My top 5 Brunch Spots in Amsterdam
Brunch. It's not just a meal fabricated by the hospitality industry to get you to spend €15 on a plate of overcooked eggs. It's an occasion. And going out for brunch, in my opinion, is way better than going out for lunch or dinner.
Here's why:
- You can wear stretch pants and no one will judge you.
- You can order a huge meal and know that you could still burn off most of it before you go to bed.
- Mimosas.
- You can stay to catch up with friends as long as you need to - no waiters passive aggressively cleaning tables next to you, signalling you to GTFO.
- The opportunity to decide between eating something sweet (pancakes) or savoury (eggs benedict) as a main meal.
With all this said, brunch is not really a thing yet in Amsterdam. The Dutch tend to eat a fairly simple breakfast at home before heading out for the day, and breakfast is usually some kind of cereal or pastry - nothing too heavy. So if you're in Amsterdam and you have a hankering for brunch, don't expect to be able to meander over to the first cafe (NOT coffee shop) you see and start ordering a big breakfast with the works.
That said, there are a few places in the city that are absolutely killing it in the brunch game. Here is a list of my favourites, in no particular order. I'm probably now going wreck any chances of getting a table at these places in a timely manner, but in these troubled times it's good to give back.
You're welcome.
You guys. This place is worth every bleeding minute you spend waiting to get a table, lining up on the footpath outside like you're trying to get tickets to Beyoncé. A New Zealand/Brazilian partnership, Bakers and Roasters' breakfasts are creative and huge, and they change the menu regularly to keep up with seasonal produce. In the top right of the picture is their Navajo Eggs (€15.50), which includes the most mouth-watering pulled pork, and I've also had the Salmon Miso Rice (€12.50) (bottom plate) which came with the most incredible umami sauce. I don't think you can get that one now, but I see on their menu a Kimchi Rice option which also sounds just as delicious. This place isn't cheap, but you definitely get value for money once you start shovelling the food down your gob. Be prepared to wait if you come on the weekend, and come hungry.
This little place is owned by Australians, so you know they know how to do brunch right. Little Collins' coffee comes from Lot 61, which in my humble opinion, do the best coffee in Amsterdam, so you're also getting an excellent cup of joe with your meal. In addition to coffee, you can also get mimosas and bloody mary's, if you're in the mood for a midday tipple. I had the Broken Egg Curry (€12.50), which was so freaking delicious I almost cried. Seriously.
Staring at Jacob is a New York brunch bar + Japanese food bar in Amsterdam Oud West. And while the combo seems strange, it works. If you're someone with a love for Asian flavours, I heartily recommend the Miso Horny (€13.50), which is salmon and poached egg dish in a rich soy and sesame sauce. There's also the classic chicken and waffles, for those after a more American offering.
As an Australian, people always ask me what typical Aussie cuisine is like. I always tell them that it's basically British food but better, or Thai food. Seriously, I ate so much Thai food in Sydney. In Amsterdam when I'm craving something authentically Australian, I go to Drover's Dog. They do a proper brunch, and I often find it hard to choose from a smashed avocado toast (€10 - house deposit not included), or a breakfast roll (€10.50 - it changes based on the day's produce but it usually comes with bacon). I remember when I used to work in Sydney stopping by my local shop to get a brekkie roll, and this one brings back those memories fierce. To round off the Australian theme I always wash down my brunch meal with a Bundaberg ginger beer and a flat white. Crikey.
Deep in the east of Amsterdam is Eastside, a restaurant that pays homage to American classics - chicken and waffles being chief among them. I discovered this restaurant last summer when I spent a particularly hot day sitting outside drinking endless cups of their strawberry gin fizz (€8) and noshing on their fish tacos (€13). I've since come back and tried their chicken and waffles (€14.50) and let me tell you, that coating on their chicken is as crispy and delicious as it looks in the picture. This place is generally not as packed as the others and I suspect it's because of the location - it's quite far out from the centre in the quickly gentrifying east side of Amsterdam. But trust me, the trek there is worth it.
Eet smakkelijk and happy brunching!
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