Kartel: hidden gem in the centre of Amsterdam

If you live in Amsterdam like I do, you are of course familiar with the Leidseplein (and probably even if you don't live there). And then you probably also know that it’s not necessarily a neighborhood where you want to be found quickly. You mainly go there after midnight, when you are not entirely accountable and the Bastille, Cooldown, or Bubbels sounds like a really good plan. But also when you go to a concert at places like the Melkweg or Paradiso – and I always find the Pathé cinema very nice at the Leidse.

My only problem is: where can you eat a bit nice, cozy, and delicious? That has really been quite a search for me around the Leidseplein for years. But now I have discovered a restaurant that ticks all the boxes: the food is delicious, the interior is beautiful, the cocktails taste great, and it’s within walking distance of the Leidseplein.

That restaurant is called Kartel and you can find it at the beginning of the Overtoom, on the Leidse side. It’s right next to the Ebeling, so if you want to have a drink or dance afterwards, you can crawl there. That was my plan at first, but I found it so cozy at Kartel that I just stayed there; the Espresso Martinis and Moscow Mules tasted really good.

The menu has something for everyone; Kartel has been inspired by cuisines from all over the world. For a snack, we had the Bhaji (Indian onion fritters with mint yogurt as a dip) and it was incredibly tasty, just like the soup of the day (I’m the type that always goes for the soup) and meat as the main course. Very nice: there were many vegetarian options, but also a lot of meat and fish.

It’s a reasonably spacious place where you can also sit very nicely at the bar; we had the booth by the window and it’s wonderful for people-watching. I would like to say that this is a recommendation if you need to be near the Leidseplein afterwards, but this is definitely a real recommendation in Amsterdam. My next girl’s night I will definitely reserve here again.