After failing to do any shopping for Rhian ahead of Christmas 2015, I decided to book a weekend in Amsterdam at the end of January as her present.
We flew from Cardiff airport and took the convenient train into the city centre from Schiphol airport.
Seeing as we were flying out after work on the Friday night, I booked the Ibis next to the station so we could dump our bags and head straight out for food. The room was small but clean and perfect for train enthusiasts as it was above the tracks with a great view of the platforms. Regardless, the location was great and a short walk or tram journey from the major sights. Plus, we weren’t there to sit in the hotel all weekend.
Being late in the evening we decided that it would be sensible to have our obligatory Hard Rock Cafe visit on the first night to save searching in vain for an appropriate restaurant. The location was good (Max Euweplein) and we were seated in a window with a lovely view of the canal. The food was the usual, consistent fare but at astronomical prices (a small bottle of beer worked out to be around £6-7). I would recommend for a safe option with good food, atmosphere and a certain vegan option (veggie leggie with no mayo or brioche bun) but avoid if you’re on a tight budget.
The next morning we followed a happycow.net recommendation and headed for breakfast in Le Pain Quotidien on Spuistraat. We entered the light and airy bakery-come-cafe and took a seat downstairs. There was a good range of breakfast items and the vegan options were clearly marked with a carrot on the menu. There was plenty for non-vegans and veggies too; I had a delicious omelette while Rhian (feeling spoilt for choice) opted for the avocado on toast which was bursting with flavour and freshness. On the way out there was a selection of tempting cakes and pastries which proved too good to resist. Ask at the counter for the ever changing vegan choices; the staff were friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our experience to such a degree that we went back for breakfast again the following day, so two thumbs up from us!
After a morning and early afternoon of perusing the stunning sights such as the flower market and the Rijksmuseum, we were starting to get peckish. We headed for a late lunch in the appropriately, if not imaginatively named, Tapas Bar which was located opposite our breakfast location. The restaurant had a really cosy and homely feel and was averagely priced considering the fairly central location. As it was late we knew it would not be long until our evening meal, as such we decided to opt for just the one dish each. There were a couple of vegan options but Rhian went for her favourite patatas bravas (which I can say was fantastically tasty after managing to steal some!).
Later in the evening we decided to take a bus out to Brouwerij’t IJ microbrewery which is located in the closest windmill to Amsterdam centre. We were disappointed when we arrived however, as they were calling last orders and wouldn’t serve us. It was 8pm on a Saturday night too! We were not overly disgruntled as Rhian had decided she would not want to leave the Netherlands without seeing a windmill anyway, although it was a shame as we had heard good reviews of the brewery. If you intend to visit, go early! Unperturbed, we headed to the small restaurant and bar next door to grab some food. We both had burgers (Rhian’s the veggie) which were decent but not worth the journey out on their own.
We finished our drinks and then cut our losses and headed back to the centre from the nearby tram stop. A quick wander through the red light district and a couple of pubs later, we headed for bed.
First thing on Sunday morning we visited the Anne Frank museum which is simply a must on any trip to Amsterdam. We were both moved by the experience and would thoroughly recommend taking the time to go. Get there early though. We visited outside of peak season and still had a good hour in the queue.
After heading back to Le Pain Quotidien for a late breakfast, we wandered back towards the central station, calling in the Central Library on Oosterdokskade. The purpose for the visit was to see the reputedly spectacular views of the city from the top floor viewing area. We were disappointed though as it was a murky day and visibility was limited. On the plus side, the cafe was good and had a number of food choices such as sandwiches and make your own pizza. I can’t commit to this but I’m sure there would be a few vegan options to choose from if you fancy a visit. We decided just to plump for drinks and were pleasantly surprised to find you could purchase a vegan hot chocolate with soya milk and real dark chocolate drops. This certainly sweetened the disappointment from the lack of vista.
Having had a relaxing day, we headed back to the airport for our evening flight back to the Welsh capital.
It is safe to say we had a brilliant time during our short stay in Amsterdam. We managed to find the odd vegan gem such as Le Pain Quotidien whilst taking in the many sights of this breathtaking city. We did have some great food but I am convinced we didn’t even scratch the surface of vegan Amsterdam; so feel free to add your recommendations in the comments!
