The beautiful & delicious cakes invite you to be obeyed.

Pompadour has a great location on the corner with the famous Spiegelstraat. It is modern and clean and quite large: a good spot for lunch with delicious lunch dishes.

They became famous thanks to their chocolates & cake. They have great éclairs and lovely apple & apricot tarts. But the famous raspberry a la neige with white chocolate is also tasteworthy.

Pompadour also has a branch in the 9 streets (Huidenstraat 12), with a romantic and Marie Antoinette style.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pompadour | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Cake & drinks p.p. € 12.00
Kerkstraat 148 | Center | +31203300981
10:00 – 18:00 daily

The ones who have been to Örtakoy, Istanbul will understand the next scribble better than those who haven’t been there. In Örtakoy (but also in other places in Turkey) you’ll find a real simple tidbit: kumpir. Most of the people I know who ate this delicacy were straightaway addicted.

Kumpir is a stewed potato, mashed within its own skin with butter, cheese and salt and then filled with peas, corn, olives, mushrooms, red cabbage and grated carrots. Afterwards it’s topped with ketchup and/or mayonnaise.

As far as I know there are only a few places in Amsterdam where you’ll find kumpir. Three of them are recommendable enough.

The first place is located at the Osdorpplein (#677) in the West of Amsterdam, King Kumpir. I think they see themselves a bit as the Turkish variant of Burger King (hence the name), but their kumpir is okay.

The second place is located on the Kinkerstraat (#186): Döner Plaza. It gives the possibility to add meat to your kumpir, but I don’t think the original one in Turkey has this option. You can also get döner kebab, ‘kapsalon’ and Turkish pizza.

The third place is located at the Dapperstraat/markt (#94) in Amsterdam East, MarDo IJs & Kumpir. This kumpir might be the best in town. For €0.50 extra you even get a cup of ayran (Turkish yoghurt) with it. According to their name/menu they also sell ice cream and another Turkish delight, kunefe (puff paste), but I haven’t seen it yet.

At all three places the standard kumpir price is € 3.50.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Kumpir | Snacks | Stewed potato (portion) € 3.50
Dapperstraat 94 | East | +31651469098
09:00 – 21:00 daily

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 (next edition: 12th of June). And on the 10th of June there’s a salsa party.

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

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Amsterdamsche Tram | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich € 3.95
Carrascoplein 10 | West | +31642601402
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00

If you don’t feel like going for some drinks to the city centre, try Zola in West. Here they serve some nice sandwiches for a good lunch when you drop by after checking out the shopping street ‘Kinkerstraat’ and the ‘Ten Kate market’.

When the weather allows it is very comfortable at the terrace which is conveniently situated to the waterside. The furniture inside looks fresh with the wood and typical light purple color on the walls.

Dinner is pure and simple, I like to go for one of the salads or the spicy Thai fish cakes. They serve some good cocktails at the bar and on Friday night you can enjoy yourself till late with the special night: Drink & Dance. It could get pretty busy on the Friday nights. 

When it gets busy the service can be a bit chaotic, but other than that this place is an all-rounder, its suitable for pre-dinner or after work drinks, lunch and dinner!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Zola | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Fusion) | Main Course € 15
Kinkerstraat 87 | West | +31206183858
Mon – Thu 15:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 03:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

Since this place is a little tucked away in a neighborhood in Oost, you could easily miss it. But you should not miss it, since this is a really cute and good brunch and lunch spot! Their motto is: stop eating shit, eat good food!

The products they use are mostly organic or honest, which you can taste. They have an extensive menu, with sandwiches served on slices of bread, fresh smoothies, soups, homemade carrot cake and my favorite chai tea’s.

Beter en Leuk means Better and Pleasant, and the atmosphere in this place is very relaxed with little benches in- and outside with comfortable pillows. Next to being a lunch spot it is also a small boutique, where you could find organic beauty essentials, clothes and gadgets. The high tea I can also recommend! And for the ladies; once in a while they offer workshops or special shopping evenings. So if you want to try something new, and you are in Oost give it a try!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Beter & Leuk | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Coffee € 2.20
Eerste Oosterparkstraat 91 | East
Wed – Mon 10:00 – 17:30

This spot comes closest to what Americans consider a deli… and a fine one it is. It has a good selection of different delicacies, varying from salads to ready-made fine foods. It also has a nice choice of cheeses and sausages.

One of the things I really yearn for from time to time is their lasagna. For € 1.50 per 100 gram you can choose between salmon-spinach, bolognese or pumpkin-goat cheese (the first one is my absolute favorite) and they also have a mousaka (same price). Furthermore they have many different salads (€ 3.95 per 250 gram), homemade vegetable soups and two or three different types of quiches (€ 1.50 per 100 gram). Too bad they don’t sell my beloved wraps anymore.

You’ll also find (biological) fruit juices, soups, vegetables etc. Whatever you’ll find at your deli back home. So whenever you’re (a) lazy (cook) and have some extra bucks to spend, you can find your supper here.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Sterk Staaltje | Shopping, Snacks
Staalstraat 12 | Center | +31206249065
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 19:00, Sat 08:00 – 18:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

Pacific Parc is a great place on the ‘Westergasfabriekterrein’. Its open during the day for drinks and lunch as well as in the evening for dinner, drinking and/or dancing.

In the wintertime its very cosy inside with a great looking real fireplace which is nice and warm. But now that the weather is starting to get better the great attraction of Pacific Parc is the terrace which gets the sunshine all day long!

Pacific Parc is open day and night and at night they sometimes have some really busy parties, although they aren’t really my cup of tea.

For lunch/breakfast/snack you should definetely try the “tosti” (croque monsieur / toasted ham/cheese sandwich). It’s delicious with lots of cheese and ham, pineapple or tomato. The great thing is that you get 1,5 tosti, which is exactly the right amount!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pacific Parc | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Main meal € 15.00
polonceaukade 23 | West | +31204887778
11:00 – 02:00 daily (kitchen open till 22:00)

I discovered this place about a year ago ‘thanks’ to the GVB (transport company), when there was once again a big pile-up of metro’s in the tunnel near Waterlooplein (it happens frequently). Around noon I was heading towards the city centre when they asked everyone to leave the subway at Weesperplein. Because I skipped breakfast that morning I first wanted to grab a sandwich somewhere before looking for alternative transportation. From that moment on it’s one of the spots I’ll go for a quick sandwich whenever I forgot to eat breakfast again.

For a reasonable price (from €1,80 on) you can get a simple but okay sandwich. You can choose between brown, white or multigrain rolls, French baguettes or Italian buns (the latter two cost a bit more). As filling you have a wide selection of choices, from egg till smoked sausage or sliced meat-ball. For the sweet-teeth among us there are cookies, brownies, muffins and Indonesian ‘thousand-layer’ cake (we call it spekkoek in Dutch, try it out) available. For a shot of caffeine you can get coffee or tea for only € 1.00 (watch out, this is not the premium quality stuff) and you can buy a copy of your newsletter when you forgot to bring yours.

If you’re in a hurry, your wallet doesn’t allow much luxury and you’re near Weesperplein, Convenience-to-go is the place to go!

New in store: three kinds of muffins (for €1.90 each)- natural/chocolat (“chocolat chip muffin”)- abricot/peach- apple/cinamon 

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Convenience-to-go | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich +/- € 2.40
Metrostop Weesperplein (one floor down) | Center | +31206257925
07:00 – 18:00 daily

Soup Enzo is one of those formulas that make you wonder why nobody came up with it earlier. It filled a gap for healthy ‘fast’ food, which had been missing from the Amsterdam food scene before. With all the health food freaks taking over the city now, they’re pioneers and all the more relaxed for it.

One of their stores is near Waterlooplein, with a few seats by the window that are excellent for spying on all the flamboyant theatre students and random funny folk passing by de Jodenbreestraat. They also have a take-away store on the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 54, close to Leidseplein. They’re not a snack chain by any means, though – everything here’s home made. They make their gallons of soup fresh each day and which recipes they have on offer changes accordingly. The Moroccan chick pea soup and the ‘Gentse waterzooi’ (Belgian chicken soup) are my favorites, as is the sweet potato (like baby food…but better). The Hungarian goulash is great when it’s cold out, the gazpacho in summer. 

I find myself eating at Soup Enzo far too regularly when I’ve been studying or after work, when I don’t feel like cooking or really eating out. It’s the perfect cheap meal. After a medium soup and one of their enormous salads – for those who’d like some solids with their soup, the feta salad’s great - you feel surprisingly satisfied and guilt free.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Soup Enzo | Snacks, Restaurants (Soup) | Soup (M) € 5
Jodenbreestraat 94a | Center | +31204222243
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 20:00, Sun 12:00 – 19:00

I really like specialist stores that focus mainly on one product and try to be the best at what they do. They exude a kind of passion and determination that I admire, and the quality is often all the better for it.

Wild Moa Pies is one of those places. Monique, its owner, used to live in New Zealand for years and decided to bring New Zealand kiwi tabasco and the hearty pies they sell all over Oceania to Amsterdam. She moved to a nice little store in de Pijp a couple of years back. All the pies are cooked on the spot. You can take them home, eat them at the little table inside or in the plastic chairs outside if the weather’s nice. Wild Moa is also one of the few places in the city that sells imported drinks and sauces from New Zealand – from brown sauce to great, spicy non-alcoholic ginger beer.

Pies are a great lunch or simple dinner. I adore them – it might be my British blood – and I really like the way they make them here, from the traditional chicken pie to the breakfast bacon and egg. They’ve obviously taken their time to perfect the recipes and walking into Moa’s tiny abode really feels like being in laidback New Zealand, a sentimental throwback that I’m sure a lot of avid travelers will enjoy experiencing.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Wild Moa Pies | Snacks, Restaurants (Hearty pies) | Per pie € 3.50
Van Ostadestraat 147 | South | +31206126102
Tue – Sat 09:00 – 18:30

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 pretty and it’s 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 Amsterdam is finally playing with the big boys? The museum – right opposite Central Station, easily accessible by ferry – 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.

Inside, EYE 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 their exhibitions and 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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
EYE | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Theaters
IJpromenade 1 | North | +31205891400
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00 (exhibitions open till 17:00)

Here you will find the best ice-cream. Be prepared for queing up though…

It can be difficult to choose from all the different flavours but I have managed to create a couple of favorite combinations which I stick to. One of them is raspberry-stracciatella! Mmm, delicious!

Of course a variety of combinations is possible and it is probably best to try them all out. If you are really in for a treat you should get some whipped cream on top to finish it of, this makes it even more delicious. Their milkshakes are also meant to be really good although I haven’t tried them yet.

The location isn’t very exciting, also the employees can be quite bitchy at times. But still it’s all worth it once you taste your heavenly ice-cream!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pisa IJs | Snacks | Ice-cream (med.) € 3.00
Scheldeplein | South | +31206715577
Apr – Oct 12:00 – 00:00 daily

Although I’ve never actually lived in England, my British genes have an undeniably strong impact on my food cravings. Every once in a while, I’ll find myself dreaming of soggy Weetabix in pools of velvety custard. I’ll secretly pour hot milk into my tea and swear at the fact that there’s hardly any decent bread pudding in town. I’ll start giggling at the thought of giant Creme Eggs, or have nightmares about drowning in fast flowing rivers of clotted cream. 

Thankfully, there’s Gartine. Gartine satisfies my British sweet tooth whilst actually being organic, wholesome and as far from soggy weetabix as you can possibly get. The owners own a piece of land outside town, where they grow their own produce. So the pumpkins in their quiches, the apples in their pie and the raspberries in their home-made jams are all from their own garden. Yes, it’s incredibly cute, but most of all it’s incredibly good.

Gartine’s lavender-walled space is very, very tiny, so you’ll need to call in advance. Make sure to take your time, too. It’s quite a battle to the last crumb, and I’ve rarely left without feeling slightly overwhelmed and high as a sugar kite after consuming three tiers of cake, fresh almond milk and a couple of gallons of tea. But it’s exactly how I used to feel after three days of Christmas at my gran’s – I don’t mind the feeling one bit.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Gartine | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Small high tea (p.p) € 11.95
Taksteeg 7 | Center | +31203204132
Wed – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

Some streets make you want to strut down them like you’re Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. De Haarlemmerdijk might not match 1970′s Brooklyn, but with its plethora of detail stores and beautiful old buildings, no wonder a lot of places here have been noticed by my fellow spotters! It’s amazing how many great hangouts can be found along such a small stretch of pavement. Some personal favorites:

Start with a croissant at Mediterannee, and go by 2 For Joy for fresh roasted coffee. Shop at Restored, with products from young designers; at Mary Ann, run by wonderful ladies who really know how to rock old-school brassieres; at sneaker store Seventyfive, or photography specialists Nivo Schweitzer. As a film freak, I love browsing through the cult DVDs and posters at the wonderfully geeky Silver Screen, or catch a screening in one of Amsterdam’s nicest cinemas, The Movies.

You’re also in the right place for a makeover. During the phase where I had something pierced every time a relationship ended, the lovely Sharon at Dare2Ware - Amsterdam’s most comfortable piercing studio – made it so much fun. The artists at House of Tattoos around the corner are also extremely talented. And if you want to top off your new look with a bright magenta fringe, visit Kinki hairdressers down the street.

Finally, ‘de Dijk’ is a Mecca for foodies like myself – do-it-yourself with kitchen utensils from Deksels!, the amazing cookbooks at De Kookboekhandel (one of it’s kind!), cupcake supplies from De Tafel van 18, or the Tea Bar‘s teas. Or just feast on Jordino‘s Italian ice cream, Small World‘s huge sandwiches and restaurant Balraj‘s great Indian food.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Haarlemmerdijk | Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants
Haarlemmerdijk 1 | Center
09:00 – 18:00 daily (varies per store)

De Buurtboerderij – a public farm with a cafe just out of town – is so well hidden it really feels like a personal victory once you’ve found it. In truth, it’s just behind the Westerpark and not that far. It’s a really nice little trip through the fields on foot or by bike.

Trees and typically flat green meadows surround the farm. Their terrace is spread out in front of the building and over several small plots of land. Sitting in the shadow of blossoming trees, sipping on homemade lemonade and looking out over the edges of the city truly feels like being far away from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam. It’s not worth coming over if you don’t have a couple of hours to spare and wind down.

You can easily muse the day away here – chatting up the chickens, socializing with the sheep, gorging on pancakes and cheese toasties. The do-gooder spirit of the place is obvious – most of the people that work there are volunteers (a great bunch of people), and the food’s really cheap. They run a tiny makeshift ‘give-away shop’ full of old clothing and brick-a-brack that’s yours to take home.

De Buurtboerderij also organizes music events, arts & crafts workshops and yoga for kids, but just watching the sun go down from their back yard is meditation enough for me.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Buurtboerderij Ons Genoegen | Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (Intern.) | Plain pancake € 2.80
Spaarndammerdijk 319 | West | +31203376820
Sun – Wed 10:00 – 22:00, Thu – Sat 10:00 – 23:00

Picture this: Little round tables covered with fluffy table cloths, the fabric girls nowadays make maxi skirts out of. Bottles of coffee creamer on each, that might have been around as long as the tablecloths have. Colored glass windows, stained in more ways than one, that let in just enough daylight to illuminate the big old clock in the smoky back room, which chimes every thirty minutes – perhaps to let you know it’s time for your next kopstoot, or to remind you that time is indeed passing, no matter how easy it is to forget about it here.

De Hegeraad is another one of those old pubs that are great to get lost in, quite similar to De Pilsener Club, except that besides its obvious pale ale throwback, it’s a black-coffee-morning-paper kind of place as well (even if they open at 12:00).

Perhaps, if I’d been born way back when, I would have been selling under-the-counter ointments in the apothecary this pretty Jordanese building used to house. Or I would have been one of the fun gals being boozed up by the bartender in the off-license it held afterwards.

With a pretty terrace under the trees on the picturesque Noordermarkt, De Hegeraad can get a little crowded on weekends but somehow retains its time traveling appeal. Buy yourself a fitting top hat or even one of those carpet skirts at the vintage market on Monday mornings, and take the leap.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Hegeraad | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Kopstoot € 6
Noordermarkt 34 | Center | +31206245565
Mon – Thu & Sun 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 03:00

I love discovering places in Amsterdam that have been around for ages without my knowing about them. Recently, I found myself in De Pilsener Club, hidden right next to the horrible shopping strip de Kalverstraat. To locals the pub is better known as ‘De Engelse Reet’ (roughly translated as ‘The English Arse’, but don’t let that put you off!)

This beer café is one of Amsterdam’s oldest, and it’s as ‘brown’ (as the Dutch like calling their local pubs) as they come. Four generations of traditionally clad bartenders have made sure everything looks and feels like you’ve just traveled 125 years back in time – from the original sandy floor boards to the yellowed pictures on the wall. The stories that undoubtedly went down here over the years are almost tangible – they even have little name plates adorning the seats of their regulars through the years.

What I love most about places like this is that they make you want to act as the atmosphere suggests. You want to sit down in their creaky chairs, turn off your mobile phone, order three portions of ossenworst and Dutch cheese (they also sell eggs for 50 cents, because who would let the alcoholics go home to their wives on an empty stomach?) and talk about books all night, whilst trying at least six of the great array of special beers and jenever they have on offer.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
De Pilsener Club | Bars, Snacks | Boiled egg € 0.50
Begijnensteeg 4 | Center
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00

Next to the well-known daily markets (Dapper, Albert Cuyp and Ten Kate) there are a couple of monthly markets in the Amsterdam area. These sometimes sell the more luxurious goods, but from time to time also just plain junk. The best market, if you ask me, is the one which has the best combination of these two.

My favorite one among the monthly markets is the Sunday Market at the Westerpark. Every first Sunday of the month you’ll find the stands partly inside and partly outside at the old buildings of the former gas plant. These stands offer a whole bunch of stuff, from jewelry, gemstones, lotions and scarfs till heads, wallets, pillows and t-shirts. But also handmade artifacts, children’s toys, second-hand furniture and things for your cat or dog.

It’s a perfect way to spend that boring (first) Sunday (of the month). And you don’t have to worry about getting hungry when strolling around. Every time there are several nice food stalls present, like a soup van called ‘Buskruid’ (a Dutch word joke, meaning gunpowder, but literally translated it says bus-spices). Enough to see to keep you busy for an hour or two.

The next Sunday Markets are on the 6th of May, 3rd of June and on Thursday the 17th of May (Ascension Day) as a part of the ‘Hemeltjelief Festival’ (in Dutch) at the NDSM shipyard!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Sunday Market | Shopping, Snacks, Festivals & events
Haarlemmerweg 8-10 | West
First Sun of the month 12:00 – 18:00

Started about two years ago by a young entrepeneur, you’ll find this lunch spot on the leeward side of the Singel, between Koningsplein and Muntplein (on the rear side of the Bloemenmarkt). The place uses only fresh, biological products for their sandwiches, wraps, smoothies and lemonades. My favorites are the sandwich with salmon  (on very new slices of bread) and the homemade lemonade (very refreshing). There are also a couple of salads and on Thursday a special hot meal on the menu.

Furthermore they serve decent coffee and tea (fairtrade) and their cakes are definitely worth a try (especially the carrot cake). They have a good WIFI connection, which makes it ideal for those who’ll have to finish some business while consuming their lunch. In Spring and Summer you can enjoy the sun on a little terrace. Too bad that from 16:00 on the street in front of it gets jammed by cars and trucks. But until that time it’s a great observation post for watching people passing by.

A pretty good spot to meet with friends, but also with business clients for enjoying a delicious and ‘fair’ lunch.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Homemade | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwiches/wraps € 6.00
Singel 447 | Center | +31204223168
Fri – Wed 10:00 – 18:00, Thu 10:00 – 20:00

Last week I cycled passed Tofani and it was still closed. But when I cycled passed it today it was open! What a joy! I didn’t have the time otherwise I would have had an ice-cream on the terrace. (Well actually it was also a bit too cold for icecream…)

Tofani is well known in the whole of Amsterdam and especially in the Nieuwmarkt area. Not only can you get delicious ice-cream here, they also serve good coffee, milkshakes and very nice cake.

When you sit on the terrace and watch all the interesting people this area has to offer walking by, you feel as if you’re in the height of summertime with absolutely nothing to do. I like this feeling!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Tofani | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Scoop of icecream € 1.20
Kloveniersburgwal 16 | Center | +31206243073
12:00 – 00:00 daily

Small World is an old favorite of mine. It’s hidden down a little side street in de Jordaan and – hush – secretly has one of the best small terraces in town. On sunny days, the sun hits the corner it’s situated on almost all day round.

Owner Sean is an Australian – and it the Oz sense of hospitality and passion for great coffee and food that he’s brought with him. For a tiny joint – on weekends, you can hardly stand inside, but Sean and his team make it all part of the fun – they have a huge following. It seems that every English speaking person in the city gets to hear about them sooner or later, and it’s almost customary that even the Dutchies that visit speak English inside.

Their sandwiches are amazing – try the fresh tuna, the spicy salami or the amazing ‘Zoe’, a sandwich with sweetly roasted pumpkin and goat’s cheese. Have an Ali G (fresh apple-lime-and-ginger-juice) on the side, and make sure to share one sandwich because the price weighs up to the huge portioning, and you’ll want to leave some room for their carrot cake, which is by far the best I’ve ever tasted.

Should you be in town for Thanksgiving, Small World offers a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, with turkey and pumpkin pie. Thanks to Small World, the Amsterdam expats will never feel lonely!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Small World Catering | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich € 7.50
Binnen Oranjestraat 14 | Center | +31204202774
Tue – Fri 10:30 – 19:00, Sat 10:30 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

I’m addicted to cheese. If I had to choose between cheese and pretty much every other thing that’s edible on earth, it would have to be cheese. Ah, the joy of cheese. Thankfully, Holland’s a cheese country so I get my fix, but for the best in French cheese – God knows I need the smelly samples too – I always go to Abraham Kef, a small but quite famous local cheese shop on the Marnixtraat.

From their wonderful little basement, Kef sells an enormous choice of Dutch and French cheeses, all seasonal and imported from small producers. They also sell artisanal charcuterie, French bread and wine, if you want to make a real picknick out of it. They even sometimes have a cheese that goes by the name of the ‘Stinking Bishop’. Say no more.

The best thing is the fact that you can do tastings in their basement on Sunday afternoons; you’re seated at one of the tiny beer barrels they keep, and Marike, the owner, will serve you wonderful cheese platters. She will sit next to your table and she’ll take her time to tell you everything you need to know and what to drink it with, no matter how long the line of people waiting outside may be. The attention given to their trade makes you feel really special.

Be sure to call ahead for a spot on Sunday!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Fromagerie Abraham Kef | Shopping, Snacks | Simple tasting & wine € 15
Marnixstraat 192 | Center | +31204200097
Wed – Thu 11:00 – 19:00, Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Café Cook is one of those places that you really wouldn’t bump into by accident. It’s housed on a square in Oud West, in an area that’s quite far from Amsterdam’s touristy centre. The square’s hidden behind all the big streets aligning it, which makes you feel like you’re in a village rather than the middle of a bustling city. The owners obviously recognized the advantages of such a wonderful, sunny spot, and have put down a wonderfully big terrace where you can easily lay down your hat and forget what you were supposed to be racing to.

What makes Café Cook so nice is hard to put your finger on. It doesn’t try to be either hip or overly traditional. It’s small and intimate enough to make you feel at home, and big enough to bring a book and disappear for a few hours. It’s a fine solo spot as well as a good place to drink beer with your friends. The people that work there are really friendly, and the quality of their food is high – something that can’t be said of most places like it. 

I remember the day I got hooked on Cook very well – I had gone to a vintage market and bought a stack of old records, and the bar tender, upon seeing them, pointed towards the record player that’s placed inconspicuously in one of the corners and offered to play them. It’s these personal touches that made me want to stay, and come back.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Cook | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants | Main meal € 16
James Cookstraat 2 | West | +31621966916
Sun – Thu 11:30 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:30 – 02:00

Approximately 50 meters from the “Nederlandsche Bank” and the attractive “Utrechtsestraat” (check the Utrechtsestraat article) you will find the Weteringschans, where also the just newly opened Hotel V is located. This place is located in a bit of a deserted location, as far as you can talk about a deserted location in energetic Amsterdam…

Here you’ll find a very charming spot called Uliveto. It’s an Italian franchise concept, which is hardly known. Fresh ingredients & good looking food is the credo here. Recently two staff members took over the place from the first owner Conny. It is even better than before, opening times changed and longer.

For lunch I would recommend to ask her to make your choice: probably a great plate with antipasti and a nice salad, and maybe just a small warm dish on the side for mouth-watering moments. Served with nice wine or delicious water, a very healthy utterly light sparkling water from the Uliveto brand.

Her pasta with Ragu, is also not to miss. The place is nice, clean & in a way industrial. A real fat cat to accessorize and take care of the mice ? Enjoy Uliveto! Great place!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Uliveto | Snacks, Restaurants (Italian) | Panini € 7.50
Weteringschans 118 | Center | +31204230099
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 20:00, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 18:00

Great supermarket with health and eco food, and much more! They have a lot of take away goodies! Nice spot!

The “Overtoom”, the name of the street, is getting more attractive. It used to be a traffic – jammed road. Now you can go there for fun, food and shopping.

A real good new Marqt for Amsterdam.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Marqt | Shopping, Snacks
Overtoom 21 – 25 | West | +31204226311
Mon – Sat 08:00 – 21:00