Discover Benelux | Summer Special | Amsterdam Noord & Zuidoost Highlights
The greenest place to stay in Amsterdam-North TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTOS: AMSTERDAM FARM LODGE
Whether coming for the agricultural community or just to get away from the hectic city life, there is no quieter, friendlier or greener place to stay in Amsterdam-North than the NoordOogst urban agriculture project and the Amsterdam Farm Lodge. “Who doesn’t want to wake up seeing the chickens roam free on the terrace?” says owner Nicole Schuil, who runs the lodge with her partner Rogier. NoordOogst is a unique urban agriculture initiative in the city, where vegetables are grown. It will run for ten years, until 2027. Located on the old Melkweg Sports area, this project is fully self-reliant. “We always wanted to do something here in the city. Then we came across this special project and started renovating the building in April 2017,” Nicole explains. The Amsterdam Farm Lodge is in a former asylum centre. “In total, we have seven
apartments, fully equipped with three bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. Each room is different, because we decorated them with recycled materials and second-hand furniture, to be completely sustainable. Apart from the beds, those are new. There’s nothing more important than getting a good night’s sleep,” smiles Rogier. NoordOogst is the perfect place for families to visit, or to enjoy a stay at the Amsterdam Farm Lodge. Here, visitors will find pigs, a butterfly garden, a natural playground, a vegetarian take-away, a brewery, fields with crops, a food forest, a beekeeper, vineyard and a pancake house. Nicole: “We treat our guests as family. As friends, who love the green beauty of the city and NoordOogst as much as we do.” Web: www.amsterdamfarmlodge.com
The spot to be in Amsterdam South East TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTOS: GÅRD NORDIC KITCHEN & COURTYARD AMSTERDAM ARENA ATLAS
When experiencing Amsterdam South East, one of the best place to end up at is the Courtyard Amsterdam Arena Atlas and its unique Scandinavian restaurant, GåRD Nordic Kitchen. “A hidden gem in the business and entertainment district,” says Anne Wil Herweijer, sales manager of GåRD Nordic Kitchen. This restaurant, which is often referred to by the locals as their second living room, creates a warm and casual vibe with excellent dishes respecting the traditional Scandinavian cooking techniques like smoking and pickling. Definitely the perfect place to start an evening before heading to a concert in the Ziggo Dome or AFAS Live. “The restaurant feels very cosy, like a family den with couches, rugs and pictures,” explains Herweijer. Due to the success of the restaurant and the trend of the Scandinavian kitchen, GåRD has also opened its doors in other countries like
Belgium, Poland and the UK, and that is only the beginning. Many more new locations are planned to open in the next few years, confirms Herweijer, andcontinues: “We want to offer a new and exciting choice to go for dinner – not just here in Amsterdam where it all started, but all over the world.” One of the favourites on the menu is the flatbread topped with chicken or crispy duck, but you can of course find the classics like Swedish meatballs and Norwegian waffle on the menu also. “It would not be a Nordic restaurant without them,” Herweijer smiles.
Web: www.gard-nordickitchen.com
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