Terrace in Gouda: outdoors all day on the Markt

There are terraces, and then there is the terrace on the Markt in Gouda. You look out over the town hall from 1450, the Waag (weigh house) and the square where the cheese market has been held for centuries. The terrace of Gouds Glas sits right in the middle of that setting. Here is how to enjoy it all day long, from the first coffee to the last drink.

The view: town hall, Waag and the whole Markt

The terrace is at Markt 40, right next to the town hall. From your table you see the Gothic town hall, the Waag by Pieter Post and the facades around the square. In the morning the sun falls on the terrace, in the afternoon it is the place where Gouda comes together. On Thursday mornings in season you have a front-row view of the cheese market.

From coffee to drinks

• From 10:00 coffee, tea and Gouda pastries. A quiet start with the newspaper and a square that is slowly waking up.
• From 11:30 lunch: homemade soups, flammkuchen, salads, sandwiches and the Gouds Glas cheeseburger. Children's dishes too.
• In the afternoon drinks: bitterballen and other Dutch fried snacks, a cheese board with Gouda cheeses, cocktails from 10 euros, house wine from 5.50 euros and local beers from 4.50 euros.
• From 17:00 dinner, with dishes from the Mibrasa charcoal oven and a wine suggestion with every dish.

The best moments

Thursday mornings in the cheese market season (April to August inclusive) are the busiest and the most beautiful: arrive before 10:00 for a spot at the front. Saturday afternoon is the classic terrace afternoon, so booking is wise. The early evening on a weekday is the secret of the locals: quiet, warm light on the facades and a glass of rosé before dinner begins.

On the terrace with children

Children are welcome. The lunch and dinner menus include children's dishes, and at dinner that comes with a children's ice cream and a surprise. The Markt offers plenty of room to move about between courses.

Booking for the terrace

Terrace weather cannot be booked, but a table can. Book online or by phone and let us know you would like to sit outside. If the weather allows, we take that into account. If it disappoints, you sit inside in the dining room with the stained-glass windows and the blossom tree. Groups of 10 or more arrange their terrace visit in advance via [email protected], so we can plan the space and the food accordingly.

Getting there and away

By train you are on the Markt in five minutes. By car you park on the inner ring road; our parking guide lists all the car parks. From there it is just a few minutes' walk to the terrace.