Amsterdam’s most of-the-moment cafes and restaurants create a compelling contrast with inexpensive immigrant eateries in one of the city’s fastest-gentrifying boroughs. The former working class area, east of the River Amstel, has become increasingly popular in recent years so we thought is was about time to fill you in on the Best Restaurants in Amsterdam Oost. One of the cities hottest neighborhoods!
Bar Botanique
Best known for its lush tropically-themed interior, which has been widely featured in (inter)national design magazines and blogs, and praised for its bold, original design, playful pink and green color palette, and artful use of natural light, Bar Botanique is so much more than just a pretty face. Open from early to late, the kitchen creates quite a variety of tasty meals, from healthy chia bowls and truffled eggs for breakfast to lemon-hummus & avo sandwiches for lunch, and comfort foods like pork cheek stew and hanger steak with roasted onion gravy for dinner. Looking for a good group option? At Bar Botanique Café Tropique you can book a special table with a group menu for 10-40 people at no extra cost. Private dining is also possible for groups of 15-40 people on the mezzanine level, with your own coat check facilities.
Eerste van Swindenstraat 581 • +31 20 358 65 53
Bar Bukowski
Bar Bukowski is named after Charles Bukowski, who was perhaps just as well-known for his boozing and womanizing as for his literature, punters may notice several references to the famous writer, from a type machine inspired light texture above the bar to various quotes scattered throughout the menu. This popular local’s hang-out opposite Oosterpark is the polar opposite of a tourist trap, and with plenty of breakfast and lunch options, and bar bites served until after midnight (the “supernachos” are, indeed, super!), you can come to Amsterdam Oost’s hottest hideout hungry or thirsty, because “there is always a reason to drink,” as Bukowski famously said.
Oosterpark 10 • +31 20 370 16 85
Mississippi Bar Kitchen
Take a seat in this laid-back restaurant Mississippi with its warm decor and wooden furniture and allow yourself to be transported to the pre-industrial US South. Here you can indulge in Southern comfort cuisine and enjoy everything the Mississippi River has to o er, with a few side steps to Tex-Mex and soul food. This is your chance to try iconic American foods like hushpuppies, crab steam pot, jumbo gumbo, jambalaya, slow-smoked brisket or a crocodile burger with twisted fries. There are also various vegetarian options, homemade desserts and pastries (Mississippi mud pie!), authentic American cocktails and a huge selection of US beers.
Beukenplein 50 • +31 20 223 92 34
Box Sociaal
This charming Plantagebuurt restaurant was inspired by an early 1900s tradition that brings together the community over the nest local food and drinks. Box Sociaal is a neighborhood hangout where you’ll and good food and great times. The Box Sociaal menu inspiration has it’s roots in Australian and Dutch cuisine highlighting their multicultural twist. You’ll and a “Bondi Breakfast Bowl”, their famous “Shak Attack” shakshuka, and Stroopwafel waffles for brunch. A succulent honey glazed pork belly “Box Mi” and a “Veg Out Bow”l for lunch. Caramelized wagyu beef cheek slow cooked for four hours, Korean Style Bim Bim Bap, and Market Fish for dinner. All topped o with natural wines, world famous cocktails, and exceptional down to earth service.
Plantage Middenlaan 30A • +31 20 280 55 78
De Biertuin
East of leafy Oosterpark sits one of the city’s best beer gardens with a convivial terrace that’s inviting even in the cooler months. De Biertuin is perhaps even more famous for its delicious spit-roasted chicken, classic burgers and vibrant atmosphere than for its large selection of local and international craft beers – you’ll and over 100 bottled brews and some 16 beers on draft. Open daily from 11:00 till late, serving lunch, bar snacks and dinner, it’s always a good time to go. If you’re stubbornly sticking to the Centrum, you should know De Biertuin recently opened a second location on Prinsengracht 494.
Linnaeusstraat 29 • +31 20 665 09 56
The Lobby
Located on the ground floor of Hotel V Fizeaustraat you’ll find The Lobby, a convivial restaurant with an easy atmosphere and a retro 70s look beloved by locals. Carrying on the boutique hotel’s tradition of “Food, Drinks, Gezelligheid”, you will and an unbridled love of good food and drink throughout: in well thought- out dishes that are sure to surprise and delight you, a ton of tempting special wines, some of the nest cocktails in this part of town, as well as charming service, and of course the best coffee this side of the Amstel. If you’re lucky, the comfy armchairs by the replace will still be up for grabs.
Fizeaustraat 2 • +3+31 20 758 52 75
Smokin’ Barrels
This American-style grill house serves seven seriously good burgers, four types of steak and other meaty options such as roast chicken, lamb rack or house-marinated spare ribs. There’s also a nifty “make it surf” option of adding tiger prawns to your meal, plus a number of hearty sides, salads and bites that pair particularly well with the craft beers, cocktails and gin and tonics on o er here. While we can tell you Smokin’ Barrels’ burgers are some of the best in the city, you don’t have to take our word for it, because the “Arie Gold Burger” recently placed second in the World Tastiest Burger Award. Yes, this is your chance to enjoy the 2nd best burger in the world. What are you waiting for?
Beukenplein 22 • 31 20 693 35 55
Eddy Spaghetti
A pizza stone’s throw from busy Beukenplein, at up-and-coming Krugerplein, sits one of East’s best-kept secrets: Eddy Spaghetti. With classical plates of pasta (most of which can be ordered gluten-free), excellent antipasti platters – no doubt inspired by the chef’s Tuscan heritage – as well as pizzas, classical Italian desserts like panna cotta and tiramisu and a wide range of gin and tonics, it’s hard to beat this local gem. There are also two styles of spaghetti for the “bambinos” so, by all means, take the kids, but be aware that space is limited. Generally, the earlier you get here, the better!
Krugerplein 23 • +31 20 370 93 88
Café Kuijper
Remember that TV show about the pub where everyone knows your name and they’re always glad you came? Well, Café Kuijper is that kind of place: a “light brown” local (a modern version of the classic Dutch brown café) with friendly service and a feel-at-home vibe. Open from early in the morning until late, you’ll and a great variety of (local) craft beers, as well as typical bar food and more. Don’t miss it if you’re passing through the Oosterpark area or looking for a place to catch the big game (all AJAX matches and most top international sporting events are broadcast on a big screen here).
Linnaeusstraat 7 • +31 20 665 19 26
Loetje Oost
Named after its founder, Ludwig ‘Loetje’ Klinkhamer, this meat lover’s mecca is “world famous in Amsterdam” as the locals like to say. The Oost outpost of the popular steakhouse mini chain that’s been going strong for 40 years is ideally situated for leisurely lunches after a visit to the Oosterpark or the Tropenmuseum. The day menu includes sandwiches, (veggie) burgers, soups and salads, but also really good tuna steak and chicken satay. Hearty appetite? Do order the Biefstuk Bali (tenderloin steak, cooked perfectly medium- rare and served with a sambal-spiced sauce) with fries on the side and sticky toffee for dessert, if you dare.
Louie Louie
Named after the famous song by garage band The Kingsman, this strikingly styled venue is a real eye-catcher, with warm colors and floor to ceiling windows that let in the light. There’s also a glass conservatory with views of the Museum of the Tropics, and a spacious, sunny terrace. The all- day kitchen churns out inter-national classics for breakfast and lunch, from French toast and eggs Benedict to scones with clotted cream. And for dinner, Latin-American favorites, such as ta-cos, ceviche and salted cod croquettes, with plenty of shared dining options and small dishes. Later in the evening, Louie Louie turns into a vibrant bar.
Linnaeusstraat 11A • +31 20 370 29 81
Restaurant C
“It’s not the product itself, it’s the way we prepare the product that gives an extra level of taste.” Yes, at Restaurant C (short for Celsius), temperature is at the core of the concept. Do pop in for a burrata salad or lime-coconut lobster bisque at lunchtime or some creative cocktails made by one of the best bartenders in the business after dark. But if you have the time to embark on a 360-degree culinary journey−from chilled tuna tartare and low-and-slow cooked pork belly, to mushroom pasta and barbecued lamb, and cheesecake with za’atar, pistachio and pineapple−C’s where it’s at.
Wibautstraat 125 • +31 20 210 30 11
Maxwell Café
The coziest bar in Amsterdam Oost was created with a singular goal in mind: to be a relaxed place where all kinds of people from the diverse neighborhood can meet over a coffee, wine or beer (there are ten beers on tap as well as many craft beers from local breweries to choose from). With a large, sunny terrace on the Beukenplein, a small square at the heart of the borough, which is home to a diverse range of bars and restaurants, Café Maxwell is an excellent place to kick o your bar crawl, and grab a bite in-between, too. Try the lunch combo of a sandwich, bagel or wrap with a small soup and salad on the side or mussels with fries, satay or vegan coconut & sweet potato curry for dinner.
Beukenplein 27 • +31 20 772 67 48
Walter’s – Walter Woodbury Bar
At the beating heart of buzzing Javastraat is a bar with tropical influences, a warm atmosphere and friendly service that’s turned it into many locals’ second living room. Coffee, lunch, drinks or dinner, Walter Woodbury Bar does it, and does it well. The regulars will tell you to order one of Walter’s juicy steaks or burgers – the Big Fat Veggie Burger is famous! On Sundays there are oysters for €1 during the always-busy Oyster Happy Hour from 16:00 to 17:00. We can’t think of a better way to end the week on a happy note, though you may just and yourself hanging out at Walter’s until the wee hours. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Javastraat 42 • +31 20 233 30 21
Bar Basquiat
Named after the eponymous graffiti artist, this New York themed bar feels suitably edgy and arty, with its dirty pink décor and eclectic menu. Pop-up Dirty Duck offers banana pancakes, gado gado salad and duck bao buns by day, and turns up the heat at night with vegetarian sweet potato bowls, cheesy bastard burgers with jalapeño peppers and amazing duck spring rolls. The corner bar has a curb-side terrace and there are often urban parties hosted here on the weekend. With its respectable beer selection and affordable cocktails, Bar Basquiat certainly deserves a detour if you happen to be in the vicinity.
Javastraat 88-90 • +31 20 370 83 34
Superette Café
Laid-back vibes, last-minute meet-ups and good food are the fundamental ingredients that make Superette Café on the Javaplein the perfect local hang-out in Amsterdam Oost, an area with a distinctly different atmosphere than the rest of Amsterdam. Designed as a “21st-century neighborhood café”, hip Superette combines the characteristics of an old-fashioned diner with a flamboyantly colorful design and plenty of modern art. Expect authentic French crêpes, a bagel bar with bagels from New York (we kid you not), Asian rice noodle salad bowls, as well as classic Dutch snacks, beers, wines and bubbles.
Javaplein 35H • +31 20 846 91 21
Le Pain Quotidien
Looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life? You’ll and it at this peaceful restaurant and bakery with a large sunny terrace opposite leafy Oosterpark. The Oost outpost is one of eight branches of the popular Belgian bakery cafe in the city, each with its own unique neighborhood atmosphere. Le Pain Quotidien Oost is the perfect place to have breakfast, brunch or lunch. The rustic handmade bread and croissants are not to be missed but there are also plenty of other fresh, seasonal and organic items (including many vegan options) on the menu. Tip: the hot chocolate is exceptional.
Linnaeusstraat 35F • +31 20 891 58 90
Boi Boi
Watch Thai cooks make magic with ingredients from the nearby market in an open kitchen at this small but wonderful hangout. Admire the whimsical window art, watch the visitors to the Dappermarket go by or see if you can spot the ’t Gooyer windmill slowly spinning in the distance. Boi Boi brings the Far East to Oost with fresh and affordable Isaan-style food and funky tunes. Order the “monkeyballs” to start, followed by the traditional or new “Crispy Pad Thai”, the aromatic massaman curry, or the “Daily Dish” (a bargain at €10). There’s also a huge selection of craft beers from nearby breweries like Brouwerij ’t IJ.
Dapperstraat 12HS • +31 20 233 94 99
Fondue Oost
What better way to warm up this winter than over a steaming pan of cheese fondue? At Fondue Oost you can choose from six varieties: Classic, Truffle, Blue Cheese, San Daniel (with San Daniele ham and pesto) all served with bread, and the El Nacho (with jalapeños, queso fresco and nachos), plus chocolate fondue with cookies, fruit and marshmallows for dessert. If you ask us, sharing your favorite fondue may just be the perfect way to spend an evening with your romantic partner. And, it’s a really fun night out with friends, too. Tip: Order the shrimp croquettes with lemon mayo to start – it’s seriously good!
Javastraat 49 • +31 20 223 86 94
We hope you enjoy all that this vibrant neighborhood has to offer using our Best Restaurants in Amsterdam Oost guide. For more on Amsterdam’s culinary scene, like the best places to have breakfast or everything on restaurants in de Pijp Amsterdam, browse through the website. We’ve got it covered!
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