My list of Best Amsterdam Restaurants is quite popular and I regularly get questions and feedback. Over the last couple of weeks the feedback has been that all best restaurants are closed around late July / early August. And not surprisingly the questions are about where to go instead?
And indeed it looks like most of Amsterdam, including my favorite food destinations are headed to the beach.
- Balthazar’s Keuken is closed until 17 August
- De Witte Uyl will be on vacation from 25 July to 18 August
- Marius is closed for renovations – not sure when it will reopen
The fourth restaurant on the list, De Kas, has been slacking as of late. It’s still a brilliant setting, but food has been less than great, and to be on the list, you have to have it all.
So time for some alternatives. And luckily there are three restaurants that are similar in style and that I have enjoyed very much on several occasions. In general, they are more intimate in style and more innovative in cuisine than the Michelin star restaurants in Amsterdam. And they have great food and friendly, knowledgeable service.
- Blauw aan de Wal: fixed price menu, fusion cuisine, in the middle of the red light district, great service with character.
- Hotel de Goudfazant: not a hotel at all, but a very hip industrial restaurant, French menu, in Amsterdam Noord reachable only by ferry.
- Fyra: slightly more formal but very friendly, with a Dutch / French / International menu.
Sorry about being brief. I am considering to add these restaurants to the list of Best Amsterdam Restaurants and will then have a longer writeup. In the meantime, please ask or provide feedback in the comments if you have been there or intend to go.
Aside from closed restaurants and bike repair shops, the summer has been great. Hope the sun stays around for a bit more!
Just also found out that Mexican take-away Tomatillo and cheese store L’Amuse also will be closed for two weeks. L’Amuse seems to be the only one that at least indicates this on their web site…