Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eating
11
Gartine
€€
CAFE
Gartine serves delectable breakfast pastries, sandwiches and salads from produce grown in
its own garden plot. The slow-food credentials fused with gorgeous antique tableware add
up to a rare bright spot in the dull Kalverstraat area. The full, sweet-and-savoury high tea is
a scrumptious bonus.
(
320 41 32;
www.gartine.nl
; Taksteeg 7; mains €6-12, high tea €12-21;
10am-6pm
Wed-Sun;
;
4/9/14/16/24/25 Spui)
Top Tip
Cafe vs Coffeeshop
There's a big difference between a cafe and a coffeeshop. To wit: 'cafe' means 'pub' throughout the Netherlands; a
'coffeeshop' is where one procures marijuana. The latter probably serves coffee, but the focus is on cannabis. Alco-
hol is not permitted.
On the other hand, cafes are cheery, beery local hangouts, where denizens spend hours reading, chatting with
friends and snacking. Traditional brown cafes - named for the centuries of smoke stains on the walls - are the
genre's crowning glory. Visiting one of these cosy, candlelit nirvanas is an Amsterdam must.
12
Vleminckx
€
This hole-in-the-wall takeaway has drawn the hordes for its monumental
frites
since 1887.
The standard is smothered in mayonnaise, though you can ask for ketchup, peanut sauce or
a variety of spicy mayos.
(Voetboogstraat 31; small/large €2.20/2.70, sauces €0.80;
FRITES
11am-6pm Tue-Sat, to
7pm Thu, noon-6pm Sun & Mon;
1/2/5 Koningsplein)
13
Rob Wigboldus Vishandel
€
SANDWICH SHOP
