My Food Guide to Amsterdam
Where I want, what I bought & what I thought. Plus all of the places I didn't get to but are on my list for next time - and now yours!
Before I get to Amsterdam info, three quick UK relevant things to tell you about:
1. Quince is finally opening!
Anna Higham’s Islington bakery has been beset by challenges for the past eleven months but it’s finally due to open - hopefully this Saturday! It’ll be open Wednesday to Saturday from next week.
📌 267 New N Rd, London N1 7AA
NEAREST STATION: Essex Road
2. More sexy chocolate bars (these ones are called The Careless Collection though)
That feels like quite the naming antidote. 😆
David Crichton is a pilot/Master Chef runner up who started making these fantastic bars using great chocolate in 2020. He took a little hiatus to go back to the skies and now his bars are in Harvey Nichols in store and online.
Dark-Salted Caramel and Balsamic
Milk-Pistachio Praline
Blonde-Miso caramel and cashew
White-smoked chilli and Gianduja.
3. Populations Bakery products are now regularly supplied to Rossyln Coffee
You’ll find these treats from George at all three locations, every day until sold out:
🍫 Rye Chocolate Friand
🍊 Blood Orange & Cardamom Cake
🍪 Cobnut Chocolate Chip Cookie
📌 78 Queen Victoria Street, City of London EC4N 4SJ
📌 118 London Wall, City of London EC2Y 5JA
📌 Tower 42, City of London, EC2N 1HQ
Now, Amsterdam:
I’m starting this post on the Eurostar back from Amsterdam on Sunday night. I suspect it will take me several days to finish, in fits and starts (is that the phrase?).
FITS & STARTS
It is the phrase.
Yes, this is how my brain works. I have to look things up as soon as the question comes to me. As a child possibly my favourite things in our house were our complete Encyclopedia Britannica set and my enormous Oxford Dictionary. It definitely wasn’t the giant shrine to Jesus and Mary. 🤨 A story for another day.
“Fits” used to include 'a sudden state of activity (or inactivity) or state of mind', not just an actual seizure/tantrum.
The phrase “fits and starts” was first recorded in Robert Sandersons Sermons in 1681.
I like it. It’s definitely indicative of how I like to work. I usually start things straight away and then take breaks. Sometimes for years. 😅
Hopefully that saved you from a brain niggle / leaving this post to look it up.
Or maybe that’s not how your brain works? *
And, after many fits and starts, it is coming to you 24+ hours later than I normally write to you. It’s a long one, so long it won’t fit in an email, but you can see it all on the Substack app or a browser (if you’re a paid subscriber.).
As I type, I’ll continue taking bites from some glorious cookies I got from two fantastic bakeries in Amsterdam.
Or maybe I’ll take a break…
I’ve just noticed I feel a little done (would we call it sick? 🤔) after eating so many croissants, sandwiches, chocolate, cookies and a pistachio tiramisu.
And that’s just today. 😅
I also ate the last piece of carrot and celery I brought with me, first thing in the morning, but that’s not really giving me the balance I probably need.
I think I might call it a bit sick. 🥴
I spent most of my weekend in Amsterdam at the Chocoa Chocolate Festival, but I still got to a good number of other places.
At the festival I was focused on selecting for the upcoming tasting from two rooms full of incredible chocolate (and some very not-for-me chocolate, too 😳).
I am SO excited for the tasting.
I was anxious on Friday afternoon and Saturday to make sure that I could secure the quantity I needed of the ones I wanted to share with you. Most makers don’t bring many of each bar. I wanted to select enough variety that would make the whole experience really interesting. I think I did! ☺️ I really think you’re going to love it (if you’re joining!) and I just can’t wait to share them with you!
I tapped into Isobel and Karen of Dormouse and James and Rachel of J Cocoa for their expert opinions on what I chose and it all has their approval, too. I’ve invited them to join the call (they tasted everything at the festival) so you might have some chocolate makers’ insight as well, though quite a few of the chocolate makers who made the bars we are tasting will be able to join the call, too, which should make the call extra interesting.
As far as I’m aware, most of the bars I’ve chosen are not available in the UK anywhere (yet, maybe ever) and not widely available outside of their home countries either. One is so rare it’s unlikely it will ever be. 😁
The Good News
I bought a little extra chocolate, so if you’d like to join us I’ve made a few more packages available. It says pieces of eight different chocolate bars on the website, but I’ve bought an extra type with enough for 5g pieces for everyone (that’s basically one of those little squares you might get with a coffee in an old school hotel, the general tasting sample size) because I just couldn’t narrow it down to eight!
I digress, I was talking about what I ate in Amsterdam that’s always there.
After the mystery tasting (6th March) I will let all of you know the interesting things I tried at the festival, including the ones we will try during the tasting and other interesting bars, too.
I didn’t get to all of the places I wanted to in Amsterdam, but there were far more on my final list than I could feasibly eat things from, in 48 hours.
What I decided to do here is share every bakery, coffee shop, restaurant and chocolate shop I visited with what I bought and what I thought, plus my full list of places that I’ve crowd sourced (from reliable sources!) of other places to go to.
This way, if you visit Amsterdam, you can follow entirely in my foodsteps (sorry 😅), or you can test the other people’s recommendations, that might be closer to where you’re staying or other activities.
A few of the 40+ places are places I noticed but I’m not sure I’d go to. 🤨
The best bakeries in Amsterdam
And the chocolate shops, coffee shops, specialist baked good shops and restaurants on the list, too!
There are more than 40 locations. This is why it’s a little late. That and half-term plus trying to post the overseas orders as soon as possible.
The full list will be for paid subscribers only. You can become a paid subscriber for less than £1/week if you pay annually and read all the back catalogue (50+ posts) plus join the monthly live chat and get first access to the ticket sales for the live events I am organising (croissant podcast tickets coming SOON!).
I’d (obviously!) love you to join us. ☺️
I’ll leave all of you with one encouragement if you’re heading to Amsterdam, or know anyone who is: to visit Cacao & Spice.
It’s very central and has a beautifully curated selection of bean to bar chocolate and directly sourced spices, plus some vegan and non-vegan filled chocolates made with local award-winning bean to bar maker, Heinde & Verre. Plus, THE FLOOR IS MADE OF COCOA PODS! I know! How I wish I’d know this was possible before I renovated my kitchen.
Back to the bakeries:
On first research, the scene looked underwhelming.
On the Eurostar I realised I’d made a list last year which included ones that looked very exciting (they were!), then I tapped into locals and other tourists whilst in the city, and found more that need to go on your list.
The scene is exciting after all!
There are even two fully vegan bakeries which made the most impressive vegan croissants I’ve had in a long while (though it’s been a while since I’ve tried ones in London, which I’ll rectify soon).
There’s also an apparently excellent gluten free bakery.
Many places on this list had vegan options, which I’ve made clear.
I discovered too late that I was, at one point, just two minutes from a highly regarded bakery, so I hope this list of 40+ places - complete with addresses and photos (where I went) and grouped by areas - will be helpful to make sure you get to everything you might want to.
A Food Guide to Amsterdam
Bakeries in Amsterdam
WEST SIDE
These three are walking distance from each other, a 15-ish minute metro ride from Centraal Station.
As in London, you can use your credit or debit card to ride the trams, trains and buses.
A few things to note for getting around Amsterdam: