Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [150]
Dirk van den Broek Marie Heinekenplein 25 (De Pijp, Outer districts) 020/611 0812. Tram #16, #24 or #25. Beats Albert Heijn hands down in everything except image. Cheaper across the board and bigger too. More branches dotted around the suburbs. Daily 8am–9pm.
De Natuurwinkel 1e Van Swindenstraat 30 (Jewish Quarter and Eastern docklands) 020/693 5909, www.denatuurwinkel.com. Main branch of a chain selling only organic food. Much better-tasting fruit and vegetables than anywhere else; also grains, pulses, Bonbon Jeanette chocolates and superb bread. Also at Haarlemmerdijk 174 (Jordaan and Western docklands) and smaller branches around town. Daily 8am–7pm.
Shopping | Shops | Food and drink |
Beer, wine, spirits and water
The legal age at which you can be sold beer is 16; for wines and spirits you need to be 18. The Dutch word for an off-licence (liquor store) is slijterij.
De Bierkoning Paleisstraat 125 (Old Centre) 020/625 2336. The “Beer King” is aptly named: 950 different beers, with the appropriate glasses to drink them from. Mon 1–7pm, Tues–Fri 11am–7pm, Sat 11am–6pm, Sun 1–6pm.
Chabrol Haarlemmerstraat 7 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/622 2781, www.chabrolwines.com. Excellent selection of wines (over 1500) and champagne, plus extremely knowledgeable staff. Mon–Wed & Sat 9.30am–7.30pm, Thurs & Fri 9.30am–8pm, Sun noon–6pm.
Gall & Gall Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 226 (Old Centre) 020/421 8370. The most central branch of the largest chain of wine merchants in Amsterdam, with a good choice of wines and regular tastings. Good range of jenevers (Dutch gins) too. Among others, there are also outlets at Jodenbreestraat 23 (020/428 7060; Jewish Quarter and Eastern docklands) and Rozengracht 72 (020/624 4666; Jordaan & Western docklands). Mon–Sat 10am–10pm, Sun 11am–8pm.
Le Cellier Spuistraat 116 (Old Centre) 020/638 6573. The largest wine, beer and spirits shop in the city centre, with a huge selection. Mon 11am–6pm, Tues–Fri 9.30am–6pm, Sat 9.30am–5.30pm.
Vintner Otterman Keizersgracht 300 (Grachtengordel west) 020/625 5088. Medium-sized, notably unpretentious store selling a first-rate selection of French wines. At Berenstraat. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Fri 10.30am–6pm, Sat 10.30am–5pm.
Waterwinkel Roelof Hartstraat 10 (Oud Zuid, Outer districts) 020/675 5923, www.springwater.nl. Every type of mineral water imaginable. Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–5pm.
Shopping | Shops | Food and drink |
Bread, pastries, chocolates, sweets and ice cream
Amsterdam has a bevy of bread and pastry shops: a warme bakkerij sells bread and rolls baked on the premises, a banketbakkerij pastries and cream cakes. Specialist chocolatiers are much less common, but several of them are quite simply outstanding.
Bakkerij Paul Année Runstraat 25 (Grachtengordel west) 020/623 5322. The best wholegrain and sourdough breads in town, bar none – all made from organic grains. Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 8.30am–5pm.
J.G. Beune Haarlemmerdijk 156 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/624 8356. Long-established chocolatier with enticing window displays. Mon–Fri 8.30am–6pm, Sat 8am–5pm.
Jordino Haarlemmerdijk 25a 020/420 3225. You can sample some of Amsterdam’s best ice cream and chocolates at this Haarlemmerdijk institution. Mon 1–7pm, Tues–Sat 10–7pm, Sun 1–7pm.
Lanskroon Singel 385 (Grachtengordel west) 020/623 7743. Famously good pastry shop, with a small area for on-the-spot consumption. Near the south end of Spuistraat. Mon–Fri 8am–5.30pm, Sat 9am–5.30pm, Sun 10am–5.30pm.
Oud-Hollandsch Snoepwinkeltje Tweede Egelantierdwarsstraat 2 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/420 7390. All kinds of mouth-watering Dutch sweets, piled up in glass jars and attracting hordes of neighbourhood kids. The ideal place to try the typical Dutch salted liquorice. Tues–Sat 11am