Meet and Eat Archive
Meet and Eat: That’s ‘Sir’ hummus to you, sir
They tell me they didn’t even announce the opening – just tore down the paper covering the windows, a gesture to their neighbourhood that they were open, that everyone was welcome. Six months later and you can still tune in to those local vibes (..more)
Meet and eat: Crossover restaurant Woo Bros
Just a couple more days until Amsterdam’s newest place to be will open its doors: Woo Bros. The younger sister of loving hotspots Dynasty, BoCinq and Lion Noir is all about sharing. A vintage chic place where they offer affordable food and drinks. It is a refreshing crossover concept where design, food and music come together. Interior designer, Thijs Murré, who’s also responsible for decorating at Lion Noir and Jimmy Woo’s chose for an Asian, Kelim & Chesterfield design. Someone longing for an eclectic, international and relaxed vibe is probably at the right address at Woo Bros. (..more)
Meet and Eat: De Laatste Kruimel
It was just another boring day as I was on my way to the university, when suddenly my attention got drawn to these overly cute windows filled with homemade pies and other good stuff. My heart pounded faster, my mouth started watering and a huge smile appeared on my face at the sight of all these delicious goodies. So you can imagine I actually skipped class to consume one of those cakes – a white chocolate cheesecake with strawberries, which I believe was screaming my name – at this amazing place called De Laatste Kruimel. Or as I call it: my new favourite hotspot. (..more)
Meet and Eat: Grand Café-Restaurant 1e Klas
The Grand Café-Restaurant 1e Klas is ensconced in a wonderfully obscure part of the Amsterdam Centraal train station. Centraal is low ceilinged; its narrow platforms poorly serviced by escalators and the gaggle of platform roofs are woeful compared to the soaring edifices of Gare du Paris or New York’s Grand Central. Internally it is a confusing warren of tunnels and ‘ongezellige’ funnels. And yet nestled away on platform 2B next to Burger King, the restaurant 1e Klas is something to appreciate. (..more)
Meet and Eat: Discover a vintage and cupcake heaven at The Darling
In the 9 Straatjes many hidden treasures are to be found. If you know where to look, that is. The Darling is one of these precious secrets: a store where you can shop for clothes on the first floor and eat sweet delights in the adorable second floor cupcake café. A better combination than vintage and cupcakes? I can’t think of it. This store makes you feel as if you’re a child in a candy store, and we all should feel like this a bit more often if you ask me. (..more)
Meet and Eat: Teatime Extraordinaire at Gartine
In a little alley near Spui, I found a little piece of heaven. After a friend of mine took me there for lunch, it stole my heart. Gartine is a tiny little place, easily unnoticed in one of the least attractive alleys of Amsterdam. (..more)
Meet and Eat: Dine in darkness at ctaste
I like unusual places, with unusual food and an unusual atmosphere. Restaurant Ctaste, where you dine in the dark, is such a place. I found out about Ctaste two years ago during the annual Restaurant Week, so with three friends we went over for a dinner. We had fun eating tasty dishes and guessing what exactly they were, discussing how people feel when they are blind all their lives and admiring the work of waiters, who not only serve you dishes in the complete dark, but are all also either partially or completely blind themselves. (..more)
Meet and Eat: T
Some people dream of doing things, others actually do them. A couple weeks back I met one of Amsterdam’s DO-women. Where most people would see a scruffy, deteriorated, old steak house, she saw potential and a great location. Hidden under the trees opposite to the University of Amsterdam you can find this picturesque place. The name is as simple as its concept: a place to sit and have a good sandwich, coffee or ‘T’. This little treasure provides a large assortment of tea flavours, and offers an excellent high tea arrangement on top of that. For those scone and cake lovers out there this is quite the treat! (..more)
Meet and Eat: Sucre
Not too long ago my photographer in crime and I were invited to the reopening of Sucre. I had never heard of the place and imagined it to be a small corner shop selling sweets. I wasn’t to far off; Sucre used to be located at the Amstelveenseweg and was originally founded as a dessert restaurant, but had to move to a larger location due to its success. The new address was the Hobbemastraat 2 formerly known as ‘club Mansion’. (..more)
Meet and Eat: Kösebasi
The other day I realised that I mostly eat Turkish food at 4 in the morning. Around this time I create a speech impediment, lose my sense of balance and my stomach starts rumbling due to large consumption of alcoholic beverages. I love a good kebab or Turkish pizza, but lets be honest even a dead cat would taste tasty when you’re smashed off your clogs. Next to a teenage holiday in Turkey (which is more of a blur than reality) I never really had a proper Turkish dinner. So you can imagine I was quite excited when I was invited by Kösebasi to come try some real Turkish cuisine. (..more)
Meet and Eat: De Vredespijp
They say that in life, you should always pursue your passion and turn your dream into reality. In 1971, Ko van der Meer decided to do just that. He founded his very own Art Deco furniture shop, on a corner in the middle of de Pijp, one of the old and cozy neighbourhoods in Amsterdam. His family always lived above the shop, until the entire building had to be thrown down. The family fought to retain the place by collecting signatures and eventually, they had to choose between the house and the shop. Ko decided to choose for the shop and fortunately for us, this means De Vredespijp still exists. (..more)
Meeting the creatives behind Amsterdam’s new hotspot Lion Noir
As a little girl I would often fantasize about getting lost in a secret garden, pretending to be Alice in Wonderland. Even though I have been living in Amsterdam for many years now, I still find myself on a quest for these places where feelings of being a free and careless girl come up again. Imagine my delight when I had the chance to meet the creative brains behind my new favourite hotspot: Lion Noir. (..more)