9 hotspots for a healthy holiday in your own country
The words ‘healthy’ and ‘holiday’ in one sentence may sound off-putting. On vacation, we want to avoid having to think about anything and simply let ourselves go, right? But these Dutch hotspots prove that healthy can also be incredibly delicious.
Kanarie Club
Culinary migratory birds can pick up some greens at Kanarie Club in De Hallen in Amsterdam. From fresh salads to healthy snacks, they have it all. Go for the salad with pumpkin, lentils, goat cheese and ginger dressing, or the pickled vegetables with hummus. Healthy cocktail bites? Enjoy them with your (alcohol-free) cocktail at the Poolbar.
Waku Waku
Waku Waku in Utrecht proves that vegan food has shaken off its hippie image. Formerly known as SNCKBR, a vegan junk food bar, it has operated under the new name Waku Waku since the beginning of this year. Suffering from choice overload? We get it, so here’s our tip: go for the vegan Double Dutch kapsalon with barbecued Peking jackfruit and sweet potato fries, along with the Waku Waku burger with cheddar and truffle mayonnaise.
Foodhallen Amsterdam
Foodhallen Amsterdam has something for everyone, so healthy snacks are plentiful too. From the Poké Bowl filled with vegetables and fresh fish from Mr. Temaki to the Vietnamese spring rolls at Viet View. Vegetarian and looking for a healthy bite? Then head to Padron, where they create the tastiest dishes with local seasonal vegetables.
Meatless District
We regularly find ourselves at one of Meatless District’s two Amsterdam locations. Their 100% plant-based lunches are simply divine! The menu changes with the seasons, and the dishes are organic and homemade wherever possible. A few suggestions: the bagel with smoked “salmon” and the crispy Caesar salad with breaded “chicken”. For the healthy cheat: order the fries from ’t Friethoes.
Bar Fisk
Amsterdam’s Bar Fisk keeps its dishes simple, but makes them fresh and surprising by choosing ingredients bursting with flavor. Think: bunches of herbs and fresh, mostly local, market vegetables. Lively influences from Tel Aviv shine through in the fish dishes. Vegetarians won’t miss out, though; Bar Fisk puts the same passion into its vegetable dishes.
Bardak
The place to be in Amsterdam for Israeli street food and cocktails. The menu features flavorful dishes such as lamb sweetbreads, grilled prawns and crispy calamari. They are accompanied by extensive vegetarian and vegan options, including mushroom shawarma, grilled okra and charred eggplant—and even more during the weekly Vegan Monday.
Bluzone2Go
Blue zones are areas around the world where people live longer and in better health than elsewhere. If a concept is named after this, you can probably guess what to expect: here, you eat and drink organic dishes and juices inspired by ingredients and recipes from the blue zones. They always consist of the right combination of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats to stay healthy and fit during your vacation—and afterward.
SLA
The SLA chain started in Amsterdam just a few years ago, but rapidly expanded to locations in various parts of the Netherlands. The organic salad bars make a promise: every meal salad contains at least 260 grams of vegetables. Choose from the menu or create your own salad.
Mama Makan
The rijsttafel takes center stage on the menu at restaurant Mama Makan—‘Mama eats’/‘Mama’s food’ in Bahasa—in Amsterdam Oost. There are three variations: the Regular, Mama’s Favourite and, our favorite, the Vegan. Full of herbs and flavors, yet wonderfully pure. The same goes for the interior: light wood, tropical patterns and vertical gardens. We said it already: healthy and holiday go perfectly well together!
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