Vegan Amsterdam is booming. The amount of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants that have popped up in the past few years is absolutely incredible, and I can wholeheartedly say finding a nice place to eat as a vegan in Amsterdam is not a problem whatsoever. Many regular restaurants offer vegan options nowadays, and I feel like nearly all restaurants have vegetarian options on the menu that you could ask them to veganise if there is no vegan option. The vegan food you can get is of amazing quality too, in many places you can tell the chefs know what they’re doing and didn’t just put something on the menu because they wanted a vegan option, as used to be the case for a long time.
Now that I’ve been back living in Amsterdam for two years, I think it’s about time I shared my favourite places to eat out with you. Although I don’t eat out very often, I have visited quite a few places by now that I can recommend you for sure.
The map below is a collection of vegan restaurants and cafés I’ve curated, that you can use on your trip to Amsterdam. I haven’t visited all of these personally, but I did try to filter out the more questionable locations Happy Cow sometimes recommends. The map is divided into two categories: dinner and breakfast/lunch. Some places work for both dinner and lunch, but I categorised them according to what time of day I’d be more likely to visit.
Keep reading to find out what my top favourites are!
Vegan Junk Food Bar
This photo does the place no justice, I’m afraid, but let me tell you… The Vegan Junk Food Bar is hands down the best vegan restaurant in Amsterdam. Honestly, the reason why I haven’t tried out loads of different restaurants around the city is I just keep returning to this one time and time again. It’s perfect!
As the name suggests, the Vegan Junk Food Bar serves junk food. Burgers, hot dogs, loaded fries, bitterballen… Everything is vegan and everything is to die for. Try to resist ordering too many things at once, because the portions are massive. Bonus tip: they make amazing cocktails, too.
They have a few different bars around town, you’ll find all of them on the map above. I usually visit the one on the Marie Heineken square, but be warned, there’s often a line outside. It’s a popular place, and rightly so. The atmosphere is very urban with graffitied walls, but done in a pleasant and welcoming way. The music is rather loud but since they usually play ’00s R&B, I’m happy to forgive that ;) Highly recommend!
Mr. & Mrs. Watson
Mr. & Mrs. Watson offers a slightly fancier dining experience with delicious dishes made of seasonal produce. They specialise in homemade vegan cheese, and I definitely recommend ordering the cheese platter. When I tried it everything on there was delicious, and they make a pretty mind-blowing “smoked salmon”.
This is a very good option if you’re looking for a healthier, filling, seasonal meal.
SLA
My go-to for lunch is SLA, a salad bar where you can order salads and bowls off the menu, or mix your own custom ones. I had no idea salads could be this delicious and exciting before I set foot in this place. Literally everything I’ve ordered at SLA has been amazing and so worth the (somewhat steeper) price.
They have a changing seasonal menu, and each time I eat here I’m amazed by how flavourful each component of the salad is. They’re not exclusively vegan so you do need to pay attention to what you’re ordering, but many of the salads and bowls are vegan. If you ask them to make a custom vegan dish for you, it won’t be a problem either.
Kebabi
If you’re looking for a fun, non-conventional place to have some food, I highly recommend Kebabi. They have the same owner as the Vegan Junk Food Bar and the menu is similar, but not the same. Delicious food and snacks guaranteed. Kebabi’s biggest asset though, is the room full of pingpong tables. You can purchase a set of balls and play pingpong all night long, if you wish. It’s a really nice and laid-back place with amazing food and drinks, and one we really like to visit with friends.
Mr. Stacks
Mr. Stacks is another great brunch location that offers massive stacks of amazing, fluffy, vegan pancakes. They also have some really nice tea and iced bubble tea. You can choose between several different toppings, but not all of them are vegan so do keep that in mind. My favourites are the cinnamon and the chocolate. Yum!
The pancakes are delicious, but in my experience one portion is more than enough to feed two people so don’t be afraid to share.
Deer Mama
Even though I feel like Deer Mama could work on improving the decorations in the restaurant a bit, the food is so good I did want to share this place with you. Deer Mama is a mylk and burger bar, they offer all kinds of fast food but also some more healthier food options and, of course, vegan milk shakes!
They have a separate lunch menu and I think this place is great for both lunch and dinner. Definitely hop in if you’re looking for some accessible, delicious vegan food.
These are my personal favourite vegan places around Amsterdam, but of course there is way more to be discovered in the city. Do browse around the map up top to see if there’s anything near where you’re staying, and if you run into something amazing… Please let me know!
