Happy & Healthy
THE INDUSTRIAL LOOK IS SNEAKILY DRIVING ME CRAZY
Five Amsterdam spots that do it a little differently
Going out to eat again tonight, right? Let me guess. There's a good chance you're going to check out a new spot that, rapapa, is nicely decorated in an industrial style. You know; brick walls, scissors lamps, cool iron stools, a cast floor, hanging plants (preferably without pots), a tiled bar, bare bulbs on the ceiling… Sometimes with a sixties sauce, sometimes with a tropical touch. And sometimes really located in an old factory, but often with extremely authentic stone strips on the wall. Anyway: basically, many of those new spots secretly all look quite similar in the end. Or am I just crazy?
That wasn't a real question.
Look, don't get me wrong. The industrial vibe is and remains nice. Moreover, I ridiculously love going out to eat and I'm glad that there are tons of new restaurants popping up every week to check out. Dining out is the new going out! But it seems that the industrial look is really ruling all the hospitality. I would love to be genuinely surprised by a restaurant again! To see a truly new interior. And that's why I've been eagerly searching for places that do it differently. And therefore, I present to you five capital city spots that (in my humble opinion) are quite nice and different in terms of interior.
1. FC Hyena is a new cinema, wine bar, and petit-restaurant in Amsterdam-Noord. Admittedly: there’s also an industrial vibe here (it is located in a former factory building), but in terms of styling, it’s really taken a different approach. Color is the thing. Think: yellow stools, blue-and-white painted school chairs, a green bar, striking red-colored globe lamps, and homemade orange cinema benches. Kudos! Color is cool!
2. The Fool Bar is the brainchild of Douwe Bob and friend Nando Koridon. A diner that you can’t miss, a place where you definitely want to dance, flirt (with Douwe), and drink. The styling is all American, complete with bright red sofas, a jukebox, and sixties stools. Party time, people. Rock ’n roll, folks.
3. The Lobby Fizeaustraat (part of Hotel V) is also located in an old, large office building (sorry), but the decor is delightful. Bamboo room dividers, amazing wall hangings in warm colors, vintage dressers, and (this is really a thing) good acoustics. So no hearing damage at the end of your evening. Oh, and let me not forget the fantastic seventies Togo sofa, which I also have, omg such a cool sofa I’m really thrilled with it but I digress. What I wanted to say: such a tiptop place that you just want to have the whole interior, have have have. Yes, that had to be three times. Really a recommendation for breakfast, lunch, drinks, and by the way also just a perfect workplace.
4. Blue Boy Amsterdam is one of the new initiatives by Casper Reinders and Serge Rijn. It’s a restaurant and cocktail bar, and the decor is a fascinating, eclectic mix: white rattan cocktail chairs, pine (!) bistro tables, restyled stools from the old brothel Yab Yum, a large blue Chinoiserie cabinet, a life-size vintage or maybe even antique circus advertisement, and a white porcelain whippet. The food is also delicious, where you don’t choose from the menu but go for a four to seven-course menu. Small warning: the chef loves decorations on the plate that you can’t eat. For example, the undersigned happily bit into a hard uncooked bean, and had to pay attention a little later that my food didn’t fall into the underlying hay bed (!).
5. Cafe Lorem gets a mention here last but not least. They are opening on Saturday, November 12 (in a special and separate part of Meneer Nieges) and it promises to have the feel of a lovely old-fashioned brown pub, with small beers and cheese cubes with flags. You know, a bar without an industrial feel. Finally! Great plan!
