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Eating & Drinking in Amsterdam
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A café is Amsterdam often means a pub and cannabis, and not just a coffee shop or a place to go for brunch. For dinner, fresh local ingredients create international dishes at stylishly designed restaurants which often share walls with the city's top bars and clubs. In between checking out those fashionable hotspots you'll find other cheaper, simpler ethnic restaurants (from Indonesian to Turkish) where the food is often just as memorable.
Barney's
Breakfast here is legendary. This is a very popular coffee shop, where tea is served in large mugs and cannabis is a choice to start the day with.
Brasserie Harkema
A former tobacco factory was turned into a designer creation to become a French-style brasserie and bar serving reasonably priced dishes and excellent wines. The kitchen opens into the contemporary space of the dining area where you can join locals and tourists for coffee, lunch, or dinner.
Rokerij
Tourists and locals stop at this café that could only be found in Amsterdam, although it's decorated with Hindu and Nepali art. Lit by candles and smelling of incense, this is a place created for escapism and relaxation, where you can smoke in peace or drink to a selection of chill-out sounds.
Café Walem
Don't miss a stop at this café-restaurant, one of the most stylish in Amsterdam since it opened in 1984. The menu lists Mediterranean dishes which are accompanied by a varied wine list, but just as pleasant are the breakfast and brunch options. It's often packed at any time of the day, as it also has a good list of cocktails and other drinks.
Morlang
This is one of the most attractive cafes in the city, not just for its canal-side seating, but also for its interior space . The food is good (mostly light dishes) and there's a large selection of drinks.
BIHP
Serving international fusion cuisine in a beautiful old building overlooking a canal is not the only attraction of this restaurant. It's also its artistic décor, with original works of art covering the walls and changing every two months. Go for lunch or dinner, or for the special high tea on Sunday afternoon.
De Kas
A 1920s greenhouse was converted into a modern organic restaurant serving freshly picked vegetables from its own garden. It's located on the edge of Amsterdam, but you should make the effort of finding it. The menu changes daily, based on that day's harvest, and the wine list changes every week, but you may always select from about 40 wines. This is a very pleasant space in daytime, with light shining from all sides, but it is at its most romantic at night.
Le Garage
Going strong for two decades, this restaurant serves fine French cuisine to a dressed up clientele. It's expensive, so if you find it outside your budget head next door to its more affordable "En Pluche" lounge and bar. It serves fingerfood in a striking interior where you'll also be able to hear some jazzy sounds as you eat sitting on designer chairs.
Nevy
A few years ago, a former shipping factory was transformed into a sleek restaurant called Onassis. It has since closed and been replaced with Nevy. Both the menu and the décor focus on fish, with fish x-ray photos decorating the walls of the blue and gold interior. Guests can choose their fish and how they'll have it cooked, or go for one of the fixed dishes created by a Michelin-starred chef.
Nomads
Featuring a stunning Arabian-inspired interior and an intimate atmosphere, this the sister restaurant of the famous Supperclub. The menu is equally Arabian and the music also Eastern-inspired, which can also be heard at the bar (recommended for the excellent cocktails). Book one of the small private spaces or join everyone on the dancefloor.
18twintig
After a full day sightseeing (it's close to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum), head to this restaurant and lounge. It serves Mediterranean cuisine mixed with international flavours, or simply go for appetizers accompanied by drinks at the bar.
Envy
The team behind the famous Supperclub (see Amsterdam Bars and Clubs) came up with the idea for this restaurant during a trip to Rome. Wines and cheeses are flown daily from Italy and showcased in the refrigerators that line the walls. Sophisticated foodies love the menu, the décor, and the mood of the dining area.
Vuong
One of the trendiest hotspots in town, this French-Vietnamese restaurant-lounge has an all-black interior giving it a cool, sleek look. It serves Vietnamese and Asian-inspired cuisine, while the lounge upstairs shakes excellent cocktails.
Dauphine
This hip restaurant serves French cuisine in what used to be a car garage. It's been converted into a contemporary space where you can treat yourself to oysters, shrimp croquettes, or an extensive wine list.
Yamazato
Located inside the Okura Amsterdam Hotel, this Japanese restaurant has earned its Michelin star through superb food, listed in different multi-course menus. The staff brings it to you dressed in kimonos to add to the authenticity of the place, while at the sushi bar you can sit watching the masters at work.
Vinkeles
An old bakery has been transformed into this restaurant inside the Dylan Hotel, and you can still see the original ovens discovered during renovation works. The décor and ambience of the place reflects the elegance of the hotel, while the food is a mixture of traditional and contemporary French dishes.
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