Lost in Amsterdam
Exploring the canals
This was my first trip to Amsterdam, which might seem odd considering I grew up in London but it just wasn’t somewhere I ended up visiting when I was younger. My sister and I caught the Eurostar from London St Pancras, an easy 4 hour journey and arrived in time for lunch. It was raining when we arrived so we went straight to our hotel to check in. We stayed at citizen M Amsterdam South. It felt a little corporate for us but was clean, in a good location and had a nice space downstairs where we could hang out and wait for the rain to stop!
We quickly realised that one of the best things about Amsterdam is that you can walk almost everywhere. As a city, it’s really accessible with good tramlines connecting you to wherever you need to go. We didn’t brave the cycle lanes but you can see why so many people use bikes to get around. Crossing the road can feel like an achievement in itself with lanes of traffic and cycle lanes to navigate!
Fresh fish @ Le Forel
We struck gold on our first night with a dinner at Le Forel. Specialising in fresh, seasonal fish, this seafood restaurant is home to chef Alessandro di Stefano who creates the most delicious dishes with fresh fish selected daily from the local markets. The entire menu is in Dutch but the lovely waiter kindly sat with us and went through everything on the menu so we knew what we were ordering! We had the fish special with sides of roasted crispy potatoes and veggies washed down with a cold, buttery chardonnay. Hello Amsterdam, we love you already!
Coffee + pastries @ Margo’s
We wandered through the quiet laneways early one morning, on the hunt for a pastry fix and once again, struck gold. Welcome to Margo’s, …where the entire menu is 100% plant-based, organic, fair-trade and sustainably sourced. Clearly a popular spot, there were a few people already waiting outside when we arrived! They do a great oat flat white (not always easy to find outside of Australia for this coffee snob) and have a whole range of sweet and savoury vegan pastries, croissants, buns and cookies that are all hand made and freshly baked every morning.
https://www.margosamsterdam.com/
Pizza, poke and pottering
A weekend in Amsterdam turned into a bit of a food tour, with so many cafes and restaurants to choose from I just wish I’d had more time to try them all! Here’s a few highlights that are worth checking out if you find yourself in this wonderful city…
New Dutch
This was a great spot for people watching and has a beautiful view of the canal with tables on both sides of the road. We sat and had a green juice and a coffee here one afternoon after a long day of walking. A gorgeous sunny spot - and the food looked good too!
Pluk
We stumbled on this health-food cafe and store one day and decided to stop for lunch. Pluk’s founder, Iris, wanted to offer her customers happy, healthy food as well as tasty sweet treats to be enjoyed with friends and family. Her love of design and interiors also really shows and I loved browsing all the beautiful ceramics, candles, homewares and other gifts for sale inside. Another great spot for people watching, we sat outside and enjoyed a delicious poke bowl for lunch make with fresh ingredients and packed with flavour.
https://www.pluk-amsterdam.com/en/
Mastino
The first all-vegan, plant based pizza place in The Netherlands, Mastino is the place to go for your pizza fix when in Amsterdam. Located in the trendy neighbourhood De Pijp, owner Novella has created a laid back, fun vibe where the music and smells from inside spill out onto the pedestrianised street and groups of friends pull tables together to enjoy pizza served in takeaway boxes and drinks in paper cups. It’s casual, delicious and the perfect spot for a chilled, quick and easy dinner.
