Vegan in Amsterdam: a food guide to the best veggie eats!

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I recently spent three days in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. It was my first time in Amsterdam and I wanted to make the most of it by sampling as many of the city’s culinary offerings as possible. I’m a vegan but I am also a total foodie and one of my favourite things to do when travelling is to eat! So when planning my trip I wanted to know what it’s like to be vegan in Amsterdam and was sure to seek out all the best vegan food that I could find. 

If you have found yourself wondering “Is Amsterdam good for vegans?” then you should know that Amsterdam is quickly becoming one of the most vegan-friendly cities in Europe and is a perfect destination for vegan travellers! 

Although I am a vegan and write from that perspective, many of these restaurants cater for a range of diets so this article is suitable for anyone looking for a food guide to Amsterdam! Check the handy yellow boxes beneath each entry where I’ll specify if they offer vegan, vegetarian or meat options. 

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Vegan Breakfast Amsterdam

If you are planning a long day of exploring Amsterdam then starting off with a good breakfast (and maybe some vegan pancakes) is crucial. Below are some of the best places for vegan breakfast in Amsterdam.

Mr Stacks

I visited Mr Stacks for brunch on a Sunday and was surprised to see a line stretching out of the door and down the street! Although I hate waiting in line, I also know that the food must be worth it if people are willing to line up on a Sunday. So I stuck it out and luckily managed to get a table within 20 minutes of waiting. I can tell you now, the wait was sooo worth it! I think that Mr Stacks must be one of the best places for brunch in Amsterdam. 

Mr Stacks specialises in the most incredible vegan pancakes. I was expecting thin Dutch-style pancakes but was pleasantly surprised to find that Mr Stacks actually serves thick fluffy pancakes that are closer to the American style. You can choose from a number of either sweet or savoury pancake toppings as well as some fun fusion dishes such as pancake tacos!

I opted for BBQ fried chicken topped pancakes whilst my travel companion enjoyed a stack of banana and whipped cream pancakes. Both dishes were delicious and I can’t wait to come back to Mr Stacks next time I am in Amsterdam, to try even more of their menu. 

The Avocado Show 

The avocado show is another extremely popular place and regularly has a line waiting outside the door. I recommend booking in advance to guarantee a table.

Unfortunately, the restaurant cancelled our reservation due to a booking error on their online system and since it was our last day in Amsterdam we weren’t able to take the alternate time slot that they offered us so I have yet to experience The Avocado Show first hand. However, I have heard amazing things about this place and will try again next time I visit Amsterdam. 

Vegan Lunch Amsterdam

Whether you are looking for a quick bite to grab on the go or a cheap and good value meal there are plenty of great vegan lunch options in Amsterdam. 

Deer Mama

This cute and colourful restaurant in the trendy De Pijp neighbourhood is the perfect spot for a tasty lunch or an afternoon coffee and cake treat. When I visited Deer Mama I had a delicious tofu banh mi but I was also very tempted by the incredible looking cakes and milkshakes, so I will definitely come back here in the future. The colourful interior is so cute and honestly just made me really happy! There’s definitely a really nice vibe in this restaurant. They also make custom cakes to order. 

Van Gogh Museum

I wasn’t expecting the Van Gogh museum to have any vegan options in its small cafe but I actually ended up enjoying a very nice lunch here. There are lots of different food options available, everything is laid out in a buffet style and you just pick out a plate of what you want to eat, and then take it to the counter to pay. I enjoyed a rainbow rice noodle wrap with soy sauce and a black coffee. 

Maoz Vegan 

Maoz is an international chain of falafel bars that originally started in Amsterdam. In 2018 all Amsterdam locations went fully vegan. 

Maoz vegan is the perfect place to stop for a quick lunch in between exploring. It’s a great place to get cheap vegan food in Amsterdam. It’s also great for a late night snack (some locations are open until 4am!) You can choose from salad bowls or pita and then help yourself to all the salad and fillings that you can manage to eat, there’s even a vegan shawarma. 

Maoz is also really good value for money as it is quite cheap and cheerful but tastes delicious! 

Foodhallen

Located inside an old tram station, Foodhallen is a food hall in Amsterdam that offers a range of different foods from all over the world. With 21 different food and drink stalls, there is something here for everyone! Places like this make it super easy to be vegan in Amsterdam!

Vegan Restaurants Amsterdam

It is so easy to be vegan in Amsterdam as there are over 60+ fully vegan restaurants and many more restaurants that serve at least 1 vegan option. There are also many vegetarian restaurants in Amsterdam. 

Vegan Junk Food Bar

As you may have guessed from some of the other items on this list, I’m not a vegan for health reasons and I love vegan junk food! I had spotted this place on Instagram and so it was top of my list of vegan restaurants to try when I arrived in Amsterdam.

The vegan junk food bar has a reputation for being one of the best vegan restaurants in Amsterdam so I had high hopes for this place. Luckily, I was not disappointed as the vegan junk food bar definitely lived up to the hype!

I absolutely adored the funky colourful decor inside the restaurant and the food was so good too. My travel buddy and I each ordered a plant based burger and shared a huge tray of dirty fries topped with fried chicken, bacon and pink & blue burger sauce. Naughty but oh so nice. 

Asmara

I came across Asmara by chance as it was recommended to me by a girl that I met whilst visiting nearby Zaanse Schans; she was so enthusiastic about this place that I just had to try it! Asmara serves Eritrean food. If you have never tried Eritrean food before then I highly recommend that you do as it is a fantastic cuisine and eating it is a fun experience. The dishes are essentially very large flatbreads with a variety of different dips. It is meant to be both shared and eaten with your hands. 

The restaurant owner/chef was a lovely man who kindly made us a few off-menu items and served up a huge sampling platter of all his vegan options. It was incredible! 

I’m so happy that I was recommended this restaurant through a chance encounter as I never would have visited otherwise and it was by far the best meal I ate in Amsterdam. 

Mr & Mrs Watson

This is another restaurant that I didn’t get time to try but really wanted to! I’ve heard nothing but great things about Mr & Mrs Watson. This vegan restaurant specialises in vegan cheese. Next time I am in Amsterdam I will certainly be popping by to try their vegan fondue, which looks absolutely incredible. 

Vegan Versions Of Traditional Dutch Food 

One of the great experiences you can have whilst travelling is getting to try new foods from different cultures. You don’t need to miss out on this experience just because you are vegan. Wherever I travel I always make sure to try at least one traditional dish from the country that I am visiting. Nowadays veganism is becoming more popular so it is usually not too difficult to find veganised versions of authentic local foods. Below are a few vegan versions of traditional dutch food that I was able to find in Amsterdam.

Bitterballen 

Bitterballen are dutch meatballs, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. They are usually served as a bar snack. I tried Bitterballen at the Bulldog hotel lounge bar (located in the red light district) and they were delicious. They are also sold at the vegan junk food bar. 

Fritessaus

The Dutch don’t eat their fries with ketchup, they prefer fritessaus (fries sauce) which is similar to mayonnaise except that it is sweeter and has less fat. You can find cones of fries for sale all over Amsterdam but as a vegan, you would usually have to forgo the fritessaus in most places. Fortunately, Maoz vegan offers a vegan version of fritessaus so you can enjoy your fries the dutch way! 

Stroopwafel 

A stroopwafel is a thin, round waffle cookie made from two layers of sweet baked dough held together by caramel filling. Stroopwafels are a real treat and it would be a shame to miss out. Fortunately, you don’t have to! Vegan stroopwafels are available to buy from Van Holland Stroopwafels for €10 for a stack of 8.

Vegan Space Cakes 

Ok, so this one is maybe not a ‘traditional’ Dutch dish but many people do travel to Amsterdam to partake in the culture of Amsterdam’s coffee shops. In Amsterdam coffee shops are essentially alcohol-free bars where cannabis and edibles are sold and consumed. 

Space cakes are basically cakes or muffins that are infused with cannabis in the form of cannabutter.  There are only a couple of vegan-friendly coffee shops, one of which is Popeye’s coffee shop. Popeyes sells really good stroopwafel-flavoured space cakes which are suitable for vegans. 

Vegan Food Tour

Another way to experience the awesome foodie scene in Amsterdam is to take part in a food tour. Try this vegan food tour in Amsterdam which takes you to visit 4 different locations, including Amsterdam’s oldest vegetarian restaurant.

Where To Stay In Amsterdam

We stayed in the BUNK hostel located in Amsterdam Nord and absolutely loved it for the quirky design details, comfy beds, good value for money and convenient location. 

If you don’t want to stay in a hostel there are lots of great hotel options in Amsterdam. Check Booking.com to find one that suits you. 

Things to do in Amsterdam

Asides from eating all the delicious food that you can get your hands on, there are lots of other great things to do during your stay in Amsterdam. Check out some of these ideas…

Visit the Van Gogh museum

Take a day trip to Zaanse Schans

Amsterdam Heineken experience

Take a cruise on the canals

Visit Amsterdam beach

Check out some of the hidden gems in the Netherlands

Vegan In Amsterdam Summary

I hope you have enjoyed this guide to vegan Amsterdam and hopefully found it helpful. As you can see there are many great places to eat in Amsterdam for vegans. I will most likely visit Amsterdam again next year so this guide will get updated with even more great restaurants in the future. 

Do you have any favourite vegan restaurants in Amsterdam that you think should be included in this list? Let me know in the comments below!