It’s a fact, our lives pretty much revolve around food. It gives you energy to study and concentrate, it can be a great way of making friends, and it is also one of the best ways to immerse yourself into the culture of your new city when you move for university.
Maastricht, and The Netherlands more generally, is world-famous for its traditional sweet treats and baked goods, as well as hearty fish dishes. Some of the most popular delicacies include:
- Poffertjes
- Stroopwafels
- Stamppot
- Erwtensoep
- Pannenkoeken
To help you prepare for moving to Maastricht, we’ve created a guide to the top 5 best restaurants for students on a budget. You’ll be able to enjoy incredible meals without breaking the bank. Our top 5 include:
- Piano B
- Pieke Potloed
- Olivia’s breakfast and lunch
- Eetcafé de Preuverij
- Make and Take
Whether you want an on-the-go lunchtime snack, a sumptuous breakfast or sweet treat, we’ve got you covered.
Piano B
At the end of a long week of lectures, you deserve to relax, unwind and tuck into some delicious food to kick off your weekend in style! One of the most popular restaurants in Maastricht is Piano B, a deliciously authentic Italian pizzeria, serving fresh pizza from a wood-fired oven.
No matter who you’re going with, everyone will find a pizza to enjoy because they have an extensive menu of pizza flavours and toppings, such as:
- Diavola (tomato sauce, mozzarella, ventricina)
- 4 Stagioni (tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, ham, olives)
- Ortolana (tomato sauce, mozzarella, courgette, sweet peppers, eggplant, olives)
- Capricciosa (tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, ham, sausage)
- Bresaola (tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, rucola, bresaola)
The hardest thing about your week might well be having to choose which pizza to go for! Prices are very reasonable at Piano B, with pizzas costing between 9.50 Euros – 14.50 Euros. They also offer a 10% student discount which makes them ideal if you’re sticking to a tight budget. The best part? It’s just a 2 minute walk away from Maastricht University which makes it the perfect spot for some food after lectures.
If you’re planning on visiting Piano B before heading off to explore the wonders of Maastricht, take a look at our blog on the best things to do in Maastricht for inspiration!
Pieke Potloed
When you move to a new city to study, one of the best parts of settling into your new home is trying out the local cuisine and traditional dishes. If you’re looking for a classic, stylish restaurant that serves delicious meals originating from Maastricht and Limburg, Pieke Potloed is the place for you.
Pieke Potloed is open every day of the week and serves a mixture of lunch and dinner dishes. Whether you fancy a light bite, want to treat yourself to a starter or feel like sharing with friends, there’s something for every occasion. They have a great menu, including:
- Beef Carpaccio sandwiches
- Thai salads
- Omelettes
- Zuurvlees (Maastricht beef stew)
- Ribs
- Pan Fried Salmon
- Strawberry Tiramisu
- Eton Mess
The atmosphere of Pieke Potloed is unbeatable. Cosy and warm, eating in this restaurant feels like a warm hug. Plus, there’s outdoor seating so you can enjoy beautiful Summer weather and even watch the sunset! Pieke Potloed is just a 5 minute walk away from Maastricht University, making it the ideal location for trying mouthwatering Dutch food.
Olivia’s breakfast and lunch
Do you want to spend your weekends brunching with friends at trendy cafés? Of course you do! There’s nothing better chilling with friends while enjoying beautifully presented, delicious meals. One of the most popular brunch places in Maastricht is Olivia’s.
Picture-perfect, Olivia’s is the place to be if you want Instagrammable brunches! The vibe is cosy and they have a great selection of breakfast and lunch foods, such as:
- Red velvet pancakes
- Avocado and bacon bagels
- Chicken pesto salads
- Croissants
- Yoghurt bowls
What makes Olivia’s stand out as one of the best restaurants in Maastricht is because of their extensive vegan options. Whether you follow a vegan lifestyle or want nutritious brain food to start your day off in style, Olivia’s has all the tasty dishes you need!
They also have a fantastic range of drinks, including coffees, milkshakes and smoothies. Will you choose a chai latte, caramel milkshake or ‘Green Goddess’ smoothie?
Eetcafé de Preuverij
Do you have something to celebrate? Perhaps it’s a flatmate’s birthday or maybe you’ve finished an assignment. Whatever it is, treat yourself to a meal at the sensational Eetcafé de Preuverij.
Referred to as ‘the cosiest dining room in Maastricht’, Eetcafé de Preuverij is a very popular restaurant, which makes it ideal for when your family visits. They have a brilliant lunch and dinner menu, serving a wide variety of mouthwatering meals, including dishes such as:
- Grated mushrooms
- Schnitzel
- Satay pork tenderloin
- Burgers
- Omelettes
- A range of sandwiches
Eetcafé de Preuverij is also ideal if you want to share a few drinks with friends as they have more than 40 types of beer (and bar snacks if you don’t fancy a full meal). If you’re interested in other places where you can enjoy a drink with friends or family, check out our recent blog on the best student bars in Maastricht.
Eetcafé de Preuverij is only a 2 minute walk from the Maastricht University so you can treat yourself to a tasty meal at the end of an exciting week of lectures!
Make and Take
During the week, you’ll be busy with lectures, assignments, studying, socialising with friends and any university societies you decide to join. However, it’s still important to find time to nourish your body and grab a bite to eat – brain food is important after all! One of our favourite on-the-go lunch places is Make and Take.
‘Fast, Fresh and Friendly’, the motto couldn’t be more true for Make and Take, which serves bagels, baguettes, wraps, sandwiches and paninis. Whether you’re in the mood for a creamy brie baguette, crab salad bagel, club sandwich, caprese panini, or chicken fillet wrap, they’ve got the perfect lunch time meal waiting for you!
You can choose to eat in the restaurant, pick up a takeaway on your way home from lectures, or order for delivery – whatever suits you best. You’ll benefit from more than just delicious food at Make and Take. There’s free WiFi when you eat in, and they have loyalty cards so you can get discounts when you order.
Make and Take also has a ‘Lunch bag service’ if you want to take a pre-made lunch to uni with you – you get a sandwich, slice of patisserie and drink of your choice! It’s only a 3 minute walk from Maastricht University so you could be tucking into your tasty sandwich meal quicker than you can say ‘make and take’.
Enjoy your best student life in Maastricht with Nido Living
Whether you want to go for a delicious brunch with friends, are keen to try traditional Dutch food, need quick lunch options or are looking for somewhere to celebrate, Maastricht has it all.
As one of the oldest Dutch cities, Maastricht has a deep history and incredibly lively culture, making it one of the best places in the world to study! With so many fun things to do in Maastricht as well as delightful restaurants and unique bars, this wonderful city is ideal for students!
We think Maastricht is such a brilliant place to study that we offer student accommodation in the South of the city. With fantastic facilities, study spaces, social areas and contemporary rooms, you’ll love Nido Randwyck.Love the sound of joining the Nido family but not studying in The Netherlands? Don’t worry, we have locations around Europe including Denmark, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Germany. Speak to a member of our friendly team today to ask any questions you might have!