The largest (and only?) marketplace in Bourtange, serving the role as a gift shop for tourists,…read morewith just about everything you can imagine such a place would provide: clothing, knick-knacks, candy, teas and spices, home goods, soaps, oils and more. My Dutch friends took great pleasure in forcing me to try all sorts of "traditional" snacks, such as "drop" (salty licorice-ish ball), and a piece of "candy" that was literally a stick that, when sucked on, *sort of* tastes like sugar...but mostly like a stick. I bet they do this with all the tourists! Despite the torturous treats imposed upon me, De Commanderie is the shining star for shopping, in the similarly star-shaped Bourtange fortress, and definitely a must-stop for any visitor or tourist.

I definitely recommend Café Hooghoudt as a place to go for a dinner or simply for a coffee. I have…read morebeen there couple of times and always enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Last time I have ordered a delicious goat cheese salad. As for a dessert part, I am in love with their brownie!

Great coffee but no credit cards are accepted. They are the only coffee shop in this area that…read morestill doesn't accept credit cards, which is odd and inconvenient to tourists who visit Groningen.

While visiting Groningen on a Wednesday, we walked into the place expecting a good cup of coffee…read more What we got was a pour-over, liquid cup of Columbian gold served in a small glass pitcher on a tray with two cups, served by the friendly owner of the store, Gerben. The atmosphere was very relaxed, due to the semi-strict no-laptop policy maintained mostly on the weekends. "You don't need wifi to enjoy a good cup of coffee," is found on the menu and shows the effort that is made to keep the place open to those who come for the coffee, not to those who work on a laptop while thoughtlessly pouring liquid productivity down their throats. It's basically to keep the place from turning into Starbucks. All things considered, as soon as I come back to Groningen, I will visit this place again as I know that both the coffee and the atmosphere will be excellent, and that's all I need.