Although many Europeans take it for granted, the Dutch restaurant industry’s custom of offering separate lunch and dinner menus may come as a surprise to visitors from across the pond. In many cafés, bars and other eating and drinking establishments in the Netherlands it’s often policy to provide lighter meals like sandwiches, soups, salads and some breakfast food until roughly 16:00. Afterwards it may be only possible to order snacks until the dinner menu, which will offer heartier hot meals at higher prices, comes into effect around 18:00. This menu will once again only be valid until 23:00 at the latest, although it may still be possible to order some Dutch treats like bitterballen until midnight.