Put on your summer shoes and get out on the town. After all, there is plenty to discover again that wasn't there before. From restaurants that have just opened their doors to brand new businesses - these surprising gems are not to be missed.
Visit these very latest acquisitions of Dordrecht.
No standard pizzeria menu
An ode to their Palestinian roots: that's Pizzeria Olivia, set up by the Habiballah family. Owner Habib is a hospitality entrepreneur and has had several businesses. His specialty has always been pizza, which is why he decided to open a pizzeria in Dordrecht. Daughter Shireen: "Especially the pizza sandwich is doing well. This dish looks like a calzone, but instead the pizza is open. The pizza dough, which we make fresh daily, we fold in half and then you can put all kinds of ingredients on it." But that's not Pizzeria Olivia's only specialty. For example, there is the pizza Gamberi, with tasty large shrimp. Nor is there the pizza Olivia, with garlic sausage on top. The family is enjoying their new Dordt business. Shireen says her father is often mistaken for an Italian, but the family is really Palestinian. "Our business has influences of both Italian and Palestinian cuisine such as Shakshuka for lunch. We don't have a standard pizzeria menu and also the name comes from Palestine, referring to the olive grove we have there."
Sleep in director's room
or special antechamber
For years, Mabel Havelaar and her partner had been walking around with the idea of starting a bed and breakfast. Recently they finally made it happen and opened the doors of their B&B Cleyn Cruysenborgh 1531. You can choose from two rooms: the director's room - which really used to be a director's room! - or the Cleyne room or the front room. In the director's room you can stay with two persons or a family, ideal in the middle of the city. The Cleyne room has a mezzanine: you sleep upstairs and the bathroom is downstairs. Both rooms offer plenty of atmosphere. Your breakfast is served in your room. Mabel is happy to welcome guests to her home. "I am from Dordrecht and know the city well; the old center is so beautiful and we wanted to show that to other people. That way they can experience, just like us, how beautiful the city center is and what it is like to stay there. We have a unique place, right across from the Grote Kerk. When you sit down to breakfast, you have a beautiful view!"
Intensso Hairstyles now in Vriesestraat
Walking down Vriesestraat, you'll come across a new addition: Intensso Hairstyles. No stranger to Dordrecht, as the hair salon used to be in the Korte Breestraat, just 50 meters away. When the old premises could not be improved as the owners wished, they decided to look for other premises. By chance, they stumbled upon the property in the Vriesestraat. To bring the building back to life, a complete renovation followed. Everything was tackled, but the main colors of white, gray and black remained. "We are very happy with the new building," Shannon Felter says. "It's quite an improvement for us. We've been downtown with our hair salon for 14 years, but before we were kind of hidden away in a small building and now we're really seen by people! Also because there is a lot of light in the building. Quality is our number one priority. So is the business: there is an atmosphere that radiates quality."
Hamburger business of brothers and sister
Fancy a really good burger? Then it's time to discover something new in the heart of downtown: the burger shop Burger Masters, a real family business. Buket Böke opened this hamburger restaurant together with her brothers.. It is an ode to the old days, when family members enjoyed barbecues at home, where friends and family came over to eat burgers, among other things. With that thought in their heads, the three decided to start Burger Masters. But not after a major remodel of the building followed first. On one wall you can see a large graffiti image with - how could it be otherwise - a hamburger and the skyline of Dordrecht, with icons such as the Grote Kerk, Villa Augustus and the Zwijndrecht bridge. On the menu of Burgermeesters you will of course find the classic burger, but also the vegan variant, a smash burger and a chicken burger. In addition to fries, snacks and drinks. The three entrepreneurs are happy to run the business together. "We know each other, can rely on each other and trust each other. That's important when you run a business together as family members."
Let loose at the latest arcade games
An arcade something of the past? No way! At Game Empire you will find the latest arcade games, for young and old. Also for the little ones. You'll do old-fashioned games like pinball and Pacman. But there is more: ball games, such as basketball four in a row - indeed, a combination of two games - shooting games and a racing game. Also, if you feel like getting started with grappling machines or a punching bag, you're in the right place. Go out and play together or against each other. You can also save for prizes; that will make your arcade outing this summer even more fun. The arcade has just opened, but people already know their way to Game Empire, says Samantha Hamerslag. "That's because of the longing for the old days: for many people, an arcade evokes a sense of nostalgia. Especially when they see Pacman and Pinball. Upon entering, quite a few people run straight in that direction! With us, you step into a world of excitement, adventure and endless fun."
