Amsterdam - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 186

Landebrug Steeg past canalside Café 't Gasthuys three blocks to
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 237, go through arched doorway on the
right; tel. [phone]).
In Central Station
Stationsrestauratie is a surprisingly good, budget, self-service
option inside Central Station on platform 2 (daily 8:00-20:00).
This entire platform is lined with eateries, including the tall, ven-
erable, 1920s-style First Class Grand Café. For picnics, there's
a handy Albert Heijn supermarket at the end of the underpass
beneath the tracks.
Between Central Station and Dam Square
Brasserie Restaurant de Roode Leeuw ( roode leeuw means “red
lion”) offers a peaceful, calm respite from the crush of Damrak.
During the day, the whole restaurant shares the same menu, but at
night, it's split roughly in half, with finer service, cloth tablecloths,
and higher prices in back, and a more casual setup (and better
people-watching on Damrak street) up front. Either way, you'll
get a menu filled with traditional Dutch food, good service, and
the company of plenty of tourists. Call ahead to reserve a window
seat (restaurant: €20 entrées, €35 three-course fixed-price meal
with all the most Dutch choices; brasserie: €10-15 entrées; daily
12:00-22:00, Damrak 93-94, tel. [phone]).
La Ruche, inside the De Bijenkorf department store on Dam
Square, has a cafeteria-style lineup of inexpensive salads, soups,
sandwiches, and pizzas. On the second floor, with views of busy
Damrak, comfortable seating, and an upscale café vibe, this place
feels miles above the chaotic streets below (€6-10 plates, daily
generally 11:00-19:00, Dam 1, tel. [phone]—€0.20/min). De
Bijenkorf also has a fancy bakery on the first floor.
Munching Cheap
Traditional fish stands sell €3 herring sandwiches and other salty
treats, usually from easy-to-understand photo menus. St ubbe's
Haring, where the Stubbe family has been selling herring for 100
years, is handy and well-estab-
lished, a few blocks from Central
Station (Tue-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat
10:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon, at
the locks where Singel canal boat
arrives at the train station, see
map on page 170). Grab a sand-
wich and have a picnic canalside.
Supermarkets: You'll see
Albert Heijn grocery stores (daily 8:00-22:00) all over town.