Where can you find food in Amsterdam that is really tasty, made fresh in front of you with fresh ingredients that you can see, and costs less than a sandwich in a restaurant? Vapiano!
No, I don’t work there, so this isn’t an official plug, but I eat lunch there very often and can highly recommend it as a place for lunch or dinner. You can’t beat the taste, the service and the price, and that’s really saying a lot in Amsterdam! To get all that in one place is pretty special.
You can watch them make the pasta, and then make your food. They serve pastas, pizzas and salad. You can get a huge salad full of good fresh ingredients for around 5 euros. Pizzas range from 5.75 to 8.75 or so and are more than enough for lunch. It is kind of funny that this concept Italian restaurant is German in origin, but if that means that it is efficient and fast, then Guten Appetit!
Vapiano is part of the public library building on the Oosterdokskade, just east of the Central Station. It looks like a small bar next to the library entrance, but look UP and you’ll see that the restaurant is upstairs and sits above the entire front of the library. If you are anywhere in that neighborhood, or even if you are at the Central Station and don’t mind a 10 minute walk, check this place out. It’s well worth it. Oh yeah, and the cafe lattes are very good and the desserts look amazing. I haven’t tried dessert yet because the meals just fill me up.
Has this replaced La Place at the top of the library then? I have had some very good coffees and cakes in La Place, surprisingly good for a chain!
No, no. La Place is still there on the 7th floor of the library. I still go there once in a while, but I really like Vapiano much better.
Now I’m starving after reading this!