Discover Benelux | Top Food, Drink & Sleep Spots | De Pijp
A piece of Rome With restaurants in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Sugo makes delicious pizza that is light, healthy and ready in minutes. It is called pizza al taglio and it is about to conquer the country. “Al taglio means ‘by the cut’,” explains Igor Prkic. In early 2015 he founded Sugo together with Faruk Dervis and Anne Nijs to create a little piece of Rome in the Dutch delta. “Pizza al taglio is Rome’s favourite street food. It’s cut in squares and topped with creative combinations of ingredients from all over Italy. People eat it at any time of the day. The idea is to share with family, friends or colleagues, so you get a taste of different kinds of pizza instead of just one.” The secret of pizza al taglio is in the base. “Regular pizza can be quite heavy on the stomach,” Igor explains. “Our dough is made with a protein-rich, organic mix of wheat, spelt and soya flour. It’s naturally leavened for 72 hours, which gives our pizzas their wonderful ‘light bite’ quality - airy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.”
Sugo’s source of inspiration is Gabriele Bonci, an Italian celebrity chef who makes the best al taglio in the country. “We share his passion for making the perfect pizza base. And we use only premium-quality ingredients. Meats and cheeses are imported from family farms in Italy and all sauces and pestos are freshly prepared on the spot.”
TEXT: FRANK VAN LIESHOUT | PHOTOS: SUGO
Every day, Sugo serves around 20 varieties of pizza with plenty of vegetarian options. Freshly made salads, homemade tiramisu and Sicilian cannoli are also on the menu, along with a selection of lovely organic wines from Sicily and, of course, real Italian coffee. www.sugopizza.nl
International classics at Kingfisher Café TEXT: XANDRA BOERSMA | PHOTOS: MASHA JAHANGARD
In Amsterdam’s most lively district, De Pijp, you will find Kingfisher Café. It is a home away from home, as guests like to call it; locals as well as tourists. Why? Because they love the relaxed and casual atmosphere. “That’s very important to us,” says one of the owners Bas den Ouden. “The windows are big so people know what to expect when they walk in. We only hire people that truly love to do this job. They walk around in their own outfits while doing it. No fancy shirts or a uniform.” That
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does not affect the great professional service though. “Guests often find this surprising, because of the casual atmosphere. But we want to serve them the best way we can.” What is it that they serve at Kingfisher Café? “International classics! Our hamburgers are popular and people come back for our hummus, Thai beef and sandwich with ossenworst, an Amsterdam specialty. Our soups and pies are favourites as well, we make those ourselves.” And to drink? Wine, of course, and 20 different kinds of beer, international and local. Every product is of the
greatest quality and is served with a smile, because the staff at Kingfisher Café are a friendly crowd. There is a funny story about the name too. The Kingfisher is a bird that has over 90 different species. “That fits our international atmosphere, doesn’t it?” explains Den Ouden. So if you are looking for a casual bite or just a drink, to have a chat with some friendly people and enjoy this mix between a neighbourhood bar and trendy hangout: Kingfisher is the place to be. www.kingfishercafe.nl