Lauren Murphy (1985)

I would be an abominable Jamaican. Despite growing up next to a coffee shop, weed makes me scream at non-existing men in trees and despite always giving it my all, I can’t dance the way the Jamaican girls can. I always blow my cover. But I do so love reggae. I don’t care that all the backpackers in Thailand do too, I love it. And I love spicy Jamaican food.

Amsterdam, whilst full of the herb and full of great Surinamese restaurants (as fellow Spotter Gisela can confirm) doesn’t have enough Jamaican restaurants as far as I’m concerned. Thank Jah then for Rose and her saltfish fritters, goat curry and ackee & cheese vol-au-vents. Rose hails from Jamaica and London and her cozy Planet in Amsterdam-West has been my number one destination on lazy summer nights, when everyone sits outside on bright plastic seats, dub beats pumping through the open windows, and on winter evenings when I need a little sunshine. 

Born and raised in the centre of town, I find myself often taking the ferry to the other side of the IJ to clear my head. Pllek is a great cultural hangout in the North, close to Noorderlicht (another favorite spot of mine). It’s like a beach joint minus the beach crowd – a safe haven in between all the huge industrial constructions and rusty boats at the NDSM shipyard.

Pllek is continuously in development (they’ve secured the spot for the next ten years!). New colorful sea containers are added to the U-shaped cluster all the time. It’s like a playground. The restaurant is airy and rugged as well as classy, and they already have the best terrace this side of town. It’s right by the water and the sun hits from dawn till dusk – make sure to lather up on sunscreen and bring your swim gear just in case. The first time I went I unexpectedly stayed for hours and left looking quite lobster-esque.

Pllek offers (mostly organic) food, music, art and outdoor cinema as well as tai chi and yoga, and they’re open all year. They’re as open-minded as its vista. Imagine campfires and troubadours with guitars in summer, and wind and waves beating outside in winter. It’s also close to the IJhallen flea market and where the Over het IJ theatre festival is held in July each year. It’s worth the trek over anytime just so you can experience the city from the other side for once.  

I never know at what time of day I should visit Panini, which is located on the insanely busy Vijzelstraat and has cars rushing by its cute little terrace like you’re in the middle of Napels. They serve fresh strong espresso in the morning; really nice panini in the afternoons; and fresh pastas, antipasti and desserts in the evenings.

You might as well stick around, and you won’t leave on an empty stomach either way. Panini is low key and not very expensive, but the food is exactly what it promises to be. But whether it’s lunch you’re ordering or a simple penne amatriciana for dinner, their home made focaccia is what I keep coming back for. It’s salty yet sweet, soft yet crunchy and, if you’re lucky, still warm.

Even after so many visits, I try something different each time. You don’t get a chance to eat sandwiches with cream of fennel, speck from Fruili or vongole that often.

I once got an eeniemeenie pasta maker for my birthday, but the only times I’ve used it is when I have large groups over and it’s the greatest hassle trying to get a good serve out of it. Somehow, there’s something very ‘gezellig‘ about eating pasta together. It should be served in huge steaming family bowls in the middle of long wooden tables like they do in the nunneries in Rome, and it should be as fresh and simple as possible.

The guys that own the Spaghetteria in de Pijp know what I’m talking about. They make their fresh pasta from flour imported from Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. Every day, there are several great pastas to choose from and devour on the long wooden family table or outside – their terrace is sunny and in the middle of traffic, which also reminds me of Italy.

On a side note, there are loads of nice fresh pasta places popping up all over the city. If you want to buy your own, Il Mattarello in de Jordaan is really, really good, and they also have a tiny space in the back to sit down and munch away, so run by them if you’re in the area, especially when they’re organizing one of their themed meal nights!

It took a while, but Amsterdam finally has a cinema museum again. I have to admit I was a little skeptical of the move because the old film museum was so iconic and pretty and its velvety seats were tattered, and that’s how I like watching my movies. But the first time I set foot in EYE (let’s not get started on the name, and let’s definitely not get started on the whole ownership-thing) I was blown out of my ruby slippers.

Could it be we’re finally playing with the big boys? The museum exudes international flair. It’s big, it’s white and it’s nondescript (is it a crocodile? is it a whale? is it a wink? who cares) and I like it. The banks along the IJ are finally throwing off their casts and revealing the bigger plan. Located right opposite Central Station, easily accessible by ferry, EYE is in efflorescent Amsterdam-Noord – check out some of the other articles in the area for some off-the-beaten track strolling.

Inside, the museum offers something for everybody – you can have food and drinks on the huge terrace overlooking the water and wave at the cruise ships or visit the exhibitions or their extensive library. They also have four screening rooms (with brand new chairs!) that show classics, specials and new releases besides hosting cinema concerts and cult evenings. Or you could just run up and down their grand staircases endlessly. The main hall is so exuberantly big you’ll want to play.