New: Bar Alt

More than a hundred exceptional specialty beers from the world’s best brewers. Combined with the refined dishes of an ambitious chef. That is the innovative concept behind Bar Alt.

Who: the men behind Two Chefs Brewing (Sanne Slijper and Martijn Disseldorp) and the owner of restaurant Jacobsz (Adriaan Verkerk)
Where: Amsterdam Zuid, on the recently completely renovated Stadionplein, directly opposite the Olympic Stadium.
When: September 2018

What’s new?

Bar Alt mixes fine dining with accompanying specialty beers. In other words: beer pairing at a high level. In cities such as Copenhagen and Brussels, we had previously seen restaurants specializing in beer-and-food pairings, and now Amsterdam has one too. No fewer than twenty beers on tap, presented from a stunning central bar, and 90 (!) bottled beers. Not only from Two Chefs, but also from the world’s best international brewers. Thomas Kooijman is at the stove. This chef more than earned his stripes as sous-chef at establishments such as Aan de Poel** (Amstelveen), De Nederlanden* (Vreeland) and MOS* (Amsterdam). The name is derived from Altbier, a well-known top-fermented beer that originated in Germany. For those who find beer with every course just a bridge too far: Bar Alt also has an excellent wine list, featuring mainly natural wines.

On the (beer) menu?

First of all: craft beer in every possible style and from every corner of the world. Saisons, pale ales, Belgian ales, sours, porters, bière de champagne. From well-known Dutch craft beer breweries such as Jopen, Oedipus and Het Uiltje to exclusive vintage bottles from Drie Fontijnen and Rodenbach. The beer can be ordered by the glass and with each course, served in wine glasses filled halfway, but it is also available by the bottle (33 cl) or sometimes as a full bottle (75 cl). There is no à la carte menu, only a four-, six- or eight-course menu with regularly changing dishes. With a fairly steep price level—as it is fine dining, after all—of €45, €65 and €80 respectively.

Expect beautifully presented dishes. Classically inspired but with a completely individual touch from an unconventional chef who knows how to work with distinctive flavor combinations. Think of a fresh, sour escabeche with lobster, artichoke and Japanese black Aomori garlic. It goes wonderfully with the three-year-old gueuze from Belgian brewer Drie Fontijnen, aged in oak barrels. And an Asian version of eel in t ‘green; barbecued eel with a matcha and seaweed foam.

The most spot-on beer-and-food pairing of the evening? The dessert with various creams, parfaits, mousses and balls of both apricot and sea buckthorn. A divine match with the softly bitter, slightly sweet and citrusy character of the accompanying glass of Hippie Fish beer from Two Chefs.

Worth noting?

Those who really want to go all out with an exclusive bottle of beer can order the Drie Fontijnen, Oude Kriek 2006, priced at €175 (75 cl)—also the most expensive beer on the menu.

Bar Alt
Stadionplein 103,
Amsterdam
Open Monday through Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to midnight