Cheese, and Other Great Food and Drink, in Gouda

A tasty Dutch lunch of bitterballen, assortment of Gouda cheese, local sausage and olives

Thursday, April 21, 2022

You can find lots to eat and drink in Gouda.  Yes, of course, there is the cheese - and the cheese tastings at the many stores that line the central Markt square.  But Gouda is also famous for local beer, stroopwafel and has a delicious pommes frites vendor right next to the entrance of the plaza near the Stadhuis.

The second most interesting building in the central square (besides the Stadhuis/City Hall) is the cheese Weighing House - der Waag.  Dating from 1669, it's the location for weighing cheese before selling at the market (for tax purposes).  Today, it has a display on the cheese industry, including large weighing scales and also houses the local tourist information center.

Cheese displays and sampling in der Waag - the cheese Weighing House

Marble carving of scales used to weigh rounds of cheese on the front of der Waag

Der Waag dates from 1669 and now serves as the tourist office and cheese museum

Antique scales, used to weigh the rounds of cheese for taxes

So many delicious options and flavors

First time I have seen "Weed Beer" and "Weed Cheese" - no samples here - hahaha

Looking at all the cheese reminded our group that we were hungry and it was time to find a place to eat.  Behind the St. John's Church is the Weehuis - a 16th century orphanage that is now a Relais & Chateaux boutique hotel.

They had a quiet, delightful courtyard and we ordered the Dutch version of tapas for lunch, along with good beer and gin and tonics to wash it down.  It was my first taste of bitterballen - a Dutch meat based snack that was delicious.

This former orphanage from the 16th century is now a hotel and restaurant - our lunch stop

A "Monkey 47" gin and tonic - the tonic water has elderflower and bitter orange

Bitterballen (lower right) - so yummy - with samples of Gouda and local sausage

Interior courtyard - setting for our lunch break

Kampheisen - local Gouda store for stroopwafels

This place makes the best stroopwafels on the planet!!

Local beer being sold at Sint Janskerk

A quick stop for pommes frites - hot and crispy

The Dutch (and Canadians) eat their pommes frites with mayo - not catsup.  My kinda people!

Stacked rounds of Gouda cheese

Care to try them on and walk around a bit?