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The nicest vegan restaurants in the Netherlands

Vegan restaurants Netherlands

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: the nicest vegan restaurants in the Netherlands.

Maybe you didn't catch it, but this week is the week without meat and dairy. In other words: a vegan week. Now, I'm not a vegan myself, but I've been trying to pay more attention to it for a while. So I don't always go for the meat option when I eat out and I also delve more into vegetarian dishes at home.

Vegan eating is still a step too far for me, because I love cheese way too much. And I find it a lot harder to prepare really tasty vegan dishes myself. That's why I definitely support vegan restaurants; they can do it much better. The following restaurants are my personal favorite spots in the Netherlands. And if you have any tips: they are more than welcome.

Vegan hotspots in the Netherlands

1. Achterwerk, Groningen
Fine dining and vegan food, it's a combination that I was always skeptical about at first, but a restaurant like Achterwerk proves without any effort that it can be done really well. I think even the biggest lover of meat will leave here very satisfied. Definitely a recommendation for a nice evening out, and be sure to order one of the cocktails; so delicious.

2. Bar Kantoor, Amsterdam
I find this a really nice spot, also because it doesn't just have vegan food on the menu. The dishes are all vegetarian, with quite a few vegan options. Additionally, my personal favorites are also on the menu: a jackfruit rendang sandwich, a tom kha kai soup with tofu (though I don't understand why ‘kai’ is still in the name) and a kimchi toastie. By the way, that rendang is also listed as a main course on the menu, in case you're there in the evening.

3. Konijnenvoer, Arnhem
Just because of this name, I think it's a great restaurant. I love self-deprecation, especially when you can pull it off; here you eat completely vegan at a really high level. Friends of mine are from Arnhem, and when I asked for tips, they immediately mentioned this restaurant, even though they usually don't eat vegan. And that doesn't matter at all at this restaurant, and I promise you: you won't miss fish, meat, or dairy for a second here.

4. Kasvio, Leidsche Rijn
Chef Mari Pitkänen is at the helm here and collaborates with various artists to create a unique dining experience. And they succeed quite well: the location alone is amazing, namely in the Metal Cathedral. They are open every Thursday through Sunday, but reservations are a must, as it is not that big.

5. Café Restaurant Zèta, The Hague
At this all-day spot, you can go for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but especially the latter I would recommend. The menu is full of dishes from my favorite cuisine: Asian. From poké bowls to pad thai, but on the snack menu, you'll also find gyozas and chicken wings. And yes, both are one hundred percent plant-based.