Cafe De Reiger – Solid Food in the Jordaan

cafe de reiger - business cardEetcafes, Dutch for eating cafe, are very popular in the Netherlands. They are some sort of a cross-over of a restaurant and a bar. They usually have simple menus dominated by steak, mussels, french fries, sandwiches and snacks. And they have both a bar and dining area. Some guests initially come for drinks, hang around, get hungry and stay for food, while others might meet at the eetcafe for dinner and then stay on for booze and chat.

Not surprisingly, the Jordaan, the most authentic of Amsterdam neighborhoods, is full of eetcafes and bruin cafes. And Cafe De Reiger – Dutch for the heron – is a great option for spending a typical Amsterdam evening.

Start by strolling through the narrow Jordaan alleys, look at the small boutiques and galleries and discover the hidden ornaments and court yards of the 17th century houses. Then check into Cafe De Reiger for steak and fries. And hang around for a few typically Dutch biertjes and mingle with the locals.

The vibe is busy and informal. The dining room is usually packed and tables are close to each other. The decor is simple with basic chairs and tables and a wooden floor that has survived many busy nights. You will be served bread and beer quickly and can choose your dishes from a large board. Next to classics like steak and spareribs, De Reiger has some daily specials, a fish and vegetarian dish as well as some salads.

De Reiger is an eetcafe. I go there when I’m up for meat, fries and beer and usually stay away from the other options.

Cafe De Reiger is located on Nieuwe Leliestraat 34, near the Westerkerk and Anne Frank House. Food is served daily from 6pm to 10:30pm. They do not have a web site, so you might want to call at (020) 624 74 26 to make a reservation.

cafe de reiger - dining room

Café Loetje – Steak and Beer

Café Loetje is an Amsterdam institution. Amsterdammers have been flocking to Loetje for a good steak with french fries and a few beers for years and years.

The authenticity and tried and true formula at Loetje is both bane and boon.

The steak and french fries are good. But the selection is extremely limited. Loetje only serves steak, saté chicken and a few other dishes. So don’t hold your breath for a vegetarian option. There actually is only one kind of steak, a tenderloin, served in a very buttery sauce.

The prices are decent and Loetje has a nice large terrace and also a winter garden. But beware that the wait for a table can be long.

Another great thing about Loetje is its location, near the van Gogh and Rijksmuseum, but off the beaten path. You won’t see many tourists and the simple, brown-cafe style interior will make you feel like a local. The service is, however, is as brash and slow as in many other Amsterdam restaurants. Don’t be surprised if you get an annoyed look from the waitress for wanting to order food or drinks.

Overall, there are no surprises at Café Loetje Amsterdam. The steaks have been consistently good for years, the menu hasn’t changed and the service won’t improve anytime soon.

café loetje amsterdam

Brouwerij ‘t IJ Columbus on Tap at Hesp

brouwerij 't ij - columbus labelCafe Hesp, one of dutchgrub’s Best Amsterdam Terraces, has added Brouwerij ‘t IJ’s Columbus beer to its tap!

Its selection of beers on tap, including Weihenstephaner Weissbier and several Belgian beers, has always been one of the strong points of Hesp. It’s nice that they have added Columbus, a strong and hopsy amber brewed by neighbor Brouwerij ‘t IJ.

Columbus is far from a summer-y beer and probably not the greatest choice for a warm August evening on the terrace by the Amstel. But I am sure a good occasion will present itself soon for having a Columbus at Heps!

Brouwerij 't IJ Columbus on Tap at Hesp

brouwerij 't ij - columbus labelCafe Hesp, one of dutchgrub’s Best Amsterdam Terraces, has added Brouwerij ‘t IJ’s Columbus beer to its tap!

Its selection of beers on tap, including Weihenstephaner Weissbier and several Belgian beers, has always been one of the strong points of Hesp. It’s nice that they have added Columbus, a strong and hopsy amber brewed by neighbor Brouwerij ‘t IJ.

Columbus is far from a summer-y beer and probably not the greatest choice for a warm August evening on the terrace by the Amstel. But I am sure a good occasion will present itself soon for having a Columbus at Heps!

Cost of Drinks on Amsterdam Terraces

Amsterdam came in at a quite affordable number 29 in the recent Mercer Worldwide Cost of Living survey 2009 – City ranking. The research investigates over 200 goods and services in 290 locations.

The ranking shows that overall Amsterdam is considerably cheaper than leader Tokyo or European capitals Milan, Paris and London. Food and drinks are another story, though. This is confirmed by the results of the yearly research on the average cost of drinks on popular terraces by Dutch gastronomy consultancy Van Spronsen & Partners.

Van Spronsen sampled the cost of two glasses of the legendary small Dutch beers, two glasses of regrettably trendy rosé wine and two soft drinks. Amsterdam is the most expensive city in the Netherlands with an average cost of € 16,= for the six drinks. Rotterdam and The Hague come next at € 15,20.

I ran a quick check of the prices against my list of best Amsterdam terraces. Not surprisingly, Cafe ‘t Sluisje in Amsterdam Noord is cheapest at € 12,60 – a significant saving. But even centrally located hot spots Cafe Walem and Cafe de Jaren charge less than the average – € 2,20 for a soft drink, € 2,30 for a small beer and € 3,00 for a glass of rosé. Even Gent aan de Schinkel, the most expensive on my list, is below average at € 15,80.

Pick your spot in the sun carefully as clearly some terraces in tourist locations are charging way too much for poor quality!

cafe de jaren amsterdam - terracegent aan de schinkel amsterdam - terrace

Los Pilones Jordaan – More Authentic Mexican

In May I wrote about Los Pilones in Kerkstraat – a simple and honest Mexican place that delivers exactly what it should: Good enchiladas, tacos, salsa and guacamole in a bar-style atmosphere with small tables, Inca style symbolics and Corona and Tecate commercials.

On a recent trip to the Jordaan, I finally managed to check out the second Los Pilones restaurant in the Jordaan. It’s on the 1e Anjeliersdwaarsstraat, near Westerstraat and close to Jordaan drinking institutions like De Blaffende Vis and Cafe de Tuin.

los-pilones-insidelos-pilones-amsterdam-decorationlos-pilones-amsterdam-kitchen

Los Pilones in the Jordaan delivers the same no frills Mexican food in a similarly authentic but more light and modern decor. The menu and drinks lists are identical. The design is similar, making the Jordaan location the cooler and more urban sibling of the original Los Pilones. There are large cartoon style drawings on the walls and quirky figurines on display.

The food is just as simple and good – tacos y cerveza!

los-pilones-amsterdam-enchiladalos-pilones-tacos