A delightful spot in the lovely Western Islands, this cosy little neighbourhood restaurant was one of our favourite spots when we lived just around the corner on the Houtmankade because, well, just look at it. Forget the misleading name… ‘worst’ means ‘sausage’ in Dutch so this is in fact a sausagey wine bar, serving up…
Category: Food & drink
Hidden gem coffee and lunch spots in Central Amsterdam
I have a troubled relationship with central Amsterdam. I won’t go into it all here, but thanks to the wrong kind of tourist and the tacky businesses that cater for them, certain parts of the centre can often resemble a Hieronymous Bosch depiction of hell. (I’m looking at YOU, Damrak on a Saturday). Having said…
Kanarie Club
Eat, drink, work, play and possibly swim at this newish hotspot in Oud-West. Taking up a sizeable chunk of the De Hallen complex (go through the Foodhallen, or access directly from Bellamyplein), Kanarie Club is all things to all people from morning to night. Go there for breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee, dinner or drinks. Take your…
De School
Many of you will have heard of De School as the successor of legendary Amsterdam club Trouw. But it’s much more than just a nightclub. The former school building way out in Amsterdam West is also a restaurant, bar, cafe, concert venue, exhibition space and a gym. The 700 capacity subterranean club is located in the…
Ton Ton Club West
Calling all arcade nerds! Ton Ton Club is one of Amsterdam’s funnest (is that a word?) places to spend an evening, with good food, good music and all of those retro arcade games you remember from childhood. There are two locations – one in the Red Light District and a bigger one in the Westergasfabriek…
Meneer Nieges
Located on the waterfront in the Westerdok area to the west of Central Station (just far enough away from the centre to be off most tourists’ radars), Meneer Nieges is a restaurant and bar from the team behind Hannekes Boom and Bloemenbar, and lovely place to hang out in all seasons. One of its biggest…
De Oranjerie
This is our current local, and honestly one of our favourite pubs in Amsterdam. Tucked away on a pretty Haarlemmerbuurt side street between Brouwersgracht and Haarlemmerdijk it’s the kind of place where everyone knows your name (or they will do by the end of the evening), and they’re always glad you came. The epitome of…
Gs Brunch Boat
Apparently the only brunch boat in the world, this culinary cruise is operated by legendary Amsterdam brunch hotspot Gs Really Nice Place and sets sail every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10.00, 12:00 and 14:00. I went on the brunch boat whilst pregnant so didn’t get to take full advantage of the Bloody Mary-ness of…
Glouglou
A wine bar with the relaxed atmosphere of a pub, Glouglou is a wine-breath of fresh air in a city dominated by beer. In the heart of the wonderful De Pijp neighbourhood, Glouglou is the kind of place you can spend an entire evening, sipping your way through the selection of only natural wines – no…
De Kas
One for a special occasion, De Kas is a beautiful restaurant located in Park Frankendael in Amsterdam East. The building used to be the city’s municipal greenhouse, and ingredients are grown in the surrounding kitchen garden, so you’re always guaranteed fresh, seasonal flavours from the ever changing menu. Light, bright, airy and romantic, it’s a…
De Culinaire Werkplaats (Culinary Workshop)
If you’re looking for something a little different from your evening meal while in Amsterdam, then may I suggest giving De Culinaire Werkplaats a go. Located on a quiet side street near Westerpark, this rather special little restaurant is hard to describe without sounding a bit pretentious, but I’d say that ‘interactive dining laboratory’ comes…
Brouwerij ‘t Ij
DRINK BEER UNDER A FREAKIN’ WINDMILL!!! This was all I wanted to write, but Jayne told me my journalism needed a little more detail… so yes, here goes. When we first moved over we were enchanted by this tasty beer with a curious ostrich on the label and wondered why we were feeling so bladdered…
My pal in Amsterdam 