Drinks on a summer evening: Dende’s terrace lit up on the water, full of guests and flowers
Nieuwe Rijn 5 · by the Visbrug · Leiden

welcome to DendeAn evening on the water

Lunch, drinks and dinner in the heart of Leiden. On our terrace on the canal, under the fairy lights and among the plants, with plates to share and a good glass of wine.

Open every day from 11 am
See the menu
A place to get together since 1600

Pull up a chair

Just the two of you, with friends or with the whole family: at Dende you always stay longer than you planned.

By day you look out over the market and the Visbrug from the water; in the evening the lights come on. We cook with fresh produce, serve small plates made for sharing and pour wines from small growers. Children are welcome, and so is your dog.

see you soon!
Guests under a parasol on the terrace, among the hydrangeas, looking out on the Visbrug
A dog on Dende’s terrace
since1600
Dende’s terrace on a boat in the Nieuwe Rijn on a summer’s day, under the parasols and full of flowers
Our terrace

Right on the water

Our terrace floats on the Nieuwe Rijn, right next to the Visbrug. You sit among the plants while boats drift by and the market bustles around the corner. And it is a lovely spot all year round.

Even when it gets chilly

Warm and snug outside

Heaters overhead, a blanket over your knees and a heated cushion on your chair. That is how an evening outdoors gets long.

Guests by the fire of a terrace heater in the evening

Heaters

Heaters hang above the tables. You can take your coat off, even on a chilly day.

A red blanket over a terrace chair at Dende

Blankets

You will find blankets all over the terrace. Help yourself to one, or two.

The lounge sofa on the terrace with cushions and a throw, by the water

Heated cushions

Our cushions give off warmth. Once you sit down, you will not want to get up.

  • Fairy lights
  • Plants everywhere
  • Dogs welcome
  • Parasols for sun and rain
  • View of the Visbrug
From coffee to nightcap

When are you coming?

From 4 pm you can order the small plates from the dinner menu with your drinks.

Flatbread with colourful toppings on a decorated plate
11 am – 4 pm

Lunch

Soup, oven-roasted focaccia, club sandwiches and Grandma Bob’s croquettes.

See the lunch menu
 Two cocktails with red fruit and lime on the terrace
All day

Drinks

Bitterballen, sharing platters, cocktails and craft beer on tap.

See drinks & bites
 Tacos and a glass of red wine on the table in the evening
4 pm – 9.30 pm

Dinner

Plates to share: mix, match and enjoy, from ceviche to warm lava cake.

See the dinner menu

Our wines come from small growers, most of whom farm organically. See the wine list

Atmosphere

This is what it’s like

A glass of bubbles on the terrace in the evening sun
The busy terrace on the water on a summer’s day
A fresh dish with fennel and herbs
A dog on a terrace chair with a view of the town hall
Lights in the trees along the Nieuwe Rijn at dusk
Flowers on a table inside Dende
A lively evening on the terrace: guests under the parasols with fairy lights and plants
The bar with its copper lamps
What’s on

There is always something going on

At Dende itself and right on our doorstep.

5 December to 3 January

Winter Wonder Weeks

The floating ice rink is back on the Nieuwe Rijn, almost at our door. From 11 December there is a Christmas market too. After skating, come and warm up with us.

Programme on visitleiden.nl

Every second Thursday of the month

Pub quiz

Put a team together and test your knowledge at the Dende pub quiz. Ticket sales will follow here soon.

Wednesday and Saturday

Market on the Nieuwe Rijn

Twice a week Leiden’s market lines the canal. From our terrace you are right in the middle of it, with coffee and apple pie.

A long table laid for a group inside Dende

Groups & parties

A birthday, family dinner, company drinks or reception? A long table full of sharing platters and small plates always feels like a party. Tell us what you are looking for and we will send you a proposal.

Book a table

Book online and we will keep a table for you, inside or on the terrace. You can also call us. And you are just as welcome without a booking: simply drop by and see if there is room.

Call +31 71 512 6915

Work at Dende

Do you love hospitality, good food and a friendly team by the water? We are often looking for people for the floor and the kitchen, also for a job alongside your studies.

Send us a message
The fountain by the Visbrug with Dende’s terrace in the background
Make a day of it

In the heart of Leiden

The Burcht, the almshouse courtyards and the museums are all within walking distance. Combine lunch or dinner with a canal cruise, a stroll through the Singelpark or an afternoon in a museum.

Things to doParking and directions
History

Hospitable for centuries

Since around 1600, Leiden innkeepers have run a café or restaurant on this very spot. For a long time the Visbrug was the only crossing over the Nieuwe Rijn, which made it the perfect place for merchants and their wares.

Around 1670 the first coffee houses opened here, and after 1800 the very first restaurants: where travellers used to eat at an inn, the people of Leiden now started “eating out” themselves. Dende carries on that tradition, with the same hospitality.

Photo: the Nieuwe Rijn and the Visbrug in 1962. Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken.

Old black-and-white photo from 1962: the Visbrug over the Nieuwe Rijn with the canal houses behind
Come by

See you soon!

Dende
Nieuwe Rijn 5, 2312 JB Leiden, the Netherlands
+31 71 512 6915 · kantoor@dende.nl

Sunday11:00 – 00:00 Monday11:00 – 00:00 Tuesday11:00 – 00:00 Wednesday11:00 – 00:00 Thursday11:00 – 00:00 Friday11:00 – 01:30 Saturday11:00 – 01:30

Lunch until 4 pm, small plates from the dinner menu from 4 pm to 9.30 pm. Card payment only. Coming by car? See parking and directions.