Hotspot: Paaseiland is your budget summer crush
New hotspot Paaseiland at the Stenen Hoofd in Amsterdam is everything you need this summer: delicious drinks, healthy meals and a beautiful view of the Amsterdam-Noord skyline.
We came in and then
We didn’t really come inside, because Paaseiland consists of a container (with a kitchen built into it that many an Amsterdam hospitality business could still learn a thing or two from) and, apart from that, it’s one large terrace. So we arrived at the site and sank into a deck chair by the water.
Most expensive wine on the menu
Unfortunately, wine isn’t an option. There is no alcohol licence, but hey, that’s also good for keeping the summerbody somewhat in check. The most expensive drink on the menu is the refreshing iced coffee with coconut milk (€4.50).
Cheapest drink on the menu
To continue with the alcohol-free tour: the coffees are delicious (note: quite acidic, so you have to like that) and very reasonably priced. It’s not often anymore that you get a cappuccino in Amsterdam (with a double shot) for €2.60 without having to pay extra for oat milk. Nice!
Most notable dish
Bahn-Mi sandwich. Sandwich what? Bahn-Mi. Until that afternoon, I didn’t know I needed this sandwich in my life either. It’s a generously topped sandwich with homemade vegan bulgogi “beef”, cucumber, coleslaw and gochujang mayonnaise (€8.50).
Interior
Dump a few cubic metres of sand by the water, add terrace tables, bright orange lounge chairs and a few palm trees, and you’ve got yourself a wonderfully tropical terrace.
Intimacy factor
What’s more intimate than working up a good sweat by the water with a palm tree next to you? Kicking off your shoes and wiggling your toes in the sand—wonderful.
Ideal for
A warm summer day that you can spend all day enjoying: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bring a good book and imagine you’re on holiday.
Music
Groovy tunes flow from two small but good speakers. Just loud enough for everyone on the terrace to enjoy. Great playlists with a paradisiacal soul vibe.
We’ll come back for this
The bulgogi-kimchi fries. These loaded fries are truly to die for and I recommend them to everyone in Amsterdam. Delicious thick fries with vegan bulgogi, a heavenly kimchi ketchup, fried onions, spring onion and mayonnaise (€7.50).
Value for money
While many places with such a prime location and beautiful view charge an extra euro for every dish—because, well, “you pay for the view”—that isn’t the case at Paaseiland. Fair prices for fair coffee, dishes and smoothies.
Paaseiland Amsterdam
Westerdoksdijk 707
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