Your parents are coming to town and finally they are going to pay for your food? You want to celebrate the survival of an exam with your friends, or just take your partner on a fancy date because you have been eating noodles for 5 days in a row? Amsterdam got you covered with its amazing variety of vegan places and hidden gems. In this post, we collected you some of the best (and nearby) plant-based spots so that you don’t have to read the google reviews and tripadvisor feedback. All of these places are simply just veganistically delicious! Buon appetite!
Affordable treats
Saint Jean
The smell of butter and sweet cinnamon, couples and families holding oily paper sachets and steamy to-go coffee cups, the plant-based French bakery and speciality coffee is a heaven for vegans, coffee lovers, and pastry addicts alike. This place is almost always packed for a good reason; from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon Saint Jean offers freshly baked goods
and seasonal treats for the wanderer. Whether the croissants, babkas, cardamom buns, or cruffins are the most appealing and mouth-watering for you, grab one (or more) of them alongside a freshly brewed coffee and walk
around the streets of Jordaan which is decorated with red, orange, and yellow blankets of leaves. My personal favourite is the chocolaty, nutty delish babka but their pan au chocolate and pistachio treats are phenomenal as well.
Maoz
I remember when two years ago with my mum and my sister we went to Tel Aviv for a week. We constantly got lost and could not reach the host. We were sweaty and tired, but mostly hungry, so we sat down in the first falafel bar that we stumbled into. This place became our stable throughout our vacation, because of its fresh and crispy falafels and amazing, nourishing salads. Every time I eat at Maoz (which is, to be honest quite often), these memories always come back. At the small fully vegan falafel chain with multiple locations in Amsterdam, you can assemble your own unique and tasty pita creation for only around 6-7 euros. You can choose between falafel (author and her friends’ choice), cauliflower (also great), hummus, and mushroom shoarma as a base in your pita–as a gluten-free option you can get it in a bowl–and then ready, set, go crazy with all the toppings starting from chickpeas, tomatoes, couscous, and pickles, until endless tahini, garlic and amba dressings. +tip: Maoz is open 24/7 so it is the perfect after-clubbing snack (been there done that).
Toko Bersama
You might not fall in love with Toko Bersama because of its interior or aesthetic but the flavours and spices will definitely conquer you in the best way possible. This small place at the end of Javastraat sells authentic Indonesian dishes (and some unique products from the area) for a very affordable price. While ‘toko’ means ‘shop’ or ‘store’ in Indonesian, in Amsterdam it is explicitly used for these kinds of Asian, Indonesian takeaway places. Since the Indonesian revolution, tokos emerged around the country, especially in ethnically colourful neighbourhoods like ours. Although they prepare meaty dishes, you might find yourself asking for an extra minute to choose between a variety of vegetable, tempeh and tofu-based dishes. For only 10 euros, you can get an enormous amount of Indonesian scrumptiousness (as my friend Mich would say) composed of one main; rice or noodles, and four side dishes of your desire. Definitely give a try to the spicy aubergine and the tomato and tempeh ones. The cherry on top is that Oosterpark is only two minutes away so you can just take your delicious meal and enjoy it under the gazebo and in nature.
Koffie ende Koeck
Although I myself have not visited this place, it's going to be my next spot to discover for sure. A bit of a bike ride away, besides Westerpark Koffie ende Koeck is the ultimate cozyness one could crave during these assignments-densed and rainy November days. Whether you want to grab a quick bite, a coffee, or a full brunch experience, this cafe got you covered. Moreover, they offer vegan afternoon tea as well, if you are feeling very fancy. Besides their daily assortment of scones and cakes, you can devour a vegan frittata, quiche, or sandwich at an affordable price.
Are you feeling a little fancy?
Mr & Mrs Watson
Just a short bike ride away from the dorms, Mr&Mrs Watson focuses on assembling a creative and plant-based diet based on sustainable and seasonal flavours. The cosy yet elegant restaurant was named after the couple who coined the term ‘veganism’ back in the 40s. They are most famous for their cashew-based cheeses, which you can taste as part of their charcuterie boards. Usually, I am pretty sceptical towards vegan cheeses– I have tried too many that tasted like feet–these are *delicious*, since they come with jam, fresh bread, grapes, etc. But hedonism does not stop at the appetizer. They offer homemade fresh burgers (there is one with kimchi!), soups, fondues, desserts, and at lunchtime, you can grab a sandwich or some crispy bitterballen. Lastly, they sell their cheeses in many shops, including Albert Heijn, so you can recreate the mouthwatering charcuterie boards with your friend too.
The Meets Eatery
Fortunately, I only found this place a month ago,otherwise I would have spent all my money here. This amazing, hip, and perfect for a date, looking restaurant is hidden next to Javastraat. They opened in 2016 to serve 100% plant-based dishes that are mostly Italian but they spice their menu with some Brazilian fusion as well. It is organic, it is authentic, it is magnificent. We tried the cheese board (10/10), the polpettone, the feijoada, and lastly–yes we were very hungry–the pistachio cream with vanilla baked pear and crumble. Yes, this last one was the cherry on top. But I will definitely go back to try out their cauliflower and risotto. The reason why I would recommend this place to everyone is not only because of the food but the whole experience. From the moment you step in, the lovely and amazingly furnished, kinda messy ambience is so pleasant and relaxing. The mostly Italian staff is really nice and the vibes are just immaculate.
The Bloem
Another hidden gem in the area, Bloem is a fully bio, plant-based AND gluten-free restaurant. You could ask “okay, but then what do they serve?” The answer: vegan art. Their dishes are so exquisite yet delicate and fresh from all the vegetables. It’s one of those places where you spend at least 2 hours but you do not end up feeling tired because of the food coma rather energised and well-nourished. Bloem has a very small menu (only in Dutch but the waiters are lovely and will translate it for you) and it is more of a French slow dining experience composed of vegetable pate, buckwheat blinis with parsnip and an amazing chutney, beetroot tartar, lasagne, stuffed zucchini. If the weather is nice, definitely sit outside, the restaurant is right next to the canal, where during the summertime families go swimming and have picnics.
Tell us if you visited any of these places or if you have any other vegan-heaven recommendations. See you soon!
written by : Panka Bognar
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