Discover Benelux | Top Eat, Drink & Sleep Spots | The Jordaan in Amsterdam
Authentically Amsterdam with great pie and good company TEXT: MYRIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: CAFÉ PAPENEILAND
Along the Prinsengracht, you will find a characteristic Amsterdam sight: canals in the foreground crossed by an arched bridge, with streets connecting it to a picturesque, 17th century step-gabled building. It is no surprise this corner café is one of Amsterdam’s most photographed places. But after capturing the scene, make sure to step inside, as a typical Amsterdam experience awaits.
At Café Papeneiland it is as much the idyllic location as the people that craft its cosy atmosphere. “We don’t play music, so you can chat to one another,” says Tiel Netel who runs the family-owned café. “There aren’t enough places around anymore where you can just sit, relax and have a nice conversation, but here you can.” The café is the ideal place to relish in a moment of rest in the Dutch capital while enjoying a drink. Netel also serves food such as sandwiches and hearty soups. “But our customer favourite is our homemade apple pie,” he adds. Showcasing its popularity, Netel recounts when a famous visitor entered the café. “One Saturday, former president Clinton came in and had a piece of our apple pie,” he says. “He liked it so much, they asked to take a whole pie with them as they left. Afterwards we even
‘Tasty, tasty, tasty!’ TEXT: XANDRA BOERSMA | PHOTOS: PREGO
In a small, cosy street on the edge of the Jordaan, the Herenstraat, you will find the French Mediterranean restaurant Prego. You will miss it if you do not pay attention. And that would be a shame, because it is just as welcoming and comforting as its neighbourhood. The smell of freshly baked bread is noticeable the moment you step inside, which is not the only thing they make from scratch. Desserts, bonbons; you name it. “There’s only one can in our kitchen: tomato paste,” owner Jeroen van der Slikke says. “It’s a lot of work, but we see 44 | Issue 24 | December 2015
how our guests enjoy it, that’s why we do it. It just has to be tasty. Tasty, tasty, tasty.” Which is also how they choose their wines, a very important part of Prego. Actually, loving wine is what got Van der Slikke into the restaurant business in the first place. “I’m actually a teacher, but I really enjoy tasting different kinds of wine.” And he is good at selecting them too, because he has an award-winning red house wine: the best of Amsterdam. “It’s a challenge for me to find the best wine for a good price. One that also matches the dishes perfectly, of course.” Maybe that is why Prego has been up and running since 1992. But is that all? “No,” Van der Slikke says. “Service is very important too. Good food, good wine, good service. It’s simple, but as soon as one of those is not right, guests will notice and they will not come back.” Good thing Prego has it all. www.pregorestaurant.nl
received a thank you note, which now hangs on the wall in the café.” For those who want to hire a boat, Netel can also organise a tour starting on the Prinsengracht outside the café. He can arrange to have food and drink from the café on board, including their famous apple pie. Café Papeneiland is open daily. www.papeneiland.nl