Trip to Amsterdam

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll probably already know that Edward and I had a lovely trip to Amsterdam, where we tried loads of delicious vegan food joints. We were so spoilt for choice but only there for 3 days, so we had to be selective (and I guess we’ll just have to go back again!) A few of you have asked for tips on things to do and as we had such a wonderful time, I decided to write this post incase you’re looking for some ideas.

Things we did

• Visited the Van Gogh Museum 
• Visited Anne Frank’s House
• Did a tour with ‘Free Walking Tours Amsterdam’ – nice and easy to remember (which I didn’t, I had to ask Edward!)*  
• Took an airbnb ‘Boat Tour with Robbie’

* The reason I didn’t remember the name is because they very kindly let us crash their tour last minute. We’d originally booked to do a tour with Sandermans but due to one of their guides not showing up and them being understaffed we were bumped off the tour. (Don’t let this put you off, we’ve used Sandermans twice before and they’ve been fab).

Places we ate

• Dutch Weed Burger 
• Men Impossible*
• Vegabond
• Vegan Junk Food Bar
• Martis Eetkamer*
• Roots
• Mr & Mrs Watson

* Men Impossible, you have to book. Martis Eetkamer, booking highly recommended.

We arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol on Friday afternoon and a short train ride later we were in Amsterdam Centraal. Upon leaving the station we were greeted by a busy wave of tourists buzzing around as we made our way towards our airbnb in De Clercqstraat. Along the way, we decided to deviate slightly and stop by the Dutch Weed Burger for some lunch. Edward had the seitan hot dog and rates it as one of his favourite meals on the whole trip (high praise, as we had a lot of yummy food!)

Our airbnb host was still at work when we arrived so we collected the keys from a local book store and let ourselves in. We were greeted by Fritz, an inquisitive old cat who was very friendly. Here we dumped our stuff and enjoyed a little sun on the roof-top before heading out to the Van Gogh museum, which is very walkable from the city centre. 

Van Gogh Museum 

I really like Van Gogh so I wanted to visit the museum which houses the largest collection of his works worldwide, although there’s a part of me that feels we’re so spoilt for choice here (in London) it seems silly to go to another country and walk around a museum rather than exploring. However, as it was highly recommended by one of Edward’s piano students we decided to go and I’m really glad we did. I cannot recommend it enough, it was one of the highlights of our trip. 

We had pre-booked tickets for a specific time slot which is advisable if you want to avoid long queues and isn’t any more expensive than buying on the day. We went in the evening which is apparently quieter than during the day although the museum was still pretty busy.

We navigated the 3 floors of the museum while being taken through a timeline of Van Gogh’s life having paid an extra €5 to do the audio tour which I’d recommend doing.

The museum houses more than 200 of Van Gogh’s oeuvres, from beautiful landscapes to mesmerising self-portraits and captivating still lifes. Some of his more iconic paintings, like his famous Sunflowers, were on display. However, I was impressed at how many of the paintings I’d never seen before and that a lot of the ones that may come to mind when you first hear his name, like starry night, weren’t there. I’m assuming they’re on loan to other galleries around the world such as the Lourve or MoMa – oh sidebar, I read that Tate Britain is going to stage its first Van Gogh exhibition since the 1947 in spring 2019, maybe I’ll see you there! 

Anyway, I really enjoyed seeing some of his lesser known paintings. There’s something magical about seeing the paintings in the flesh with his thick brushes of oil. Overall, the museum had a good layout and story telling of his life, it’s worth a visit.

Men Impossible

After the museum we walked over to Men Impossible for dinner (it’s reservations only so be sure to book if you wanna try it) It was about a 25 minute walk, which was a lovely way to take in some more of the city, especially now we’d dumped our bags. Men Impossible is a one man show, run by Atsushi, where all the guests share one large wooden table to enjoy a fixed price multi course dinner with aMaze Men Noodles. 

It calls itself a ramen joint – but is not what I would call ramen! It was very thick and not brothy at all. When another customer asked Atsushi about it he said that his aim was to deliver eco (vegan) healthy food without the need for msg to enhance flavour and the ‘thickness’ of the ramen was the result of that.

Atsushi was absolutely lovely and there was a homely, relaxed atmosphere – it felt a bit like you were eating at a mate’s house rather than a restaurant. It’s a unique experience, so if you like meeting new people, noodles and Japanese food, I suggest you head on down. The flavours were bold but be warned – you need to bring your appetite! Atsushi also offers gluten free ramen but only if you request it in advance. 

After dinner we pottered back to our airbnb, until it began raining at which point we kinda upped our pace! Once back at the flat we chilled with Bob, our host for a little but then went to bed.

Day Two 

We had a relaxed morning, lazing around and having coffee then headed to the Anne Frank Museum for 10. Edward couldn’t get a connection so was unable to access his e-tickets but they were great and sorted it our for us, no problem. If you have a large bag you’re required to hand it in the cloakroom (free of charge). There were a couple of teenage girls behind us who seemed disgusted at the fact they weren’t allowed to take photos. They then spent ages talking about how they could sneak some phone pics when no one was looking. These girls seemed really depressing to me. It made me think about what the Franks, Van Pels and Fritz Pfeffer would’ve loved to do with their days rather than be cooped up in that annex.

Anne Frank Museum 

Good to know: The Anne Frank House releases tickets 2 months in advance (which we did not know), and they sell out fast. They also release 20% of their tickets on their website, on the day. However, demand usually exceeds supply, so if you are planning on visiting on a specific date, it’s worth booking! In fact, I don’t think you can buy tickets at the museum. Luckily there must’ve been a cancellation as we kept checking the website in the week leading up to our trip and Edward managed to snap us up 2 tickets!

About the Museum: It’s low-key with an authentic atmosphere. Considering the vast number of people who pass through the museum it was incredibly well organised. We went through in a timed group and kept moving, but it never felt rushed. We were given a headset (you can select which language you want) which was triggered at contact points around the house.

Throughout the rooms we learnt more and more about Anne Frank and her family, the van Pels and Fritz Pfeffer, who hid with them, and the individuals who helped them hide, Miep Gies, Victor Kugler, Johannes Kleiman and Bep Voskuijl.

We got a glimpse into Anne’s life through photographs, videos, quotes and some of her cherished items as we walked through the house. It was thought-provoking and gave a powerful representation of how absolutely terrifying and isolating it must’ve been for all those living and hiding there. 

It took us about an hour and a half to walk through the museum. You walk up to and through the bookcase that hid the secret annex before exploring the world Anne and her family shared for 2 years. 

The annex has minimal furniture because the Nazi’s took everything except the posters on the walls (which are now behind protective glass plates) and a couple of books including Anne’s diary (which is on display at the end of the tour). There are marks on the wall measuring Anne and Margot’s height during their time in hiding which I found surreal.

I can’t describe the visit as enjoyable but I’m glad I went. It was well organised, respectfully done and well presented. I found it to be an extremely sobering experience. I was touched in particular by Otto Franks interview where he discusses how he felt reading Annes diary. It was heartbreaking. 

It’s an important part of relatively recent history and very well thought out so I would say it’s a must visit while in Amsterdam, it’s also very well priced at €10 p/p. 

Vegabond

After the museum we went to Vegabond for coffee and croissants (well, when in Amsterdam). We also bought ourselves a couple of sweets as vegabond is both a vegan cafe and grocery store full of yummy treats. There weren’t too many people there which was good as the seating area is quite compact but if you are lucky enough to get a seat by the big window there’s a lovely view of the canal. It’s a cozy place to relax with a coffee while watching the world cycle by. 

I love how many vegan shops are popping up everywhere and I think it’s important to support them. The shop part of Vegabond is quite handy for vegan travellers, they have a surprisingly large selection in such an intimate store. Also, it’s close to the centre so chances are you’ll be passing at some point or find yourselves near with an hour to spare – if this is the case I recommend popping in. It’s a great place to chill between sightseeing.

It’s a sweet place to stop for breakfast too – they have breakfast bowls, wraps, vegan cakes, smoothies and hot drinks. There’s an outside bench to enjoy when it’s sunny. Overall I thought it was a charming venue with a good atmosphere.

Free Walking Tour

Next we pottered around taking some photographs before heading to National Monument in Dam Square for our free walking tour with ‘Free Walking Tours Amsterdam’ – if you are in Amsterdam I highly recommend these tours.  Otto, our native Dutch guide, was fun and informative. Exactly what you want on a walking tour!

We learnt about the history of trade, dutch food (and why it’s so hard to find a Dutch restaurant), why they sell more than just coffee in their coffee shops, how Amsterdam got its name and how many bicycles are estimated to be in the canals (and much more!). We were also taken to a ‘secret church and garden’ which, as Otto pointed out, can be found in all the city tour guides!

It was a lovely, fun way to get an overview of the city and see where we wanted to revisit and explore further.

After the tour ended in Nieuwmarkt, we went to a coffee shop on the canal. We sat and rested our legs while enjoying watching the world go by and then headed over to Merits Eetkamer for dinner.

Martis Eetkamer

Marits Eetkamer is in East Amsterdam, away from the touristy sections, about an hours walk from where we’d been. It’s safe to say that one way or another, we’d done a lot of walking, so when we arrived at Marits Eetkamer I was ready for dinner!

Good to know: After discovering this on Happy Cow, we pre-booked via the website. Reservations (and special requests) are highly recommended. Due to the food (where possible) being locally, seasonally and organically sourced there is a set menu. It was carefully assembled, the flavours were creatively paired and the staff were lovely. I was particularly impressed with the wine recommendation from our waitress. If you follow me on insta you’ll know I often struggle to find a good vegan red and this one was delicious!

Menu: The way the menu is designed you can choose between 3, 4 or 5 courses. We both had the 4 course meal, which I’d recommend. The portions are good and 3 courses would’ve been fine but when in a resultant that puts so much attention into each distinctively flavoured dish it would be a shame to miss out!

I opted for the soup as a starter and Edward had the salad. The soup was my favourite course – it honestly was the best soup I’ve ever had. The ‘extra’ dish (that you don’t get on the 3 course menu) was a pumpkin and mushroom ravioli, and Edward ’s favourite dish of the night. 

The main course was clean and healthy, which is always refreshing when travelling as it can be easy to get too much junk food when eating out all the time. The only criticism I had is that it could’ve done with a little more flavour. I like the fact that none of the food was salty (which restaurant food often is) but the main could’ve done with some more seasonings. Having said that, I still ate everything on my plate!

The dessert was very inventive and the flavours worked well. I would never have thought about having crispy fennel instead of honeycomb or thyme ice-cream and basil oil, which was heaven! I love fruit in its raw/natural state and have never been a fan of it canned, pickled or cooked or so although I tried the poached peaches, I wasn’t overly keen on them. 

About the Resturant: It’s situated in the owners house. Apparently when they started out they would set up the restaurant in their living room each night but as it grew in popularity they turned it into an official (full-time) restaurant. They also built a wall around their previously exposed bed on the mezzanine level. That coupled with the fact it’s situated in a residential neighbourhood adds to the feeling that you’re just popping in for dinner with friends. It has a very special, intimate feel to it. I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, perhaps a little too much as we were the last to leave! It’s worth noting we were never rushed or made to feel we had over stayed our welcome. 

There was a garden/conservatory out the back and when next in Amsterdam (I will definitely be going back to Martis Eetkamer) I will ask if I can have a seat out there as it looked very inviting.

This would be a great place to take any non-vegan friends so they can appreciate how much fun can be had with plant-based food, and the fact that vegans (contrary to popular belief) don’t live off salad! 

The only down side to Martis Eetkamer is that all the places we ate afterwards failed in comparison. I’ll go back the next time I’m in Amsterdam, without question.

I really like East Amsterdam, it’s really beautiful and we may not have explored it had it not been for so much vegan food being out that way – so I’m glad they were, as strolling through this area was one of my favourite parts of the trip. And, if we go back, I’ll look for an airbnb in this part of town – well, it’ll make trips to Martis’ even easier!

Day Three – Last Day

We tried to go to the Alchamist Garden for breakfast but it was shut (it doesn’t open until 12 on Sundays) However, it worked out well, as we had a lovely walk through the beautiful Vondelpark park and headed to Roots instead.

Roots

Roots is a small cafe that serves healthy, plant-based, food and has lovely staff. As we were the only ones eating in (a couple of others popped by to pick up sandwiches and juices) the chef asked us what kind of music we liked so that he could play us some tunes.

I had the german nut bread which, while dense, was delicious (I even ordered some to take away and bought it back home) and Edward had their porridge bowl which he liked the flavours of but was a little disappointed by the smoothie-esq texture. It turned out that they had run out of fresh bananas so had substituted them for extra plant-milk.

The menu is great if you are a traveller looking for something healthy and nutritious to eat. There are loads of options on the menu from acais bowls and smoothies to wraps, soups and burgers. Not to mention some vegan treats too 😉

With limited seating, it’s unlikely you’ll be eating in much of the time but when the sun’s shining, with Vondelpark park so close by, that shouldn’t prove too much trouble!

Overall, the selection on the menu was great, the staff were lovely and I would recommend it as a chilled spot for a quick breakfast/brunch. 

Airbnb ‘Boat Tour with Robbie’…

…although our captain was actually called Sebastian, a name I should remember as it’s my nephews name but for some reason I keep wanting to call him Steve – Edward is now rolling his eyes at me! 

Sebastian was very a happy, knowledgable man. He also made sure there were plenty of drinks and snacks aboard for everyone.

It was a gorgeous sunny day when we went, which made the experience all the more enjoyable. However the boat had a plastic roof, so the cruise would’ve gone ahead even if it had been raining. 

There were about 12 people on the boat including us, which was a good amount (it wasn’t crammed at all) and felt intimate compared to the big tours from centraal. There was a lovely friendly atmosphere and it proved a nice way to interact with other travellers. 

We had unknowingly scheduled our cruise on the same day as the 7th annual Amsterdam city swim where thousands of people take part in a 2km race in the cities canals, unfortunately for the swimmers and luckily for us, it was cancelled due to water quality, so we got to do the full 2 hour tour and even had a little extra time at the end so were taken off route and past the zoo. The vegan in me is not a fan of zoos at all but the other travellers enjoyed seeing the elephants and giraffes and the greenery was a welcome sight. 

Overall it was a fun, laid back experience. I feel like seeing Amsterdam from the canals is a must and would highly recommend these guys. 

Mr & Mrs Watson

The decor and ambiance was inviting and our waitress was friendly, however the food (other that the cheese platter) wasn’t great. 

Edward wasn’t as excited by his hot-dog as I was with my cheese and the dessert wasn’t as good as it looked.

I would not recommend taking a non-vegan as it could fuel the popular misconception that vegan food isn’t good. If however you are a vegan who misses cheese and can’t stomach the plasticy vegan grocery store versions I would recommend their platter, which I think is perfect for one and doesn’t need to be shared.

Overall I think this has potential to be a wonderful cheese and wine bar (which would be a good niche as there aren’t many around) but I can’t recommend it as a restaurant. And they could do with a better wine selection. Many of you who already follow me will know I love and am picky about my red wine – I blame my mum for that!  

After our late lunch, we slowly strolled back to Central Station stopping along the way to take some photos and have a quick coffee before we began our journey home. 

Hope you’ve found this interesting/helpful. If you’ve been to any of the places I mentioned or know of any vegan gems that we can visit on our next trip please get in touch in the comments below.