THE NETHERLANDS - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1353

across town all week for the appeltaart (€11-14 dinner plates, €5 snacks served after 16:00,
daily 8:00-late, Noordermarkt 43, tel. [phone]).
Sara's Pancake House is a basic pancake diner where extremely hardworking Sara
cranks out sweet and savory €8-12 flapjacks made from fresh, organic ingredients (daily
until 22:30, later on weekends, breakfast served until noon, Raadhuisstraat 45, tel. 020/
320-0662).
Restaurant 't Stuivertje is a small, family-run neighborhood eatery tucked away in the
Jordaan,servingFrench-inspiredDutchcuisineinanelegantlycozybutunpretentiousatmo-
sphere (€15-25 main courses, dinner salads, Wed-Sun 17:30-22:00, closed Mon-Tue, near
Elandsgracht at Hazenstraat 58, tel. [phone]).
Ristorante Toscanini is an up-market Italian place that's always packed. It's so popular
that the staff can be a bit arrogant, but the lively, spacious ambience and great Italian cuisine
more than make up for that—if you can get a seat. Reservations are essentially required (the
staff recommends two weeks' notice for Fri and Sat). Otherwise your best bet is to arrive
when they open at 18:00 (€10-14 first courses, €16-25 main courses, Mon-Sat 18:00-22:30,
closed Sun, deep in the Jordaan at Lindengracht 75, tel. [phone]).
Villa Zeesicht has all the romantic feel of a classic European café. The cozy interior is
crammed with tiny tables topped by tall candlesticks, and wicker chairs outside gather un-
der a wisteria-covered awning. The menu is uninventive—come here instead for the fam-
ous appeltaart and for the great people-watching on Torensluis bridge (€11-16 plates, daily
9:00-21:30, Torensteeg 7, tel. [phone]).
Drinks Only: Café 't Papeneiland is a classic brown café with Delft tiles, an evocative
old stove, and a stay-awhile perch overlooking a canal with welcoming benches. It's been
theneighborhoodhangoutsincethe17thcentury(drinksbutnofood,overlookingnorthwest
end of Prinsengracht at #2, tel. [phone]). It feels a little exclusive; patrons who come
heretodrinkandchataren'teagertoseeitoverrunbytourists.Thecafé'snamemeans“Pap-
ists' Island,” since this was once a refuge for Catholics; there used to be an escape tunnel
here for priests on the run.
Southwest Amsterdam
Near Leidseplein
(See “Hotels & Restaurants in Southwest Amsterdam” map, here . )
Stroll through the colorful cancan of eateries on Lange Leidsedwarsstraat, the “Restaurant
Row” just off Leidseplein, and choose your favorite (but don't expect intimacy or good
value).Nearby,busyLeidsestraatoffersplentyofstarving-studentoptions(betweenPrinsen-
gracht and Herengracht) offering fast and fun food for around €5 a meal.