Weekend in Eindhoven: what to do and where to eat?
A weekend trip with girlfriends, I love it! Together with Ernestina, her cousin and a friend of her cousin, I went to Eindhoven for a weekend. Not a city that was at the top of my list, but we had a great time. So I am sharing my tips for a weekend in Eindhoven what to do, where to eat and of course where to sleep.
Parking in Eindhoven
Since Eindhoven is quite a drive from Twente, we left on time. All together we were on the road for almost two hours. Just before lunch time we arrived at the hotel in Eindhoven. Near the hotel there is a parking lot where hotel guests can park for a fee. Here we parked the car and fortunately we could check in right away. Since we all felt like eating, we immediately went into town for lunch.
Lunch at Zoet&Zout
We chose the first restaurant within walking distance of our hotel that looked cozy. That was Zoet&Zout. It was quite busy so there was no room left inside. Fortunately, there was still room on the terrace and with patio heaters it was fine. I ordered a cappuccino and a ‘half-eentje’. A dish with a croquette sandwich (Dutch dish), a small ham sandwich, an egg salad sandwich, tomato soup and a bowl of hot chicken. You get a small portion of all the dishes, but even so, this is more than enough. I struggled to finish my plate and I dare say I am a pretty big eater.
Shopping in Eindhoven
After our extensive lunch, it was time for an afternoon of shopping in Eindhoven. In the center of Eindhoven you will find mainly stores from big fashion chains. So you can easily compare the selection of shops with any other large city in the Netherlands. I ended up buying a nice jumpsuit at the WE. I’m sure Eindhoven has some nice local boutiques, but then you have to go to the side streets. We went shopping in the Piazza (the indoor shopping center) and the Rechtestraat. There are plenty of stores and an afternoon in Eindhoven flies by.
Eating at Pizza Beppe
All four of us were in the mood for pizza and based on Google reviews we walked into pizza Beppe. A popular pizza restaurant in Eindhoven, because of that you can’t go here on Saturday night without a reservation. We were lucky though, there was one spot left at the bar. This meant we had to eat in a row, but we didn’t mind. Moreover, the bar is adjacent to the open kitchen with a wood-burning oven, so we could watch from the front row as all the delicious food was prepared. We all ordered the same pizza, the artufo. With S. Marzano tomatoes D.O.P, Fior di Latte, Coppa di Parma, truffle cream, rocket (according to the restaurant’s menu). Highly recommended in my opinion because we had a truly delicious meal. For dessert, Ernestina and I shared a tiramisu and that too should not be missed during a dinner at Pizza Beppe.
Karaoke at Tokyo By Night
The main reason for our weekend in Eindhoven was a visit to the karaoke bar Tokyo By Night. We made a reservation for a four-person room, so we could sing for an hour and a half. Tokyo By Night is within walking distance from the train station (and from our hotel). Upon entering is a cozy bar where you can take a seat for a drink. The karaoke rooms are in the back of the building, on the same floor as the bar. There are benches in the room so you can sit comfortably when you are not singing. In the corner is the karaoke machine with two wireless microphones and a screen on which you can select the sweethearts. The lyrics can be seen on a large screen on the wall. Drinks can be ordered via a tablet and they are served in the karaoke room. We had a really fun evening, and the time flew by.
Sleeping at Crown Hotel Eindhoven Centre
During our weekend in Eindhoven, we slept at the Crown Hotel Eindhoven Centre. Ernestina and I shared a standard double room and paid €80, excluding breakfast. The room is not mega-sized, but spacious enough for two people. There is a double bed, small desk, a TV on the wall and a closet. We had a decent bathroom with a bathtub. From our room we had a view of Rainbow Square. Surrounding the square are tall, modern buildings.
I found our stay at the hotel to be excellent. The rooms are clean, equipped with everything you need, and the front desk staff is friendly. We did not use the restaurant or other facilities in the hotel.
Breakfast at Teds
We deliberately chose to book a hotel without breakfast, so that we could have breakfast at a nice little restaurant. We chose Teds, because we thought it looked very nice. To be sure of a tabke, we booked a table the night before through Teds’ website. That turned out to be a good set up, as there were no spots left in the morning for people without a reservation. Teds is an all-day brunch restaurant which is located in several Dutch cities. The Eindhoven branch can be found on Nieuwstraat. The restaurant is nicely decorated and certainly photogenic. I ordered French toast with banana, marshmallows, pretzels, and caramel. A top combination and highly recommended as far as I’m concerned. The other girls were also very happy with their choice.
Lunch at VIC Kitchen & Bar
After a morning of walking around Eindhoven and visiting some more stores, it was time for lunch (again). This time we ended up at VIC Kitchen & Bar. This restaurant is located at the Catharinaplein and is close to the Sint Catharinakerk. We chose a place in the sunroom, where it was nice and warm thanks to the patio heaters. I chose bread with burrata and we shared a portion of truffle fries. A good choice.
After our lunch, we returned home after a nice weekend in Eindhoven. We had a great time and enjoyed delicious food and an evening at the karaoke bar. Next time we will choose another city.
Want to read more about destinations in The Netherlands? Check out my page with all blogs about The Netherlands, my homecountry.
