🎯 Dodge a Bullet: Zinos, The Hague
The Red Flag: Sleek Instagram branding promises a slice of the Italian dolce vita with fresh premium schiacciata, but the reality is an overpriced self-service fast-food joint.
Elisabeth is Italian, Neapolitan even, which means we are on a perpetual hunt for the real deal in the Netherlands. So when we saw a new Schiacciata place had opened in The Hague, it felt like the perfect lunch plan.
The greeting from the lady behind the counter was friendly enough. She mentioned two options were off the menu but pointed us toward a replacement: Schiacciata Americano, with pastrami. At a hefty €13, we decided to share it and ordered an espresso and a cappuccino to go with it.
That's where the romance ended.
Instead of taking our order, she pointed us toward a digital fast-food kiosk in the corner to type it in and pay ourselves. Our coffees promptly arrived... in paper cups.
The vibe only got weirder from there. Random cardboard delivery boxes were stacked in the corners. The kitchen staff was arguing in English about something food before they chef walked out the front door to smoke a cigarette. Meanwhile, the counter lady got confused and gave away a Bolognese sandwich for free to a random family who hadn't even ordered it.
The Verdict:
The pastrami itself was decent, but the sandwich was way too small for a €13 price point, and the modern interior couldn't hide the chaotic, subpar takeaway experience. If you are charging premium prices for Italian street food, you can't serve it with digital kiosks, paper cups, and zero atmosphere. Verdict: We got burned so you don't have to. Skip it.