New in Town: Winter 2025 (December)

CENTRUM

Editor’s Pick: Sering Centraal

Best for: community eats

One of the best parts of winter is the community it fosters - after all, the cold brings people together like few things can. And a lot of that coming together is around the dining table. De Sering, which has run a community space and kitchen out near Sloterdijk, is making its central debut with a new outpost at Mediamatic in what’s set to be the centre’s newest communal hub. The menu is entirely vegan and the focus is really on fostering community with free meals for Stadspas holders to a donation-based dinner for all. Lunch is Mon-Fri and priced at €7.50, with a choice of two soups and two mains, best enjoyed with Sering Centraal’s waterside views. And only a 10-minute walk from Central Station, this could well be the centre’s best value and beautiful spot.  

Sering Centraal | open Mon-Fri | price range €-€€ | Dijksgracht 6

Amra

Best for: indulgence

Nothing says comfort food quite like bread and cheese. And Amra, which just opened in the Jordaan, brings the rich and indulgent dishes of Georgian cuisine to this corner of Amsterdam. Dumplings, orange wine andkhachapuri(bread boats filled with molten chees, butter and an egg yolk) are a surefire way to warm you up and satisfy whatever wintry cravings might have taken hold.  

Amra | open Tue-Sun, 17:00-22:00 | price range €€-€€€ | Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 6

Little Bonfire

Best for: Retro snugness

Gather round the fire at this snug haunt near the Bloemenmarkt. Self-described as Amsterdam’s downtown living room, there’s a hint of Mad Men here with its plush interior, rich mahogany panelling and leather bar seating. Comfort food lines the menu here as dishes like pan-fried sea bass, mushroom bourguigno and flat-iron chicken star. There’s also a roster of selected wines and classic cocktails which make it easy to while away an afternoon and an evening snug under the warm lighting. 

Little Bonfire | open all week, times vary | price range €€-€€€ | Keizersgracht 449 

OOST

Hagen Oost

Best for: Scandi-chic coffee

An espresso bar by way of Copenhagen, this coffee spot in Watergraafsmeer stands out – and not just because of its forest-green coloured exterior. The setting is pretty grand – all geometric-patterned flooring, bare brick walls and a long, floral-printed coffee counter – but don’t be discouraged, it’s just (good) coffee after all. Grab yourself an espresso, inspired by the serene coffee tasting Copenhagen does so well; a maximal experience dressed up in minimalism. 

Hagen Oost | open all week, 07:30-18:00 on weekdays, 08:30-18:00 on weekends | price range €-€€ | Mideenweg 59

Café Bica

Best for: whitewashed escapism

Should you be looking to cling to summer or draw it closer already, Café Bica can help. Situated along the Amstel River, just along from the owner's other venture Bam Boa, this sunlit space is perfect for those blue-skied winter days. A white-washed interior is simple but keeps the light filtered through, and the coffee and freshly baked pastries help keep you there. Stylish and undoubtedly a spot that’ll draw even the most reluctant De Pijp folk across the river, Bica looks to prove that the Wessperzijde really is the Amsterdam Riviera. 

Café Bica | open daily 08:00 - 18:00 | price range €-€€ | Weesperzijde 44

NOORD

Camarat

Best for: candle-lit wine

Low-lit and luxurious, Camarat is a winter spot if ever there was one. Along the ever-happening Gedempt Hamerkanaal and right next to Amsterdam’s urban winery Chateau, the geometric shelves lit up by candles and floor-to-ceiling windows combine an indoor and outdoor feel. Yet even with the light, Camarat feels intimate; perhaps it’s the rich, brown textiles and furniture that does it, or the menu which spans wild duck and delicate skate (fish). Either way, come here for the kind of hushed nights winters are made for. 

Camarat | open Wed-Sun, opening times vary | price range €€-€€€ | Gedempt Hamerkanaal 4

Barossa

Best for: bistro classics

Cosy bistro fare almost never goes amiss, and add in a waterside view and you've got a perfect spot. That's Barossa, the latest spot to open in NDSM, channelling chic modernity in decor with comforting, seasonal fare on the menu. Run by the chef behind Peruvian fusion restaurant Nazka, it's no frills food here; from Caesar salads to market fish, roasted poussin and greens, plus bavette with peppercorn sauce. It's all prepared with panache from the open kitchen, and with a well-sourced wine menu and a special burger Friday deal, you'll find both class and comfort.

Barossa | open Tue - Sat: 6pm - 10pm | price range €€-€€€ | Werfkade 39

WEST

The Jollof Club

Best for: flavour and comfort

A staple of West African cuisine, jollof rice arrives in the neighbourhood in the form of Jollof Club. Named after the region’s most well-known dish, Jollof Club is a celebration of West African, serving up smoked jollof rice alongside other specials like soya chicken and rice pancakes drizzled in Scotchh Bonnet sauce. A delicious and savoury culinary experience, Jollof Club marks another chapter in De Baarsje’s expansive food journey. 

The Jollof Club | Open Wed–Sun, Sun Lunch only | price range €€-€€€ | Hoofdweg 141

Cheeky

Best for: anytime coffee

The appeal’s in the name at this brand new coffee spot in Westerpark. You'll find good brews, good tunes and good atmosphere here in this cosy space that's as much about the music as it is the coffee. Keep an eye out for special pop-ups and collaborations, which they do throughout the season and has included thai burgers and ADE dj specials. Either way, it’s a spot to hide from the cold and get communal in. 

Cheeky | open Tue-Fri 08:00-16:00, Sa-Su 08:00-16:30 | price range €-€€ | Fannius scholtenstraat 26H

ZUID

Sol Coffee Bar

Best for: living room feels

Everywhere wants to be a living room of Amsterdam but few actually succeed in balancing that low-key, relaxed almost effortless look-and-feel with the well-oiled machine of a good establishment. Sol makes a very respectable go at being a place that will stick around – a brocante-style space that pairs comfy seating, coffee and plenty of light to good effect. You won’t have to look far for home comforts here - the speculoos bun will do that if the apple and caramel pie hasn’t provided that already. There’s a warmth here that’ll keep you going through the season, and a no laptop policy means yes, chatting to other locals is encouraged.  

Sol | open Wed-Sun, 09:00-18:00 | price range €-€€ | Tweede Sweelinckstraat 6

Gorgo Lunchroom

Best for: Anatolian goodness

Born out of the homeland of its founders and the notion of in betweens, Gorgo Lunchroom is a celebration of modern-day Anatolia. Taking inspiration from the range of cultures that call contemporary Turkey home, Gorgo Lunchroom has a little bit of everything. Coffee, fermented drinks and sandwiches, but it’s the specific flavours on show that make it interesting. Like tahin and honey, which in their words, is “a gooey cheese melt of kaşar and Welsh cheddar, topped with tahini, honey, preserved unripe green figs, and roasted hazelnuts”, orkavurmalı: slow-roasted beef, salça, fresh thyme, kaşar and pecorino. Oh and the cookies are good too. 

Gorgo Lunchroom | open Tue-Sun, 08:30-17:00 | price range €-€€ | Staringplein 22

In case you missed it

Boon & de Koot

Cosy, bistro feels by the creators of De Zoldering and Lof wine bar, this one’s for the Dutch and French food lovers and anyone who just wants comforting dishes and wine. 

Boon & de Koot| open Thurs-Mon, | price range €€-€€€ | Barentszstraat 171-173

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