About Us

Dutch Darlings began in 2023, when father and daughter duo, Hans and Maaike Ravesteijn, were chatting over lunch about their longing to travel back to the Netherlands so they could indulge in fresh stroopwafels from their favorite vendor at Albert Cuyp Market. Maaike, then pregnant and bearing the burden of a relentless sweet-tooth, couldn’t get the idea off her mind. That craving quickly turned into a passion project and by early 2024 Hans and Maaike were selling freshly baked stroopwafels at a local farmers market.

Hans and Maaike are longtime residents of the DC area; Hans was born in the Netherlands then attended college and graduate school in DC and Maaike was born in DC, attended school and college locally, and now lives in the area with her family. When not traveling back to the Netherlands to reconnect with their roots, they can be found exploring the DC area’s restaurant and bakery scene and chasing after Maaike’s two-year-old. Their deep connection to both the DC region and their Dutch heritage is at the heart of this venture.

Dutch Darlings will open its doors in early 2026, in the meantime you can find Dutch Darlings on Instagram (@dutchdarlings) to stay up to date on the latest shop news and opening details.