Restaurants and bars in Westerpark
With plenty of booze and bites on offer, Westerpark and the adjacent Houthavens neighbourhood are home to some of the city’s most vibrant culinary hotspots. Locals flock to the various terraces at Westergasfabriek for seafood, bistro fare and freshly-poured pints in the sun. Surrounding the park, you’ll find stunning dining rooms in magnificent converted industrial spaces and plenty of waterside views. There’s plenty to enjoy including food festivals, cute coffee hotspots and cocktails with live music.
Cantine de Caron
This cavernous restaurant is housed in one of the former industrial buildings of the Westergas complex - a 19th-century gas factory converted into a vibrant cultural centre. Cantine de Caron stands for lovingly-prepared French brasserie-style dishes perfect for a quick lunch or an extensive dinner. Whilst the ceilings are vast and the decor minimal, the atmosphere is buzzing and hospitable in true Mediterranean style. Be sure to check out the extensive wine and aperitif lists over a starter of olives, artichokes and oysters.
Mossel & Gin
With large tables and plenty of dishes to share like ceviche, mussels or a generous seafood platter for two, Mossel & Gin encourages social dining with a bunch of friends. The gin list features not only Hendrick’s, Monkey 47, Gin Mare and friends, but also an extensive range of creative gin-based cocktails, inviting guests to linger long after the last oyster has been slurped.
Tonton Club West
There are plenty of fantastic bars in Westerpark, but only one of them has retro arcade games, pinball machines and a special room dedicated to Dance Dance Revolution. American and Japanese cultures collide into a world of neon at Tonton Club West, an exciting gaming paradise spread across indoor and outdoor areas. Highlights on the fusion menu include ramen burgers, takoyaki, dumplings and alcoholic milkshakes.
De Willem
Venture into the newly opened wine cellar, cafe and restaurant inside the arc of the Haarlemmerpoort gate where the contemporary kitchen mixes international influences into its menu. Inside De Willem, the ambience is reminiscent of a French bistro with a minimalistic finish accentuated with tiled walls, a marble countertop bar and small round tables perfect for a casual lunch or an evening drink.
Cafe Beurre
Vegetarians rejoice! Café Beurre has opened to glowing reviews for its vegetarian and vegan dishes that sit somewhere between comfort food and fine dining. Dishes frequently have a Franco twist, such as the mushroom brioche, burratini with capers and artichoke or the leek tartelette with fermented egg yolk and homemade mayonnaise. There are no bookings here, so on busy nights, you may have to wait a little while for a table – or enjoy a drink on the sheltered terrace.
REM Bar & Restaurant
At this towering sea rig in the harbour of Amsterdam, you can dine 22 metres above the water in a former pirate radio station. Named, not after the American rock band, but the REM law which effectively shut down the station in 1964, the platform is now one of Amsterdam’s most unique restaurants. Cosy in the winter and glorious in the summer when guests can dine or rest in the hammocks on the roof terrace, swing by for a delicious 6-course dinner, a dance in the bar or cocktails with breathtaking views.
Vessel at Boat & Co
In the heart of the newly-developed Houthavens neighbourhood, Boat & Co is a waterfront apartment hotel with a vibrant on-site restaurant and bar, Vessel. This lively hotspot boasts the largest IJ-facing terrace in town, kitted out with sun loungers and table-side fire pits for the cooler months. The menu showcases a range of crowd-pleasing dishes incorporating a great selection of plant-based and sharing plates.
Brouwerij Troost Westergas
When the first Troost brewery opened in 2014, it was immediately a hit – and its popularity quickly led to the opening of not one or two but three additional breweries throughout Amsterdam. The sprawling Westergas location is where most of the magic happens with regular live music nights, a large outdoor terrace and a decent food offering that includes burgers, salads, flammkuchen and more. With the seats squeezed nearly between the beer tanks, you’ll never feel closer to the brewing process.
Bakkerswinkel
No stroll through Westerpark is complete without stopping by Bakkerswinkel for a slice of homemade cake, fresh scones, coffee or a quick sarnie. Whilst this buzzing cafe has three other locations across the city, we believe this spot in a beautifully-restored heritage building wins the cosiest credentials. Tip: the little shop also sells local crafts and picnic supplies.
Cafe-Restaurant Amsterdam
This cafe-restaurant, situated in the former engine room of a 19th-century pumping station is undoubtedly one of Amsterdam’s most iconic dining rooms. For such exceptional interiors with monumentally high ceilings and gargantuan windows, the Parisian bistro-inspired menu is surprisingly well-priced. Choose from rillettes, steak tartare, cassoulet and a great range of fresh seafood, or burgers and pasta for the little ones.
Westergasterras
This sprawling terrace is the social heart of Westerpark - perfect for after-work pints, light bites in the late afternoon or simply lounging on beanbags, cocktail in hand. Whether you come for lunch, dinner, a drink or simply a place to hang before one of the many parties or events nearby, you’re sure to be surrounded by many like-minded people. The newly-designed menu has been sprinkled with some East Asian flare including Korean steak sandwiches, tofu wraps and sharing platters loaded up with spring rolls and Thai fish cakes.
Espressofabriek
In the heart of Westerpark, Espressofabriek is the go-to spot for flat white and apple tart-craving locals. With beans roasted on-site, this light and airy cafe is applauded by serious coffee drinkers as serving some of the best barista-poured brews in Amsterdam. And for less serious caffeine addicts, there’s WiFi, sweets, Italian sandwiches, and (towards the end of the day) wine and beer on the menu too.
Compartir Wine Bar & Restaurant
Are pintxos high on your favourites list? Then look no further than Compartir Wine Bar & Restaurant where you can indulge yourself in all the small plates and nibbles your heart could long for. The ever-changing menu features a delightful range of fresh dishes with an equally dynamic wine list that will complement each bite. Even if you're a picnic fan, you can order one of their special to-go sharing boards for an adventure into Westerpark.
Smelt
What started as a collab between the cherished cheesemonger De Kaaskamer van Amsterdam and the historic brown café Café Doffer has become one of the city’s best places to indulge in cheese fondue - and now they have a second location in Westerpark. In a cosy candlelit room at Smelt (Dutch for “melt”), you can now choose from five fondues, including the just-launched truffle fondue and pale ale fondue – all served with tender-crisp blanched vegetables and awesome artisanal bread. At lunchtime, there are now also fondue toasties.
