a tip for the waitress or taxidriver? and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: when do I give a tip?

* In Holland it is COMMON to give a tip (5-10%) to the WAITRESS in a restaurant (if he/she was friendly and the food was good).
They don't need the tips to live, serving food and drinks is a normal job. The waitresses does not always work as fast as in other countries, but it is still hard work to do.

* Unfortunality they are not always in a good mood when you are sitting on a terrace, because they have to work too hard. So be friendy and respectfull, give a smile and get a smile. Only give a tip if they were nice to you.

* In BARS and CAFE'S some people give a tip, others don't.

* It is common to give the TAXIDRIVER a tip. Only if they were nice, of course!
Never give a tip if someone asks for it.

* You can give the tip to the person, leave the tip at the plate (if you get the bon on a little plate), or leave it on the table (if it's not to crowded).


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Theme: Other

Restaurant Name: Turkish bakery's

TURKEY'S BAKERY'S

* In most of the Turkish bakery's you can also sit and eat a hot TURKISH PIZZA or bread with meat (DONER / KEBAB).
* There are only a few seats, but that will be enough for you, I think.
* This are the cheapest places to eat in Amsterdam.

Favorite Dish: I like to take a Turkish pizza for lunch or diner and Baklava for dessert.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: in a lot of streets
Directions: Ferdinand Bolstraat (between Weteringcircuit / Heinekenplein and Albert Cuypmarket).
And other places.

Restaurant Name: HEMA

HEMA

* It is not a restaurant, but a warehouse. Go to the first floor, there is a restaurant.

* Only open when the warehouse is open, so you have to eat before 18.00 o'clock (saterdays 17.00 o'clock)!

* Choose from the buffet and pay. To give a tip is not common.

* Slices of bread covered with meat, cheese or spreads. Hot meals and soup. Coffee, cake.

* Don't expect to much quality.

Favorite Dish: I go there to have a cup of coffee with pie, because it is mostly quiet.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Nieuwendijk 174
Directions: Between the Damsquare and the Central Station.

Restaurant Name: restaurant V&D La Place

* choose and get your food yourself upstairs from the buffet and pay
* you can sit upstairs or downstairs
* healthy, fresh food
* (small) meals, pizza's, salads, fresh froods, bread, soup, desserts, or only coffee if you want
* every day open from 10.00 (mondays 11.00, sundays 12.00) till 18.30 o'clock. Thirsdays till 21.00 o'clock. So you have to eat early!
* the service is less experienced

There is also a place where you can buy food for take away at the other side of the building, at the Kalverstraat.


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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Rokin 203
Directions: directly at the Muntplein/-square

Restaurant Name: V&D La Place

La Place belongs to the warehouse V&D and is next to the warehouse at the Kalverstraat
This is a place where you can buy food for take away

* healthy, fresh food
* buffet where you can choose what you want, they put it in plastic bowl, ready to transport
* small meals, pizza's, salads, fresh froods, bread, cakes

There is also a restaurant La Place, where you can sit also, at the other side, at the Rokin


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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Kalverstraat
Directions: directly at the Muntplein/-square

Restaurant Name: bakery's

buy it in a BAKERY!

* If you buy your lunch or snack in a normal bakery, it will cost you less than when you buy it at a counter in the shoppingstreets.

* Most of the times you have to walk only around the corner of the shoppingstreet to find a normal bakery.


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Theme: Other
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: everywhere

Restaurant Name: Turkey's bakery's and some snackbars

* If you want to eat really cheap, order a "Turkish pizza" in a Turkish snackbar or a Turkish bakery. Very tastfull.

* It is a thin pancake with a little spiced meat and tomatopasta, they heat it and after that they fill it with salad, onions, tomato, cucumber and if you like also with garlicsause and sambalsauce (this will make it spicy!). Then they roll it up and put it in aluminium foil.

* If you want to make it your diner, you need to buy 3 pieces for 2 persons. They cost only about 2 euro's a piece (in 2008).

* You can eat it on the street, standing at a table in some Turkish bakery's, and sometimes for almost the same costs sitting at a table in a little Turkish restaurant behind the bakery.
And, for those who need it: it is halal.

Favorite Dish: Turkish pizza is my favourate meal if I don't want to cook. I can buy it in the street where I live in Amsterdam, and I can choose between a Turkish bakery, and 2 Turkish snackbars!

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Theme: Diner
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Turkish bakery's and a lot of snackbars

Restaurant Name: Albert Heijn

* Buy a cheap breakfast or lunch (or even a diner) at a supermarket and eat it on the street, or in the park. A lot of supermarkets sell packets of slices of bread covered with all kinds of spreads, meats and cheeses.

* There is a big supermarket (AH = Albert Heijn) at the Museumplein, under the hill.
* They sell slices of breas covered with meat, fish, cheese or spread.
* They also sell all kinds of meal-salads, ready to eat as a diner, enough for 1 person. You only need a fork to eat it, but they also sell plastic forks.
* They also sell smoothy's , and fresh juices.

* There are benches to sit on at the Museumplein and you can also sit on the hill in the grass.

Favorite Dish: I like the slices of bread covered with salmon, salad, and spread.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Directions: *Big supermarkets in the touristic area:
Albert Heijn, Museumplein (under the hill at the Van Baerlestraat),
Albert Heijn, in the street behind the Palace on the Damsquare,
Dirk van de Broek, Heinekenplein (Ferdinand Bolstraat, close to Albert Cuypmarket)

Restaurant Name: everywhere

If you want to eat halal food, it is not a problem in Amsterdam. A lot of Muslims from Turkey, Morocco and Azië live here and have restaurants.
Everywhere in Amsterdam you can find a restaurant with halal food very easy.
There are also a lot of mosques.


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Theme: Kosher/Halal

Restaurant Name: East of Eden

This is a nice coffeehouse / pub with a terras (in summer). You can also order snacks. Good chairs inside, and it looks cosy. The most people who come here are between 25 and 45 years old, and live in Amsterdam.

If you want to go to the Tropenmuseum, just cross the street.
It's also only 2 minutes walk to the Dappermarket, a market for the locals with clothes, vegatables and other things. I like this market more than the Albert Cuypmarket. The market is everyday except sundays, between 10.00 o'clock and 16.00/17.00 o'clock (depends on the weather and the number of buyers).

For those who stay in hotel Arena: it is at the other side of the park behind the hotel.


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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average

Address: Linaeusstraat 11A
Directions: Amsterdam-East, opposite the Tropenmuseum.