AMSTERDAM. Home of canals and clogs, tulips, windmills and … coffee shops that don't sell coffee.
But following a Copenhagen-esque trajectory, there is a changing of the guard here, and the city is now also home to several intriguing food experiences.
Young, fun, dynamic chefs, producers and sommeliers are bursting onto the scene, ready to challenge a traditional and arguably overly cautious landscape. Third-wave coffee shops are everywhere now (the ones actually selling coffee), while wine bars have sprouted up offering natural, interesting options by the glass. Small plates can be ordered at hole-in-the-wall spots, while larger format and shared dining options boast grand venues in greenhouses, converted warehouses or repurposed facebrick buildings. It's progressive stuff, with the kind of offerings you might expect to find in “trendier” European food cities like Paris, London, Berlin or Barcelona.
There's a shift in Amsterdam, and it's an exciting one.
Part of this, of course, is storytelling. New personalities looking to stamp their philosophies onto each plate rely on the messages behind it. Margot Janse is arguably the best South African example of a chef
