Café restaurants in Amsterdam
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A
B Van B Café
The cafe in the Beurs van Berlage, one of the city’s most spectacular buildings, boasts original brick and tilework, and murals by Jan Toorop (1903) representing past, present and future. Food includes lasagne, croquettes and the usual assortment of sandwiches and salads. Unless the main building happens to be open to the public (eg for a concert), this is your only sure way to get inside.
reviewed
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B
Café Morlang
Grab a fashion magazine and order tomato soup or tarte tatin, or choose from a rotating menu with influences from Italy to Thailand. The canalside terrace is fab in warm weather; indoors, enjoy the high ceilings and gigantic portraits of staff members painted on the back wall. On Friday nights it’s a low-key gay hang-out – so low-key that you may not realise it.
reviewed
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De Bakkerswinkel
This family-friendly cafe sits right on the hot-and-heavy Warmoesstraat and offers excellent baked goods (especially scones), sandwiches, soups, and breakfast fare like quiche, French toast and omelettes. A smaller outlet pops up down the block at Warmoesstraat 133, serving sandwiches on wonderfully crusty bread and fresh-squeezed juices for takeaway.
reviewed
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C
Kompaszaal
Set in the century-old Royal Dutch Steamboat Company (KNSM in Dutch) arrivals hall, this airy cafe has a menu featuring Malaysian, Indian and Indonesian flavours. But the groovy green tiles and the water view from the balcony – a great spot for a beer – are even more captivating. On the ground floor, check out the scale models of the Eastern Docklands.
reviewed
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D
Morning Star
Biologische (organic) is the name of the game at this tiny shop, which resembles a kiddie train station in the traffic island. Try organic burgers, tostis (grilled sandwiches) ,frites and soy lattes while watching the world go by at the picnic-table seating outdoors. It is on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, opposite No 289.
reviewed
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E
Café Vlinder
This window-lined corner place in the Jordaan serves a magnificent, fresh-made breakfast (around €14), laden with Dutch cheese, pâté, smoked salmon, eggs, coffee and fresh juice. It's also pleasant for afternoon cake and coffee (try the cheesecake or nut tart). We love the sassy service that describes itself as 'straight-friendly'.
reviewed
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F
Spanjer en Van Twist
Just north of the Anne Frank Huis, Spanjer en van Twist’s tables on Leliegracht are great for watching the boats cruise by. The eclectic lunch and dinner menu is perfectly good – say, fish and chips or lentil soup or roasted vegies with saffron aioli – but it’s a really great place for an afternoon pastry or cake.
reviewed
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G
Barney’s
Barney’s got famous on bargain English breakfasts all day, along with the marijuana. A new focus has vastly improved Barney’s weed, but unfortunately shunted the breakfasts across the street to the smoke-friendly Barney’s Lounge - handy, but not as cheap-and-cheerful as in days of yore, and only open until 3pm.
reviewed
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H
Luxembourg
Luxembourg occupies the best people-watching spot on the Spui. Grab a newspaper from the reading table, nab a sunny seat on the terrace and order the ‘Royale’ snack platter (bread, cured meats, Dutch cheese and deep-fried croquettes). Inside are parquetry floors, a marble bar and an art deco stained-glass skylight.
reviewed
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I
Villa Zeezicht
Although you could try sandwiches and pastas here, half the patrons seem to be eating the famous apple pie. For €4.90 you get a mountain of apples dusted in cinnamon, surrounded by warm pastry and fresh cream. In warm weather tables are set up on the bridge over the Singel.
reviewed
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J
M Café
Drink in that amazing panoramic view! The location, high above the Keizersgracht in the top-floor gallery of the ritzy Metz Department Store, gives new meaning to ‘high tea’, although other dishes are nothing you can’t find elsewhere (soup, salads or sandwiches).
reviewed
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K
Nielsen
This sunny café, with its bright interior filled with fresh flowers, has a tasty set breakfast - eggs, toast, fruit, juice and coffee (around €9). During lunch a large variety of salads and sandwiches are served: try the BLT or gigantic chicken club sandwich.
reviewed
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L
Goodies
This once-country place in the Negen Straatjes with rustic picnic tables has gone glam with a slick makeover, a bar and even occasional DJ nights. They've joined the tapas wave, but it's still popular for creative sandwiches like grilled chicken with salad and pine nuts.
reviewed
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M
Café De Pijp
De Pijp, the restaurant, is a fitting emblem of De Pijp, the neighbourhood: bright, young, cheerful, colourful, reasonably priced and good-looking both outside and in. You might see skinny young things digging into enormous plates of fish paella or tempura-style shrimp.
reviewed
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N
Pâtisserie Pompadour
Join society ladies sipping top-notch tea and nibbling away at homemade Belgian-style chocolates and pastries at this chichi little tearoom in the Negen Straatjes. Note: it’s not open on Sundays, but a second branch is open daily at Kerkstraat 148.
reviewed
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O
Lust
Parquet floors and walls, super-mod ceiling lamps and Brazilian dance beats animate this glam café. It's a fair bet you'll spot models nibbling focaccia sandwiches, tostis, generous salads or the popular grilled chicken club with avocado.
reviewed
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P
Café Walem
The industrial-mod building by Gerrit Rietveld, two terraces, friendly service and a changing menu keep this place busy. There’s a popular carpaccio sandwich, mains including fish and duck, a neat line of soups and salads, and coffee from Illy.
reviewed
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Q
Hein
Hein loves to cook, and it shows in her simple, stylish, sky-lit cafe. Media types, doing business over brunch, comment that she has a great touch with simple dishes: croque monsieur or madame, smoked salmon and fresh fruit salads.
reviewed
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R
Winkel
This sprawling, indoor-outdoor space is great for people-watching, popular for coffees and small meals, and out-of-the-park for its tall, cakey apple pie. On market days (Mondays and Saturdays) there’s almost always a queue out the door.
reviewed
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S
La Place
On the 1st floor of the Vroom & Dreesmann department store, this deluxe cafeteria has a little something for everyone: sandwiches, quiches, stir-fries, pastas, all freshly prepared. The ground-floor Le Marché has takeaway sandwiches.
reviewed
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T
Bloem
You've always wanted to see those lovely buildings of the Entrepotdok from the inside? Now you can, at this dark and cosy café-restaurant. Amid the brick and beams, enjoy a beer or coffee, and meals are better than they need to be.
reviewed
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U
Buffet van Odette
Not a buffet but a sit-down cafe on the canal; Odette and Yvette show how good simple cooking can taste when you start with great ingredients and a dash of creativity. The soups, sandwiches, pastas and quiches are mostly organic.
reviewed
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V
'Skek
Run by students for students (flashing your ID gets you one-third off), this friendly cafe-bar is an excellent place to get fat sandwiches on thick slices of multigrain bread and healthy main dishes with chicken, fish or pasta.
reviewed
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W
Foodism
Foodism is a hip, colourful little joint run by a fun, relaxed crew. All-day breakfasts (€9.50), sandwiches such as chicken mango and salads make up the day menu; night-time sees patrons downing wild pasta dishes.
reviewed
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X
Festina Lente
This neighbourhood hangout is typical Jordaan gezelligheid, packed with regulars playing board games, reading poetry and snacking on small-portion Mediterranean dishes and big sandwiches.
reviewed
