THE BEST CAFES FOR BRUNCH IN AMSTERDAM
1. Staring at Jacob x Ku West
Straddled on the corner of Staringstraat and Jacob Van Lennepkade (hence “Staring at Jacob”), take your pick from New York brunch and Tokyo food at this restaurant x bar establishment. If it’s the hangover cure you’re after, go in for the ‘Monkey Business’ or just ‘Fuckin Everything’ at brunch. We also have a soft spot for the ‘Rasco’, featuring fried chicken on waffles topped with maple syrup. In the evenings from Wednesday – Saturday, the Japanese roll in with small plates, sushi and yakitori. Wash it all down with authentic sake, Japanese whisky or Asian-inspired cocktails. If you knock back a few of these, just make sure not to ride your bike too close to the canal edge afterwards! Reservations accepted.
Address | Jacob Van Lennepkade 215, 1054 ZP Amsterdam
Opening Hours | Monday – Friday 9.00am – 4.00pm. Saturday – Sunday 9.30am – 4.00pm
Website | http://staringatjacob.nl/
2. MOOK Pancakes
Opened in 2016 in Amsterdam-West, MOOK (short for ‘Mokum’, slang for Amsterdam) delivers stacks of fluffy American-style pancakes with 100% organic wholegrain spelt flour. Have your pancakes sweet (topped with strawberries, blueberries, bananas and extra maple syrup) or savoury (the Mancake is somewhat of a beast!). Accompany with coffee or one of Mook’s freshly squeezed bottled juices. If you’re feeling a little under the weather, throw back a ginger shot for an immunity booster. No reservations (even if you’re Kanye and Kim, they claim!).
Note: All pancakes contain dairy and are not gluten free.
Address | City Centre – Jodenbreestraat 144, 1011 NS Amsterdam, West – De Clercqstraat 34, 1052 MZ Amsterdam
Opening Hours | Monday – Friday 8.00am – 4.00pm, Saturday – Sunday 8.00am – 5.00pm
Website | https://www.moakpancakes.nl/
3. CT Coffee & Coconuts
The former 1920s Ceintuur Theater is home to this funky and fresh restaurant in the heart of de Pijp district. Spread across three floors, light bounces off the white washed walls. Groups gather at long shared tables and couples can sit on plush linen cushions on the upper levels. Given its name, coconuts obviously feature prominently in the menu. From coconut water in the juices, coconut milk in the smoothie, whipped coconut cream on the pancakes and coconut yoghurt in the granola bowl, it’s safe to say that if you don’t like coconut, either come for the early breakfast menu or head to G’s around the corner. We got a bit greedy and shared the Coconut Pancakes (gluten-free), a Green Coconut Bowl and a New York Deli sandwich. Washed down with a Coco Root, it all went down a treat. The Early Breakfast menu is available from 8.00am til 13.00pm and All-Day breakfast is (thankfully) available up until 16.30pm.
Address | Ceintuurbaan 282-284, 1072 GK Amsterdam
Opening Hours | Daily 8.00am – 11.00pm
Website | http://coffeeandcoconuts.com/
4. G's
G’s is a really nice place. Seriously. It’s the place you want to go for lip-smacking brunch and to knock back at least one bloody mary (there are 17 variations on their cocktail menu!). 60s housewife comic strips cover the dining tables with food and drink menus on the back of vinyl records. Tuck into crispy fried chicken stacked atop waffles or stuff yourself silly with the delicious challah French toast. For the healthy folk, go with the “huevos pedro” or choose your eggs any style and add a generous side of spinach or grilled mushrooms. Did we mention that G’s offers a brunch boat? They have a brunch boat. G’s on land open Thursday – Sunday and G’s brunch boat available Friday – Sunday. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations recommended.
Opening Hours | DE PIJP: Thursday 9.00am – 12.00am. Friday – Saturday 9.00am – 2.00am. Sunday 9.00am – 4.00pm. JORDAAN: Thursday – Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm. BRUNCH BOAT: Saturday – Sunday departures at 10.00am, 12.00pm & 2.00pm
Website | http://www.reallyniceplace.com/
5. Little Collins
Amsterdam’s incarnation of the hip food street with the same name in Melbourne, Australia, Little Collins feels more Brunswick than inner city Melbourne. Located in De Pijp, find a seat inside on the stools and high tables which extend to the back of the cafe or a place at the large communal table. You’ll find international influences across the menu. The smashed avo features a Middle Eastern inspired twist and Kimchi toasties sit alongside saganaki French toast and a mushroom and bonito congee. And that’s just the brunch menu (which fortunately extends well into the afternoon). Living up to Australia’s reputation for being coffee snobs, the coffee beans are supplied by Australian-owned Lot Sixty One. Attentive service from the wait staff largely made up of expats is also a pleasure to experience. Reservations available online. A new venue has now opened up in Amsterdam West.
Address | Eerste Sweelinckstraat 19F, 1073 CL Amsterdam
Opening Hours | Monday – Tuesday 9.00am – 4.00pm (Brunch only). Wednedsay – Sunday 9.00am – 10.00pm
Website | http://www.littlecollins.nl/
6. Bakers & Roasters
Who would have known that a chance meeting in West Hollywood between a Kiwi lad and a Brazilian boy would lead to the opening of an epic brunch restaurant in Amsterdam? Taking inspiration from their origins and their mothers’ cooking and hospitality, if it’s a big breakfast you want, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Choose organic free-range eggs with all the veggie favourites or pulled bbq pork (you’ll want the Navajo Eggs). Sweet options and porridge bowls are also on the menu. Wash it all down with a healthy fruit juice or get the party started early with a boozy breakfast cocktail. Bakers & Roasters serve Ozone coffee with all orders served as doubles; get an extra flavour kick with their chilli mocha. Support their efforts to minimize waste and say no to straws with your freshly squeezed juice or smoothie! No reservations.
Address | Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 54, 1072 BH Amsterdam
Opening Hours | Daily 8.30am – 4.00pm. Closed Kings Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Year’s Day
Website | http://www.bakersandroasters.com/
7. Dignita
“Eat well, do good”
Serving all-day brunch every day of the week, each of the Dignita locations deliver on both of the aforementioned promises. Their menus move with the seasons, offering reinvented traditional brunch classics with free-range and locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. The sweet-toothed will need to choose between the amaretti crumble sprinkled on homemade toasted crumpets or blueberry & lemon curd pancakes. Vegetarians are well looked after with the Forest dwellers or zucchini & chickpea fritters. For the health-conscious, the nutty granola or nourishing Buddha bowl is right up your alley.
Dignita Vondelpark is spread across three levels in a light, airy space. Sit on a cushioned bench seat, recline in a lounge chair or nab one of the pavement tables in the warmer months. Dignita Hoftuin is situated in a glasshouse box in the beautiful gardens behind the Hermitage Museum. The spacious café also boasts a large outside terrace, perfect for when the sun is shining. No reservations accepted on weekends or on public holidays.
TIP: Lupine is a flowering plant.
Address | Vondelpark – Koninginneweg 218, 1075 EL Amsterdam
Hoftuin – Nieuwe Herengracht 18a, 1018 DP Amsterdam
Opening Hours | VONDELPARK: Daily 8.30am – 5.00pm. COURT GARDEN: Daily 9.00am – 6.00pm (both venues closed King’s Day)
Website | http://eatwelldogood.nl/
Found another brunch spot in Amsterdam? Rave about it in the comments below!
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