Brunching like a Queen - 5 Brunch Spots in Amsterdam
I think whoever invented brunch is a genius. Mixing the best parts
of breakfast with the best features of lunch and combining them into one
delicious meal. Getting up late on a weekend (hangovered or not), putting on
some lazy clothes and starting into the day with: coffee. Oh yes, before I had
my coffee you shouldn’t try to start any kind of conversation with me. Not
because I’ll be mean (ok, maybe sometimes), but simply because I can’t stop thinking
about that perfect drink in my hands. After coffee I am in for everything and
anything. Pancakes with fried egg, maple syrup and bacon?! Oh, yes! Chicken
& sweet waffles and some more sweet maple syrup on top?! Now we’re talking!
Truffled eggs toast with runny egg, melted cheese and truffle oil?! Get into my
belly!
Don’t get me wrong; I love a good breakfast. But before going to
work I usually don’t have too much time to prepare something nice and proper.
So most of the time I skip it and choose a cup of coffee instead. So the
breakfasts from during the week accumulate and I simply have a big brunch on
the weekend.
I also have the impression that over the last years a lot of brunch
places popped up in European cities. Everyone’s crazy about avocado toast, eggs
benedict, French toast, pancakes and so on.
Amsterdam is such a brunch city, too. There are plenty of places serving
freshly brewed coffee, or where a hangover curing Bloody Mary is waiting for
you. There is quite a number of breakfast places in Amsterdam. Thus, I happily provide you with my 5 favorite places and the dishes I recommend you to
order in each of them.
For more Amsterdam recommendations click here.
For more Amsterdam recommendations click here.
Little Collins:
Little Collins opened about 5 years ago and is since then
successfully managed by Georgina. She’s a very nice and friendly Australian,
happy to talk to you about coffee and food or to explain to you the different
sorts of Bloody Mary they have. The coffee was very good, with beans roasted at Lot Sixty One Coffee Roasters.
The interior here is rather minimalistic with a big wooden table in
the middle and some single tables around. Light tiles cover the
walls and dimmed light makes the place very cozy. You can also sit at the bar
to watch the barkeeper preparing your anti-hangover drinks. Btw. I went for a
smoky Bloody Mary, very spicy and with a piece of fried bacon on top.
What you should know is that the dishes here are real brunch
dishes and are all quite heavy. Perfect for me at around 11am, but if you prefer to start into
the morning light, then better go to Little Collins around 1pm, when you’re
really hungry.
Dishes I recommend: The ‘Secreto Iberico’. A very fluffy
French Toast, with a roasted apple and a braised onion on top, topped with a
nice piece of maple glazed tender pork and served in a sauce made from maple syrup, coffee
(OMG!), Tabasco and apple juice. Believe me, this will be an explosion for your
taste buds! The braised beef with beans, baked eggs, smashed avocado and sour
cream was also really delicious.
Price: 14-20€ for a brunch dish and a coffee
Good to know:
Dignita:
I can’t decide whether it’s Little Collins or Dignita being my
favorite spot. This brunch place has quite a unique and impressive concept. All
profits made from the café go to an organization helping people to reintegrate
into society and the workplace. It’s basically a social enterprise with a special focus on food.
The place isn’t very central. To get there you can either take a
bike, a tram or simply take a nice 20-minutes walk through Vondelpark or one of
the nice streets next to it. Once you arrive at Dignita, you enter a
spacious and light place with seatings on three different floors. I always
prefer to sit upstairs and watch the buzzing business going on close to the
entrance. The decoration is quite minimalistic, but still cozy with nice wooden
tables, dark armchairs, candles and interesting paintings covering the walls.
Dishes I recommend: The eggs benedict with apple cider hollandaise
on a Rösti are amazing and my favourite thing to order here; the pancakes with
lavender cream, seasonal fruit, maple syrup (add bacon!) are fluffy and have
just about the right dose of sweetness; the toast with truffled mushrooms and a
poached egg on top; the mashed avocados.
Price: 12-18€ for a brunch dish and a coffee
Stek:
In the East of Amsterdam you’ll find this nice spot with seating
inside and outside. I didn’t see it in any city guide, nor did I find a lot of
photos of it on the Internet. But just walking in and trying their food was
absolutely the right decision. The staff was very nice, flexible towards my
extra-wishes (‘could you add some bacon, please?’) and the atmosphere is nice
and vibrant, but not too loud. Sitting outside might be nice during good
weather, but it’s not one of the nicest views in Amsterdam, because you’re
looking straight at a big street.
The interior is cozy, industrial-style and there is enough space to sit and enjoy your
food, without being squeezed to close to your neighbors, what might be the case
for other places.
Dishes I recommend: The avocado toast with cherry tomatoes was
great. It came on a thick and crispy piece of sourdough with mashed avocado, whole
cherry tomatoes and Parmesan pieces on top; the English breakfast; the French
toast (also nice if you add bacon to it, I know I’m a food pervert) had just
the right texture and served with fruit compote that’s the perfect dish for
anyone with a sweet tooth.
Price: 10-16€ for a brunch dish and a coffee
Good to know:
Scandinavian Embassy:
No, you’re not here to apply for Danish or Swedish citizenship. This
little café in De Pijp, an area South of the city center, is located just next
to a lovely little park, which I happily call my favorite one in A’dam:
Sarphatipark. The interior is very Scandinavian; minimalist, light, with some
nice details and giving you that peaceful feeling.
The coffee comes from different roasteries with Coffee Collective
from Copenhagen being one of my favorite ones. They sell delicious filter
coffee and are happy to brew all their drinks the way you like it.
Dishes I recommend: Do me a favor and TRY. THE. CINNAMONBUNS. They
are delicious, especially if still warm and when having a coffee with it.
Price: around 6€ for a coffee and a bun, brunch dishes around 13€
G's:
There are three ‘Gs’ in Amsterdam. One in de Pijp, one in the
Jordaan area and one on a boat. They serve brunch on weekends and throughout
the week and are happy to provide you with Mimosas, Bloody Mary and boozy
milkshakes. The one in the Jordaan area isn’t too big, so make sure to reserve
in advance.
The decoration is rather artsy with funny details, as for
examples the menus, which have the shape of a record. The bar looks nice as
well, with some vintage details and three big chandeliers hanging from the
ceiling.
Dishes I recommend: I really liked the chicken that came with the
chicken&waffles dish. It was tender, the crust wasn’t too thick and
it all had just about the right spiciness. Their eggs B. are nice, too and can
be ordered on waffles instead of the standard English muffin.
Price: 14-18€ for a brunch dish and a coffee
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