Go: Bar Centraal

Wine bars have been happening for about ten years now. But only recently have they started popping up faster than burger bars. The difference from the first wave: more informal, less pretentious, with less ‘sommeliering’. They notably focus on natural wines, comfort food and really lovely service. Like Bar Centraal in Amsterdam.

The place looks run-down, as if Bar Centraal, from the makers of natural wine bar Glou Glou (in Amsterdam’s Pijp), had been located on the popular Ten Katemarkt for years.

Drip candles

The unpretentious anti-interior, with wooden café chairs, drip candles in wine bottles and paper wine posters on the wall, is reminiscent of a cosy neighbourhood pub, but for wine. French and Italian natural wine, to be precise. Served by the glass from five euros, poured from an inviting carafe on the bar.

Bar Centraal is reminiscent of a cosy neighbourhood pub, but for natural wine.

So no slurpable wines, but no show-off wines either. There are brilliant bubbles from Beaufort (€ 6,20), for example.

Small sharing dishes

And you also come here for very good food from the weekly changing menu, prepared in the open kitchen by an Italian and a Venezuelan chef. Both ex-Guts & Glory, so you know you’re in good hands. Small sharing dishes such as burrata with pickled cucumber and orange gel, for example. Or poached egg, nori crumb, mushrooms, green asparagus and beurre noisette (see photo).

Good enough to lick your fingers clean. But you don’t have to. You can simply mop up the very last bit from the bowl with the excellent sourdough from baker Eef of restaurant As.

Oysters

On Fridays and Saturdays, they shuck oysters – another staple accessory in the new generation of wine bars. Could it always be the weekend?

Bar Centraal
Ten Katestraat 16
Amsterdam
lunch on Saturdays and Sundays too

Image: Bar Centraal and Marjan Ippel