Hey foodies! It’s been ages since my last review, so I’m pretty excited to be typing again. My absence was for good reasons, though. I managed to squeeze 5 trips in 2 months, and had some good friends over for King’s Day and Eurovision (yes, I count that as a national holiday). Between my travels, I’ve been back to some old trusted spots, so…it’s been a while. But hey – I’m here, let’s talk about Cafe Nieuw Amsterdam.
Known as the West-Indisch Huis, this building dates back to the 17th century, and was rented out to the newly founded West-India Company. From here, the construction of Fort Nieuw Amsterdam in Manhattan was commissioned. That’s right – that’d be today’s New York!
In 1978, the building was restored. After the restoration, the space housed retirement homes, the People’s University and the municipal wedding chapel. And now…it’s Cafe Nieuw Amsterdam!
(P.S.: Want more historical info on this place? Click here.)
The restaurants is very spacious, with a room upstairs that seemed to also host private events. They have a terrace on the street, perfect for people watching, and a “secret” garden in the back, much more quaint and discreet. Perfect for a date lunch / night!
Their menu speaks “kinda fancy”, with starters such as steak tartare, chicken liver parfait, or stracciatella. For dinner mains, you could opt for steak, white asparagus or catch of the day.
However, we didn’t go for any of those, but to try their famous Sunday Roast! Some say it’s the best in town, so I had to test that theory.
After a good beer to kill the thirst, I asked for their “house” Verdejo. They keep a couple of bottles open for their wine-by-glass choices. This one was really nice for what I was looking for: fresh, crisp, and light. Gotta keep it light when you’re about to ingest a mountain of food…and oh, did we eat.
The Sunday Roast can only be ordered by a minimum of 2 people, so if you’re into some alone weekend time…bad news.
You get to share a beautifully roasted chicken, pork belly (so heavy, but oh so delicious), and a sausage. On the side, you’ll get roasted carrots (a littttleee bit undercooked), roasted cauliflower and, of course, roasties. The potatoes were incredibly crispy. I was a also a huge fan of the Yorkshire pudding and the thick gravy.
All in all, there are very little negative things I could say about this Sunday Roast. Best I’ve tried in Amsterdam? Absolutely. Best I’ve ever had? Probably not, but it definitely beats some I’ve had in England! What I liked most is the fact that you don’t have to choose. Typically, when you get a roast, you gotta choose your battle: chicken, ham, lamb, etc…and you’ll always wonder if maybe the other one was better? Neverending food FOMO. Well, the advantage of a 2+ people minimum order is that you get it all, and you share it all. Win-win, if you ask me.
This Sunday Roast will set you back 25 EUR per person, which I think is more than decent in today’s economy. You will leave with a full stomach, no worries.
The only (minor) downside is that the service was a little slow. As mentioned, it’s a large restaurant with a couple of different sections, so probably just a bit overwhelmed. Hayden and I enjoyed our lunch in the back garden and I’d choose that spot again, if I could. We went on an Amsterdam “summer day” (note – it’s cloudy and freezing here currently), so I can imagine how cute it is on a…real summer day.
Therefore, foodies, if you’re craving a Sunday Roast, or never had one but I’ve made you curious…make that reservation, and head to Cafe Nieuw Amsterdam confidently. It won’t disappoint!
Taste: 9
Value for money: 9
Location: 10 (I usually rate this based on geographical location, but this deserves a 10 for the beauty of the building)
Service: 8
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