Old center – Local tips (shopping)

I never knew you were able to get good scones in Holland until I went to the Bakkerswinkel. Me and my friends met for lunch and started of having different kinds of savoury sandwiches which were all delicious. There is plenty of choice here and the ingredients used are tasty and fresh. The bread is nice and heavy so you are sure to be satisfied for the rest of the day after you get lunch here.

I have to admit that we were definitely satisfied, but we still couldn’t resist the temptation of ordering a scone as dessert. This was absolutely delicious. They have different kinds of scones, for instant with raisins, chocolate or cherries. They also have a wide range of different sorts of freshly made jam to go with it. Its really very good. And of course the clotted cream just makes it perfect!

De Bakkerwinkel also does high teas for which I think you have to make a reservation in advance. If you’re not that hungry you can of course also drop in for just a cup of coffee although I doubt if you can resist the temptation of all the cakes pies and scones around you!

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De Bakkerswinkel | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Scone (jam&cream) € 3.50
Warmoesstraat 69 | Old center | +310204898000
Tue – Fri 08:00 – 18:00, Sat 08:00 – 17:00, Sun 10:00 – 17:00

The unusual, unpretentious coffeehouse Latei is one of Amsterdam’s special gems. What makes Latei so special is that everything in it is for sale (the chairs, tables, cups, walldecoration etc.)!!

The second-hand 60/70s style furniture and other kitsch stuff give Latei its uniqueness. Old-fashioned but of good quality, messy but cosy.
On the background there’s always good music, mostly oldies / classics.

Visit Latei for a tasty nutritious (inexpensive) sandwich (the one with hummus and grilled eggplant is suberb!), a great cup of coffee (with organic milk), a healthy fresh juice or one of the delicious homemade cakes (the apple pie is to die for)!

In addition, you can also have a bowl of soup and on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays Latei serves Indian food. Three tasty versions (also a vegetarian option) for a very affordable price! They use fresh ingredients with great spices.

Haven’t seen enough vintage? Latei has a small shop just around the corner packed with old dolls, clothing, furniture etc. (Geldersekade 60-62).

Another plus is the free wireless Internet access.

Want to know about a fairly well kept secret of Amsterdam? This is it.

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Latei | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Restaurants (Intern.) | Indian dish € 8.00
Zeedijk 143 | Old center | +31206257485
Mon – Wed 08:00 – 18:00, Thu – Fri 08:00 – 22:00, Sat 09:00 – 22:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

If you decide to go shopping in Amsterdam there are some places I would advise you to go to, and some you should definitely avoid. The Kalverstraat, running from the Dam to the Munt, is one that fits into the latter category. It is always overcrowded and it is unlikely that you will find any shops there that you cannot find in another place in another country.

If you are on the Dam, don’t go there; take the Damstraat in eastern direction instead. After about half a kilometer it changes into the Nieuwe Hooghstraat, which is lined mostly with smaller clothing shops.

You won’t find any retailers from the big chains there, or in the Jodenbreestraat that crosses it at the end, but independent shops offering their wares to different niches in the market. You can find shops that just sell hats, designer shoes, equipment for jugglers, and so on. I buy most of my clothes in the second hand shops in this area.

If you know your way around you can go to a specific shop to find a specific item. It is perhaps more fun not to look for anything in particular. You just might come across that perfect piece of clothing, and if you do it is likely to be something that you wouldn’t easily find anywhere else.

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Nieuwe Hooghstraat, Jodenbreestraat | Shopping | Free
Nieuwe Hooghstraat, Jodenbreestraat | Old center
Depends