On Wednesday mornings, you can smell the cheese from the market long before you turn onto Gangetje. That’s what Leiden is like: an afternoon moment that’s already there before you’ve even planned it. AtAnne&Max Leiden, you’ll find yourself at the end of the Nieuwe Rijn, in a spacious and light-filled building where the day seems to slow down pleasantly. The tables are full, but it never feels crowded.
There are plenty of places to have lunch in Leiden. Here, you can enjoy it with a good cup of coffee in a living room that felt like home the moment you walked in.
A living room at the end of the market
Anne&Max Leidenis located at Gangetje 2, right at the end of the Nieuwe Rijn. On market days, this is the place to warm up after a stroll through the market. Inside, it’s spacious and bright, with lounge chairs where you can sink into with a good book, and a reading table with room for a game with friends.
The garden room in the back of the restaurant is an oasis of tranquility. From the tables by the window, you can look out over the Leidse Gracht; on the benches, you can catch up with friends. On warm days, head out to the large, sun-drenched patio for a refreshing soda or a glass of white wine.
Anne calls this her favorite terrace in Leiden. Max says he says that about everyrestaurant . (But he says it about this terrace, too.)
Lunch at Anne&Max in Leiden
The “sourdough bread ” special is baked especially for Anne&Max and changes with the seasons. And the soup of the day is made with whatever is fresh that day; prepared in-house, different every time. Everything on thelunch menuis available all day long. No time slots, no rush.
Coffee to round out lunch
A good lunch deserves a good cup of coffee. At Anne&Max Leiden, Anne or Max serves specialty coffee. The espresso is single-origin, direct-trade coffee from Peru, and the organic drip coffee comes from Ethiopia. Flat white, cappuccino with oat milk, decaf, or iced coffee: fairly sourced, every time.
You can read more about our choices inour coffee story.
A place at the table for every dietary preference
Anne&Max’s lunch menu is designed to bePlanet Friendly : a large portion of the dishes are meat- and fish-free, and there are plenty ofPlanet Friendly options. Both vegetarian and gluten-free options are well represented. If you have any dietary requests or questions about allergens, just talk to Anne or Max.
Children are more than welcome. There is a play area for our youngest guests, a kids' menu with its own selection of dishes and drinks, and space for a stroller.
Before and after your lunch in downtown Leiden
Het Gangetje is within walking distance of the Nieuwe Rijn and Breestraat. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the market runs along the canals: take a quick look around first, then settle in for lunch. For a walk before lunch, the Stadspark or the Hortus Botanicus are good options; both are a 15-minute walk away.
After lunch, Leiden is worth exploring. The National Museum of Antiquities and the Museum of Ethnology are just around the corner. If you’d rather stay seated a little longer, that’s fine, too. Order a second cup of coffee. Nobody’s counting.
Take a break on the patio
On a sunny day, Max opens the back patio as soon as the first guest asks for it. It doesn’t take long. It’s a large, spacious patio with a view of the canal. Having lunch outside in Leiden is actually just better than having lunch inside in Leiden. The patio is available when the weather is nice. Anne promises that the coffee tastes just as good in the sun.
Lunch to go from Het Gangetje
No time to sit down? The Club Sandwich comes in a box: securely packaged, spill-proof, and fits in any bag. We also offer soup to go, in a cup you won’t drop on the go. Order online for pickup viaJamezz: choose your time slot, pay in advance, and your lunch will be ready when you arrive. For delivery in Leiden, useThuisbezorgd.