Best pre-concert dining in Amsterdam

Places to eat around Melkweg & Paradiso

Umaimon

(Walking distance: 2min to Melkweg, 5min to Paradiso)

Umaimon doesn't require reservations, which makes it ideal for spontaneous and steaming bowls of ramen when you’re short on time before a concert. This restaurant serves twenty different types of noodle soup, fourteen of which have a chicken broth base and six vegan broths. 

Umaimon | Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 51

Full Moon Garden

(Walking distance: 2 min to Melkweg, 5min to Paradiso)

For dim sum, there are few better options than Full Moon Garden. This unassuming restaurant is right in the heart of the Leidseplein area, and it offers an extensive menu and a special set selection that will relieve the pressure to choose and all the time to enjoy.

Full Moon Garden | Leidsestraat 95

Kartika

(Walking distance: 8 min to Melkweg, 10min to Paradiso)

50 years later, Kartika is still going strong, plating up Indonesian classics that have kept the Overtoom crowds happy. If you’re here with a group, opt for a rice table – which comes in meat and veggie options – and allows you to try a selection of 10 dishes. 

Kartika | Overtoom 68H

Los Pilones

(Walking distance: 5 min to Melkweg, 8min to Paradiso)

Run by three brothers from Mexico, Los Pilones is another easy option where – in their own words – you’ll find “tacos, enchiladas, flautas (rolled tacos), quesadillas, fresh margaritas, micheladas (beer cocktail), and over 200 different kinds of 100 percent agave tequilas and mezcal”. One for a pre-gig buzz. 

Los Pilones | Kerkstraat 63

Cafe de Koe

(Walking distance: 4 min to Melkweg, 7min to Paradiso)

If you want to keep things classic with a burger and a beer, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option nearby than old-school Cafe de Koe. There are spare ribs too for the carnivores and live music if you want a concert before your concert. 

Cafe de Koe | Marnixstraat 381

Places to eat around AFAS Live & Ziggo Dome

There are fewer options around these two venues, but it’s worth checking out the places to eat around Central Station or a metro stop before you go. 

The Traveller

(Walking distance: 8 min to AFAS, 17min to Ziggo Dome)

A pop-up restaurant turned permanent, the concept highlights the most delicious dishes from a range of international cuisines: like crispy duck gyoza and tempura chicken sit next to pani puri (wafer-thin crispy balls filled with chickpeas and mint), beef chimichurri, tuna tacos or burrata.

The Traveller | Bijlmerdreef 108

Gold Coast

(Walking distance: 4min to AFAS, 11min to Ziggo Dome)

Ghanaian specialities mingle with Western classics at Gold Coast, where you can load up on jollof rice, spare ribs and waakye (a Ghanaian dish made up of rice and beans) before you exert all that energy at the concert afterwards.  

Gold Coast | De Corridor 2

Baut Backstage

(Walking distance: 8min to AFAS, 2min to Ziggo Dome)

Located literally above the entrance of Ziggo Dome, Baut isn’t always open, but when it is, it’s worth visiting. Depending on the concert, the team puts together a themed menu entirely in the style of the artist or show, all using local produce.Baut Backstage | De Passage 92

Lemoene

(Walking distance: 17min to AFAS, 21min to Ziggo Dome)

A little bit further walking than other options but absolutely worth the extra minutes, Lemoene plates up a range of Lebanese and Syrian dishes like shawarma and falafel platters that make it a great option for hungry concert-going groups. 

Lemoene | Kollenbergweg 22c

Places to eat around Bitterzoet

Cannibale Royale Lange Niezel

(Walking distance to Bitterzoet: 9mins)

With the kitchen open until 23:00 most nights and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, at any hour, you’ll find burgers stacked with cheddar, sautéed onions, and bourbon BBQ sauce, glorious rib-eye steaks, and even a very respectful veggie burger. The restaurant has branches all over the city, with the NDSM and Rozengracht locations our other picks.

Cannibale Royale Lange Niezel | Lange Niezel 15

China Sichuan Warmoesstraat

(Walking distance to Bitterzoet: 8mins)

Spice up your night with a dose of Sichuan cuisine at Amsterdam institution, China Sichuan which has three branches in the area. Steaming bowls of mapo tofu (tofu in a Sichuan chilli sauce), fried green beans and Kung Pao Chicken mingle here that’ll keep any spice-seeker happy. 

China Sichuan | Warmoesstraat 17

Trees

(Walking distance to Bitterzoet: 8mins)

A modern eatery that doubles as a speakeasy, Trees is a trendier eat than the quicker food chains that serve as its neighbours. Here, smash burgers, fish cakes and steak tartare are some of the shareable small plate options, alongside pork belly or crayfish brioche which make for a surprising twist on your classic sandwich.

Trees | Zeedijk 14A

Places to eat around Tolhuistuin

Polly Goudvisch

(Walking distance to Tolhuistuin: 1min)

Polly Goudvisch is an 'ode to the brown pub'. Here, it's all house wine and Goudvisch classics such as poussin, steak tartare and tournedos (prepared according to a long-held family recipe). A bonus if the weather is nice, Polly has two sprawling terraces where you can relax in the summer – and it's right next to Tolhuistuin too.

Polly Goudvisch | Buiksloterweg 3-5

il Pecorino

(Walking distance to Tolhuistuin: 9mins)

A reliable favourite for Neapolitan wood-fired pizza, Il Pecorino plates up proper-sized pizzas in a cosy, warm space. Great for indoor and outdoor eats, the salame piccante is always a good shout—plus a proper glass of red wine. 

il Pecorino | Van der Pekplein 11

Café ONS

(Walking distance to Tolhuistuin: 4mins)

An all-day café serving sizeable burgers and heaping portions of stew and fries, this is a good choice for those who want Dutch comfort food within comfortable walking distance. 

Café ONS | Buiksloterweg 27

Places to eat around Zonnehuis

If you’re heading to Zonnehuis, we recommend renting or bringing your bike so you can explore the wider NDSM area in case.

De Tuinkeuken

(Walking distance to Zonnehuis: 9mins)

Pizza almost never goes amiss, and De Tuinkeuken (Garden Kitchen) has earned itself a following for its wood-fired specials. The pizza here is mainly to-go, but there are spots inside in case—though we’d recommend grabbing a pizza to takeaway and heading to the square outside Zonnehuis for a cosy autumnal eve.  

De Tuinkeuken | Mercuriusplein 9

Pllek

(Walking distance to Zonnehuis: 20mins)

A large hangar-style restaurant and bar, Pllek boasts its own urban beach and a covetable view of the IJ. On sultry summer evenings, relax here with your feet in the sand and a chilled drink in hand. When it's less warm, grab a spot next to the big campfire that regularly burns into the night. It’s a great place to get into the mood pre-gig.

Pllek | tt. Neveritaweg 59

Cannibale Royale Nord

(Walking distance to Zonnehuis: 20mins)

Like above, this is a great spot for a very solid burger or meat option, even if you’re in Noord. This branch is located on the water, so enjoy your burger with a view – plus it’s open late if you fancy a bite afterwards. 

Cannibale Royale Nord | Mt. Ondinaweg 32

*Just in case you’re hungry after the gig, here’s our guide to late-night dining.