado toast alongside kimchi grilled cheese and soft brioche sandwiches filled with burrata and mortadella. The menu also features their rotating guilty croissants (think raspberry with rose or lemon meringue), plus a solid selection of specialty coffees. With a lively terrace overlooking the water, a laid-back interior and a running club setting off every Sunday at 8:30 am, it’s the ideal stop to start your day in Rotterdam. 

Hungry but also fancy something healthy, Mecca is a Middle Eastern breakfast and lunch spot that will satisfy your early morning cravings. 

For coffee that goes well beyond your usual flat white, make a sure to stop by SpiceKix. Slightly off the beaten track from Rotterdam’s city centre, this café and roastery has spent over a decade getting to know its beans, sourcing rare varieties from around the world and roasting them in-house. The team has a particular knack for ultra-light roasts, which bring out coffee’s more delicate, tea-like notes. The menu is just as adventurous, with spiced brews and gastronomic coffee and matcha creations made from scratch, each with its own unexpected twist. Pair your banana pudding iced flat white with one of the rotating seasonal pastries for the full experience.