New restaurants in Amsterdam

Check out the new restaurants and hotspots in Amsterdam you really shouldn’t miss. In no particular order:

1. De Plantage
This new restaurant in the Artis Zoo is a great addition to my neighborhood. Behind the Plantage stands a real ‘dream team’: the owners also operate Dauphine and Café Restaurant Amsterdam and the chef used to work for Hotel de Goudfazant. The gorgeously renovated space with huge terrace is worth a visit in itself, but the food is something to come back for as well. I enjoyed a lunch with a toasted tartine with a rich caponata from eggplant, sultana raisins and olives. In the evening you’ll find dishes like crispy artichoke fritters with pistachio pilaf or skate wing with baked tomatoes on the menu.
Website

2. Pho 91
Last month I wrote about lunch place Nghia N Nghia and now there is a newly opened Vietnamese place in the Albert Cuypstraat as well. At Pho 91 you can eat – this won’t be much of a surprise – different kinds of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), but also spring rolls, salads, chicken wings and other spicy bites. No reservations here, so make sure to stand in line (oh yes!) on time to get a seat.
Website 

3. Taiko
Restaurant Tunes in the always-stylish Conservatorium Hotel was recently transformed into the Asian restaurant Taiko. Chef Schilo van Coevorden is a huge lover of the Far East and that love is definitely notable in Taiko. I enjoyed a 9-course dinner and was highly impressed by the quality and taste of each dish. Lovely to see that Schilo plays with traditions, by creating an “Andalucia style” monkfish sashimi for instance. A dinner at Taiko isn’t cheap, but you’ll definitely experience an impressive high-quality meal.
Website

4. Geflipt Burgers
Speaking about burgers: the rise of new burger spots doesn’t seem to stop. This month Geflipt Burgers opened in the van Woustraat and Burgerlijk Amsterdams opened a bit earlier in the Runstraat. At Geflipt you can eat an organic burger with Lindenhoff meat and drink some beer or a highly original pear & rosemary lemonade from Wostok. The burgers themselves are creative as well: with Stilton cheese or homemade fig chutney for instance.
Website

5. Bar Jones
Have you met Bar Jones? This brand new bar at the Nes is named after the owner’s girlfriend (“I select my girlfriends on their last name”). In a casual atmosphere you can drink your beer, a glass of inevitable G&T or choose a daring Pimm’s mixer. With vintage magazines covered walls and a cheese platter, this place is perfect for a truly relaxed and laid-back evening.
Website 

More!
If your place turns out to be a great success, it’s time to expand. Frites uit Zuyd will open – way sooner than expected – a second location in the Willemsparkbuurt, to share that Southern charm with even more people. The expansion of pretty-yoga-girls-favorite-hotspot SLA also won’t stop, with soon another new spot to open in the Utrechtsestraat. And the grilled rotisserie chickens from Van ‘t Spit will be available in the Frans Halsstraat next year.