How To Spend A Day In Amsterdam-Oost

Due to the area’s wide range of cultural attractions, slower residential vibe and excellent bars, cafés and restaurants, it is always worth spending some time exploring the east of the city whilst visiting Amsterdam. In fact, it is entirely possible to discover many of Amsterdam-Oost’s main sites over the course of a single day and still leave time for good food, coffee and a couple of craft beers.

Morning

There are several great places to chow down on breakfast, brunch or lunchtime meals in Amsterdam-Oost and many, newer international style restaurants have sprung up along or nearby Javastraat over the past few years. For classic Dutch fare like sandwiches, cake and coffee, head over to de Jonge Admiral which is decked out in stylishly kitsch wall hangings and furniture. Looking for something a bit heartier? Then, make sure to check out Eastside which serves an impressive array of North-American staples such as fluffy pancakes, BBQ pork spare ribs and meatball subs.

From Javastraat it is only a short walk to one of Amsterdam’s most popular street markets, Dappermarkt. The market has taken place in Amsterdam-Oost for over 100 years and always features a diverse number of stalls selling items ranging from secondhand clothing and bike parts, to spices and cosmetics.

Afternoon

Amsterdam-Oost is one of the greenest parts of the city and features three large parks called Oosterpark, Flevopark and Frankendael Park. While all three of these parks have plenty to offer day-trippers, Oosterpark is likely the most popular recreational ground in the east partly due to its beautiful landscaping, open lakes and wide meadows.

Oosterpark also lies adjacent to the largest museum in Amsterdam-Oost, Tropenmuseum, which houses a large collection of ethnographic artifacts and regularly organises exhibitions related to multiculturalism, immigration and international topics.

Amsterdam’s famous ‘windmill brewery‘ Brouwerij ‘t IJ opens its tap room at 14.00 and serves delicious craft beer until 20.00. The brewery is located underneath the tallest windmill in the city and is renowned for its notoriously potent trippel and dubbel beers.

Night

While there are plenty of excellent restaurants to choose from in Amsterdam-Oost, de Kas is easily among the best fine dining establishments in the city and has one the best locations imaginable – a former municipal greenhouse. De Kas still use parts of this glass plated building to grow crops and cultivate herbs and vegetables for their menu. The restaurant mainly serves meals that are inspired by classic Mediterranean cuisine and will gladly alter dishes in order to accommodate vegetarian needs.

There are many bars located nearby de Kas, including several popular watering-holes like de Biertuin, Louie Louie or Bar Bukowksi. For a less booze-orientated evening, check out Studio K – a student run cinema on Borneostraat which screens new arthouse and mainstream films throughout the week.