Hotspot TOZI: chic and delicious Italian bites to share
At the Italian restaurant TOZI in Amsterdam, you’ll find a menu full of Venetian signature dishes and other small plates (in other words: cicchetti) to share. So delicious that, really, you’ll want to eat everything yourself.
From London to Amsterdam
TOZI, a hit in London for years, recently opened its second location in Park Plaza Vondelpark, the hotel on Koninginneweg in Amsterdam. The name TOZI means ‘a group of friends’ in the Venetian dialect, but also refers to the food culture of this Italian region. In short: sharing is caring.
The most delicious cicchetti—typical Venetian small plates to share—come from the spacious, open kitchen of owners Maurilio Molteni and Stefano Meloni. You can also enjoy a small selection from the menu at the bar next to the restaurant area.
Shared dining
TOZI is all about shared dining and, as we’re told at the table, it’s best to choose three small dishes per person. The three of us dutifully stick to that, but as soon as the first portions arrive, we already know we need to order more dishes. What we taste is unbelievably delicious, but the portions are smaller than you might expect based on the concept of shared dining. I’m happy to share the Pizzetta, a super-crispy little pizza with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, but share the Zucchini fritti (very thinly sliced and fried courgette)? I want it all! And so do my tablemates, so we immediately order another portion (at 7 euros) of it.
Franciacorta
The wine list doesn’t contain only Italian wines, but fortunately the majority are Italian. Alongside well-known champagnes, such as Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, there are also several Italian sparkling wines on the list. And that’s what I prefer to drink when eating Italian food. Because what grows together, goes together! Whenever I see franciacorta on a menu, I order it. This sparkling wine from the northern Italian region of Lombardy is relatively unknown in the Netherlands, but is made in the same way as champagne. With a second fermentation in the bottle; a so-called ‘metodo classico’. It has nothing to do with an ordinary prosecco. Franciacorta is much more complex and has greater depth. Definitely order a glass of La Montina Brut here. Its fresh acidity cuts right through the richness of the fried courgette strips—delicious!
Negronis
Here’s another drinks tip: order one of the Negronis on the menu, such as the Barrel Aged Negroni. The Italian classic, made with equal parts gin, vermouth and Campari, is delicious as an aperitivo, but also pairs perfectly with food! I’m encountering food pairings with cocktails more and more often, and it’s less strange than you might think; cocktails may even lend themselves better than wine to experimenting with flavours. By mixing different drinks, but also, for example, by adding fresh herbs and bitters, you can create a drink that perfectly complements your dish. A Negroni with pasta and Parmesan is heavenly (do try this at home!)
King crab and Black Angus bavette
The advantage of shared dining is that you can order many dishes from the menu, because honestly, everything here is delicious! Such as some of the grilled dishes: king crab with lemon mayonnaise (the only downside: too small to share), Aubergine Parmigiana and the Black Angus bavette (super tender!) with cavolo nero (the cheeky cousin of our curly kale). Every dish is perfectly seasoned. Not too salty, not too bland—delicious.
Because everything makes us want more and the portions are on the small side, we order a few extras after all, and the Crab ravioli with tomatoes and basil, technically a primi, also makes an appearance. Another excellent little dish: full of flavour, like a bouillabaisse.
Cacio e Pepe
The Tonnarelli “Cacio e Pepe” is also fantastic: a classic Roman pasta dish (TOZI Amsterdam’s chef, Luca De Santis, is from Rome) with black pepper and the tangy sheep’s cheese Pecorino Romano, prepared at the table. And just watching the spoons of pasta being twirled out of the cheese makes my mouth water. Mmmm! At 28 euros, this is a generous and delicious dish that you can genuinely share.
Will we come back?
Definitely! TOZI is a lovely place in Amsterdam-Zuid where you can imagine yourself in Italy for a while. A Fiat 500 in the front garden, a Vespa by the entrance, Italian lessons playing through the speakers in the toilets, Italian black-and-white films in the bar and last but not least: genuinely excellent Italian food and drinks. It’s not cheap, but it is very good. And don’t forget the dolce!
TOZI Restaurant & Bar, Koninginneweg 34, Amsterdam
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