Sustainable hotspots in Amsterdam

I moved to Amsterdam in September 2021 and have been living here for about 6 months now. I love Amsterdam and everything it has to offer. If the area was not so polluted due to Schiphol and Tata Steel I would even consider living here all my life. Amsterdam is modern, that’s why it has the most sustainable hotspots in the country. Today I am writing a guide for you, about the most sustainable hotspots in Amsterdam.

Never Complete

I have been living in Amsterdam for 6 months now, but also before that I visited the city quite often. That’s because it’s a popular city in The Netherlands, if there’s something new, it’s in Amsterdam. So, the list I am sharing today is not only from the last 6 months, but more like the past 6 years. However, this list is never finished. New hotspots open all the time and some old ones close. I will update this list whenever I need to. This way, you can always visit this site and find the best sustainable hotspots in Amsterdam.

Food

I’ll start with my favorite category: food! All the restaurants, café, etc. are in alphabetical order. Most are 100% vegan, otherwise they have great vegan options.

Delicious food organic

This is not really a place where I would recommend you to go if you’re on a one-day trip to Amsterdam. But if you live in Amsterdam this is very important place. Why? I do my groceries here. Delicous Foods Organic is an organic bulk-shop. They offer organic food, zero waste! It’s a small store but they have a lot of options. I stock up here once every 3 months to buy foods that last long, like grains, pasta’s, rice, dried fruits, etc. This is an essential store if you want organic and zero waste food.
Address: Westerstraat 24, 1015 MJ Amsterdam
Accessibility: Accessible for people who use wheelchairs. I don’t think their labels offer braille.

Falafel by sir hummus

I have to say, I was not excited about this place when I heard about it. My boyfriend convinced me to go. I mean, I am not too enthusiastic about falafel, since I though it is not too special. It’s always hummus or falafel for vegans when you get food offered by non-vegans. I was wrong! The falafel at this place is very special and it can’t be compared with anything. They also offer fried cauliflower, the best I have ever tasted. When I visit this place I always order those two things, the falafel balls and the fried cauliflower. Please, if you need a snack, go to this place.
Address: Ruysdaelkade 181, 1072 AT Amsterdam
Accessibility: The menu is not in Braille. I do think the restaurant can be entered by people who use a wheelchair, but they don’t have a proper toilet for people with a disability.

Foodhallen amsterdam

This is not a restaurant, but more a big hall. In this hall, all sorts of food companies are present. In the middle there is a beautiful bar and there are tables. This way, you can choose from all those different food bars. They have sushi, Korean food, Italian food, sweet food, savory food, etc. Most food bars offer small dishes, so you don’t even have to select one kitchen. Just get something small at different places! This is a lovely space to go to when you’re going to lunch/dinner with non-vegans, because they offer food with dead animals too. But there are great vegan options and that’s why I love this place. It’s quite cosy and I have lovely vegan sushi here.
Address: Bellamyplein, 1053AT Amsterdam
Accessibility: Every entrance to the Foodhallen is fully wheelchair accessible. A wheelchair accessible toilet is situated at our neighbors in the Filmhallen.

Hearth

I’ve been to this place twice. Once in their old building, and once in their new building. They were expanding, because this place is a massive succes! This is a lovely and cosy place. I had my favorite food here twice, vegan sushi! It was amazing. They have a special menu, because none of the food is ordinary. So not avocado sushi for me, but sushi with quinoa and tomato. All the dishes I tasted are amazing (I like to share dishes with my company haha). A big plus too: it’s not that expensive if you’d ask me. Unbelievable, for what you get.
Address: Camperstraat 24-26, 1091AG Amsterdam.
Accessibility: I could not find a bathroom that was accessible to wheelchairs, so I think this place is not accessible to people using a wheelchair. The toilets they have are very tiny and not queer-friendly. They have to do better.

Loving hut

I’ve been to this place, The Loving Hut, once. It’s not a fancy restaurants, nor is it very cozy either. When I was there it wasn’t very busy either. However! The food was not expensive and quite good. And if I understood correctly they are a global chain. I love the kitchen, I’d say it’s Asian. And of course, it’s 100% plant-based. For example, they offer vegan Peking Duck, dumplings, pad thai, etc. It’s 100% plant-based. At The Loving Hut in Amsterdam I had a vegan milkshake, a noodle soup and some chocolate cake. All in all, don’t expect a fancy restaurant, but expect good food.
Address: Admiraal de Ruijterweg 334A, 1055MZ Amsterdam.
Accessibility: I don’t remember and I could not find any information on the website. The menu is not in braille.

Mana Mana

I didn’t really know about Mana Mana, because it’s not vegan. They serve animal products like cheese and meat. I have to say, I hate that. But the vegan food on the menu is honestly so amazing that I still love to go to Mana Mana. A colleague of mine introduced me to Mana Mana and I’m very thankful for it. They serve Israeli food. Things like hummus, falafel, baba ghanoush, and many dishes with a load of amazing tahin. You must try the psychedelic cauliflower! All dishes are quite small so that you have a bit of a tapas concept. I personally love that, because you can try many dishes and can share the food. I forgot to take pictures, but this place is so good that I had to share it already (without photos).
Address: they have three locations. 1. Eerste Jan Steenstraat 85H, 1072 NE (the place I’ve personally been to), 2. Frederik Hendrikplatsoen 36, 1052 XS and 3. Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 93HS, 1017 NH.
Accessibility: I’ve only been at the Eerste Jan Steenstraat and that location is not accessible to people using a wheelchair and I have not seen braille on the menu.

Margo’s

Usually, I am not so enthusiastic about bakery’s. I am not so much a breakfast person, as I like savory food and vegan breakfast spots usually have many sweet options. However, I am very enthusiastic about Margo’s. They serve, and they’re the only one in the entire Netherlands who do so, vegan ham-cheese croissants!! So, I had to go there! The first time I failed, because I was a little late and everything was sold out already. They’re extremely popular. But the second time I went a little earlier (around 11:00 AM I think) and I managed to get the croissant. And jee, it did not disappoint! I will come back for this. While I was at Margo’s I did also try something sweet, which was also very good (and I don’t even like sweet foods that much!). Visit Margo’s, and visit early.
Address: Eerste Tuindwarsstraat 2A, 1015RV Amsterdam.
Accessibility: this place is not accessible to people using a wheelchair, they’re a massive step at the entrance and the shop itself is extremely tiny.

Mooshka

Mooshka, a vegan restaurant for soul food, as they call it themselves. Well, they are right. Mooshka offers a mixture of vegan Ethiopian food and classic vegan comfort food. The menu is not too big and that is lovely, no choice stress. I would recommend trying their Injera dish, it’s amazing. And if you have room for a starter, go with the Mooshka’s Tropical Combo platter. I was amazed by this platter. The look of this restaurant is amazing too. It’s small and very cozy.
Address: Van Woustraat 110H, 1073 LS Amsterdam
Accessibility: I don’t think this place is accessible for people who use a wheelchair. The menu is not in braille.

Mr. and Mrs. Watson

It’s been a while since I’ve been here, since it was one of the first places I visited when doing a day trip to Amsterdam. I loved it that one time. I had a sandwich with jackfruit and I remember I tried to make it myself too when I got back home. That did not go well since the food at Mr. and Mrs. Watson is extremely good. I want to go back soon too, since they offer a vegan cheese platter and I’m so curious. Mr. and Mrs. Watson is 100% plant-based and the menu is amazing, I struggled to choose just one thing.
Address: Linnaeuskade 3h, 1098 BC Amsterdam
Accessibility: The menu is not in Braille. I do think the restaurant can be entered by people who use a wheelchair, but they don’t have a proper toilet for people with a disability.

SLA

Another place I discovered just recently and I wish I had been there before. SLA is an organic salad bar which I adore. Healthy, fresh, delicious and organic food, it’s all I want. I have had the Soba So Good bowl recently and I can recommend it to anyone. Also, I think SLA is not too expensive for a place which offers organic food. My bowl costs me 12 euros and it was a massive lunch, I didn’t need dinner anymore that day. The stores are located in multiple places in Amsterdam, so there’s often a store close-by, very convenient.
Address: there are multiple locations in Amsterdam, I think 7 in total.
Accessibility: this differs per location I think, but the menu does not have braille.

Spirit

In 2022 my boyfriend and I went on a holiday to Zwitserland, we visited friends who live there. They took us to the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world, Hiltl in Zürich. It is a restaurant in buffer form (while they also offer a menu), I had never seen anything alike. Once back home I missed it, but it turns out they have something alike in the Amsterdam! Spirit restaurant! It’s a 100% vegetarian and organic restaurant (and most options are vegan) and I absolutely loved it. You pick what you love, weigh the food and then enjoy your meal! It’s self service, which is great. I do think the ambiance could have been better. It’s a really pretty restaurant, but they could make it more cosy. But still, I will re-visit! The food is amazing.
Address: Czaar Peterstraat 2a, 1018 PR Amsterdam
Accessibility: I believe Spirit is accessible to people using a wheelchair. The floor is even and the way to the bathroom is made accessible to wheelchairs. They have a bathroom for people who have a disability.

Vegan Junk Food Bar

I think this is the first vegan food restaurants ever that I visited in Amsterdam. I just had to go there, this place is famous. And well, it lived up to its expectations. The Vegan Junk Food bar is a place for well, amazing vegan junk food. It did not let me down and I don’t even know how often I have visited this place already. It will always be a favorite. I would recommend the Sumo Platter and the classic Kapsalon. This place is always a hit for non-vegans too, when I take anyone there, they love it. And so do I.
Address: The Vegan Junk Food Bar has multiple locations in Amsterdam, 4 in total.
Accessibility: I’ve not been to all locations yet, it differs. The menu is not in braille.

Veganees

The Veganees serves South-Asian food. The menu mainly consists of small side-dishes. The concept is to share a bunch of small dishes, which I love. However, when I went here, this wasn’t really clear to me. My friend and I both ordered one small dish and one main dish. They have three main dishes, so it’s possible. But I wouldn’t recommend that. I thought the main dish was good, but not amazing. And I saw people around me sharing all kinds of small dishes. That is much more fun, you get to taste more things and sharing is just nice to do. I would definitely recommend this restaurant, but I would say: order multiple small dishes, don’t go with the main dishes. The small dishes my friend and I had were amazing. They made nigiri sushi that looks like fish, but it’s actually made out of tomato! How amazing is that.
Address: 1e Constantijn Huygenstraat 45, 1054 BS Amsterdam
Accessibility: If I remember correctly, this place is not accessible to people who use a wheelchair. I know for sure the toilet is not accessible, as it is on another floor and there’s no elevator. I didn’t see braille on the menu.

Vegan sushi bar

Yes people, my dream came true. Sushi is my favorite food and I have been a vegan for over 4 years now. The Vegan Sushi Bar is the best thing ever for a person like me. I’ve been there only once and that’s a shame really. I think I’ll love everything on the menu. I’ve tried two rolls now and both were absolutely amazing. I gave the biggest tip ever, because please, take my money. Keep existing and making vegan sushi. I really hope that one day every city on the planet will have a restaurant like this.
Address: The Vegan Sushi Bar now has two locations in Amsterdam, one at Kinkerstraat 83, 1053 DH Amsterdam and one at Wittenburgergracht 143, 1018 MX Amsterdam.
Accessibility: The menu is not in braille. I don’t think the location at Kinkerstraat is accessible to people who use a wheelchair, the other location I don’t know much about.

Wagamama

If you think about it, Wagamama is not so special, because it is a chain. They have multiple locations in Amsterdam, but also in other Dutch and European cities. Because of that, I would not recommend Wagamama for a special dinner. However, if you’re lacking time, then Wagamama is a great option. It’s fast, not too expensive (in my opinion) and quite healthy as well. It’s a great alternative to those days when you already went sight-seeing the entire day and just want something fast. Forget Burger King and other places which sell crap. Wagamama is great for these nights! But beware, Wagamama is not entirely vegan, but they have vegan options (which are delicious)! That is good to know if you don’t want to support non-vegan restaurants.
Address: multiple places in Amsterdam.
Accessibility: I don’t think the Wagamama restaurants are accessible to people who use a wheelchair. The seats can’t be moved and there is very little space in the restaurant.

Clothing

Then the next category: sustainable clothing. Most of the places in this list are for secondhand clothing since I believe that’s most sustainable. This list is in alphabetical order.

Episode

I think this secondhand shop is most famous, since it also has stores in other European cities, like Paris. This store has a very specific style, but if you like that this is your heaven. I would call it a bit of a vintage, 90’s style. I have bought some great things at Episode, but recently I don’t shop there often anymore. They offer a lot of clothing with brands showing and I try to avoid that. This also makes them quite expensive. But still, Episode is a great place for secondhand clothing.
Address: Episode has multiple stores in Amsterdam, 4 in total.
Accessibility: Some stores are available to people who use a wheelchair, others are not. Berenstraat 1, 1016 GG Amsterdam is not, that I know.

LENA

I love LENA! LENA is a fashion library, so you can lend clothes at this place. Therefore I would say that LENA is only interesting when you live in Amsterdam or nearby. You can get a membership, which costs you 10 euros only once. After that, you only pay for the amount of days you lend clothing. I have done this a few times now, where I lended a dress for a special occasion at LENA. I can highly recommend this for clothing you don’t wear so often. Buying a dress you will wear once is ridiculous. Instead, you can lend it here. When you’re done with the item, you simply return it.
Address: Westerstraat 174H, 1015 MP Amsterdam
Accessibility: Accessible to people who use a wheelchair.

Marbles Vintage

Marbles Vintage is a shop for well, vintage clothing. I have bought beautiful pieces there. I don’t really know how I would define their style. It’s quite random if you’d ask me and I like that. But that also means that you have to be lucky to find something good. I guess this is always the case for secondhand clothing so just visit and see what’s out there.
Address: Haarlemmerdijk 64, 1013 JE Amsterdam & Staalstraat 30, 1011 JM Amsterdam.
Accessibility: A big part of the store at Haarlemmerdijk is not available for people who use a wheelchair. Staalstraat I don’t know.

Zipper

This is a place where I can always score. I have bought sweaters, hats, pants and even earrings here. A good quality of this store, besides that they sell secondhand clothing, is that they also sell dead stock. Dead stock is leftover clothing and accessories from other stores that would otherwise be burnt or thrown away. Therefore you can find a lot of ‘new’ items in this store. I usually buy my earrings here, since secondhand earrings are hard to find. Having a store that sells dead stock is therefore amazing.
Address: Haarlemmerstraat 8, 1013 ER Amsterdam & Huidenstraat 7, 1016 ER Amsterdam.
Accessibility: I don’t know about the Haarlemmerstraat, but the Huidenstraat is not accessible for people who use a wheelchair.

Other Stores

Some stores don’t fit into one category because they offer multiple things. That’s why I listed them here in alphabetical order.

Faire Oosten

Het Faire Oosten is a store that offers just about everything. I see it as a sort of a HEMA, but then everything is ethical and sustainable. I have been there twice now, but I have never bought anything here. That’s because I rarely buy anything new. However, it is still nice to go to this store and see all the ethical and good stuff they offer. I think it’s just fun to see what’s out there. I love this place.
Address: Waldenlaan 208, 1093 NH Amsterdam
Accessibility: I think this place is accessible for people who use a wheelchair.

Sight-Seeing

Whenever I visit a city, there are two things most important. One is good vegan food. The next is nice sight-seeing. I try to avoid going to a city to only go shopping, since I try to move away from a materialistic lifestyle. Amsterdam itself is really pretty because of all the canals. If you want to see the city I would recommend doing a biking tour, eco-friendly and fun! Below are the not-so-obvious sight-seeing options for Amsterdam.

Amsterdamse Bos

This is my happy place. One of the few places where there is much green still in the city. It’s great for walking, biking and running. You can even go swimming here when the weather is good enough. Het Amsterdamse Bos is always pretty, in whatever season. So, whenever you visit Amsterdam, visit this forest. There are also some café’s near the entrance so that’s great for after your walk. Nature is where we thrive best.

Botanical Garden Zuidas

Whenever I am in a city, I do like to visit the green areas. I mean, my aim is to buy nothing new and as little as possible secondhand, so I rarely go shopping. So, whenever I visit a new place I mostly go to restaurants, café’s and green spaces. Botanical Garden Zuidas is such a green space, in the middle of a very grey part of Amsterdam. It is quite big and has all sorts of areas, from Japanese to Dutch and from a greenhouse to outdoors. You can walk around for about an hour, but there’s also a great chilling-area which I personally love. I recently found out you can even get married here.

Fruittuin West

This place, Fruittuin van West, is far off the center of Amsterdam, but I think it’s worthwhile the visit. It’s a picking garden! During about half of the year, you can harvest your own fruits here. It’s a massive garden where you just harvest what you want and afterwards pay for it. There’s a café in the middle and the fruits are organic. There’s also a store in the middle where you can buy all kinds of organic foods. What I loved most about this place is the cute animals that live freely in this garden.

Hortus Botanicus

It turns out that Amsterdam has more than one botanical garden! Hortus Botanicus is the best-known one and I really enjoyed my visit there. I love it when a place is reserved especially for plants and nature. Unlike, Botanical Garden Zuidas, you do have to pay an entrance fee for Hortus Botanicus. 12,50 euros per person. I think that’s a little expensive, but for a nice day-trip it’s actually one of the cheaper options in Amsterdam. I was amazed by all the different plants. Especially the greenhouses (with stairs so you can see everything for above) were really cool!