Coffee & tea

After being neglected for decades, German culture is becoming increasingly en vogue in Amsterdam. Culture is food and food is culture, and an outstanding example of German bakery tradition is the Brezel, in the US also known as the Pretzl, and this little salty pastry is the name giver of lunchroom Brezel in the Sarphatistraat. It is a small cafe, only a few tables, but it all looks pretty (south) German.

The owner is dressed up in Dirndl, a typical southern German outfit that you might be familiar with if you have ever been to the famous Oktoberfest in Munich or anywhere else in the world. Instead of selling beer, Brezel offers typical southern German pastry: Brezel, Lebkuchen (gingerbread), different sorts of sandwiches and cakes.

Brezel is on my way to work, so occasionally I stop by to have a brezel and a cappuccino. If you are eating in, the brezels are served with butter and cream-cheese. The latter is not an absolutely necessary addition, but brezel and butter is an absolute must.

And really, a brezel for € 1 is an okay price for take-away (even though it’s of course more expensive than it would be in Germany), but to get it served, with butter AND cream-cheese, still for € 1 – I feel really spoiled. And I hope they won’t adapt their prices after having read my comment! Thank you Brezel!

In between the train tracks just outside Sloterdijk station stands a beautifully renovated trolly car. This car was about to be turned into scrap metal when a persistent entrepreneur came along and, with a lot of hard work, turned the wreck into a unique lunch spot. After searching for a permanent location the trolly found its pitch at the spot mentioned above, where it is expanded with a nice terrace. This already makes it worth a visit.

But, and probable more importantly, the friendly and talkative entrepreneur serves tasty sandwiches, small salads and good coffees. If you want something refreshing, you can choose one of the smoothies (100% fruit). And there are different (tapas style) hot snacks and toasted sandwiches on the menu. Everything is prepared fresh from the pretty compact kitchen inside the tram. A lot of employees from the companies in the area know this place, but also more and more commuters swing by for a bite to eat.

The place is open for group lunches, company drinks and other events as well. Inside there’s place for twenty people, outside on the terrace for another fifty. It also hosts a couple of events itself, one of them “Trammeland“, a monthly house party.

Enough reasons to check it out, I would say. Especially now the weather is getting better.

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.

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.