“Lovely place to enjoy a summer day, sipping wine in one of their beach chairs in the shade of the trees. The service is friendly and they have great wines, but above all it’s the ambience of the park which makes this place so amazing.” Mark Joosten, Google Reviews
Nestled within arguably the most elegant park of Rotterdam, Het Park, Parqiet’s fairytale-like setting gives it a distinct advantage when it comes to summer-time ambiance. Parqiet’s home base is a quaint, cream-colored colonial house that sits lonesome between the trees. With a vast collection of lawn chairs sprayed across the grass, the park café can become a wonderful breeding ground for socialness in the summer.
Along with my fellow critic Alp Gasimov, we followed Mark’s advice and settled into a couple ‘beach chairs’ in the shade of the trees to enjoy their supposed fine wines.
Wine o'clock
“I brushed up on my wine jargon before coming here,” Gasimov said nonchalantly before taking a sip. “Ah, it tastes like vinegar. I’m not a fan.”
The Tempranillo didn’t impress either, with each sip leaving a potent, sour aftertaste that lingers in the mouth for many moments. Mark from Google Reviews was right about how enjoyable it is to sit in the shade of the trees on a warm summer’s day. As for the ‘great’ wines, I’m not so sure, I’m no sommelier, which is why Gasimov and I waited for the waiter to waltz by so we could order a couple of Leffe Blond beers. Unfortunately, our glasses remained empty and our mouths dry after another lengthy wait, so we made a tactical change and relocated to the two seats next to the café door where they’d surely feel inclined to take our money.
Parqiet won no bonus points in my book with their sluggish service, but the delectable cheesecake-brownie I ordered alongside the Leffe Blonds made up for some of the bad service. The velvety cheesecake infused with chocolate was a delicious little heart attack, but for those who are vegan, gluten-free, or looking for more natural pleasures, the menu was well stocked to satisfy your needs. Overall, despite the subpar wines and slow-moving service, an afternoon of lounging in the beautiful setting of Parqiet is nothing short of delightful.
