7 questions x Pieter Smits of restaurant Rijsel in Amsterdam
In the new stories series “Sunday 7” Your Little Black Book interviews special Amsterdammers about their Amsterdam. Ever since the opening of Rijsel I’m a huge fan of this restaurant. Who want to dine at Rijsel must plan in advance. A table is hard to get! This week in the Sunday 7: Pieter Smits (31). Owner of Rijsel, with a love for good food and drinks (especially French wine!), travel, Flanders and Paris.
Best coffee
“I always drink espresso. Especially when it has a drop of acid in it. At coffee Bru at the Beukenplein in Amsterdam East they make great espressos.”
Like to dine at…
“Bordewijk, Toscanini & Gebroeders Hartering.”
Hidden gem
“Wine store Koninginneweg. They sell very special wines. Tip: buy a bottle of wine there and drink it in the Vondelpark with your love.”
Likes to go to…
“The Jordaan! A great neighbourhood for shopping; whether it’s food and drinks or fashion. The vibe is always good, the streets beautiful and you can find some beautiful architecture there. My favourite addresses there are: Slagerij Louman, restaurant Bordewijk and restaurant Toscanini.”
Shopping
“I like to shop at Tenue de Nîmes. Renee and Menno are very relaxed guys. I actually hate shopping, but Tenue de Nîmes has exactly what I like. A one stop shop for me!”
You can wake me up for…
“Bresse Chicken with sauce of duck liver and cep at Rijsel.”
Best restaurant abroad
“L’Air du Temps (Belgium). I recently had a fantastic 9 course lunch there. The Japanese chef combines classic French food with Japanese cooking techniques. The wine-list is incredible with very rare wines on it. The sommelier gave us great advice!”
Favourite songs:
PS: More info on Rijsel.com. Or follow Pieter and Rijsel via @CafeRijsel on Twitter or Facebook!
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Amsterdam Bucketlist
THINGS TO DO:
⋙ Canal Cruise by day or in the evening
⋙ A bike tour through Amsterdam OR Rent a bike by yourself
⋙ The best view over Amsterdam from the A’DAM Lookout
⋙ Visit Artis Royal Zoo
FAVOURITE MUSEUMS:
⋙ Rijksmuseum with the Dutch masters
⋙ Van Gogh Museum, a staple in Amsterdam
⋙ Stedelijk Museum for modern art lovers
⋙ MOCO Museum for street art
⋙ Photography museum FOAM
SEASONAL:
⋙ Amsterdam Light Festival (during winter months)
⋙ Cruise like a local with your own boat (great with good weather!)
ONE OF A KIND:
⋙ Discover the Instagrammable experience WONDR
⋙ Red Light District tour
⋙ Get out of town and into the Dutch country side of Giethoorn
| TIP: Buy an I amsterdam City Card. Save money on entrance fees to museums and attractions, public transport and profit from discounts on everything from restaurants to concerts. You can also skip some lines to make the most of your time in Amsterdam! You can buy a card for 24 hours up to 120 hours. Check the prices here >>
Our favourite hotels:
AFFORDABLE // €
☾ Generator Hostel: the best poshtel of the city located in a park.
☾ The Student Hotel: budget proof in trendy East.
☾ Het Volkshotel: affordable and with a cool rooftop bar.
☾ CitizenM: all you need is that XL bed (location near Amstel is great).
☾ Motel One: budget design hotel with locations at
VERY VERY NICE // €€
☾ Hotel V: with two locations and a great restaurant, in the city center and East.
☾ Sir Adam: with the coolest view over Amsterdam.
☾ Sweets: a unique stay in former bridge houses.
☾ Park Plaza Vondelpark: located next to Vondelpark and beautifully renovated.
☾ Hotel Dwars: small scale around the corner of the trendy Utrechtsestraat.
☾ Pillows Anna van den Vondel: great hotel close to Vondelpark.
☾ Hotel Mercier: new hotel in the cosy and historic Jordaan district.
☾ INK Hotel: lifestyle hotel in the heart of the city.
☾ The Hoxton: favourite lifestyle hotel right on the canals.
☾ Morgan & Mees: boutique hotel in Amsterdam West.
☾ Conscious Hotel Westerpark: in a beautiful building at the industrial Westergas area.
☾ QO Amsterdam: eco design hotel with a great skybar.
TOP LUXURY // €€€
☾ Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam: if you have something to celebrate this is the one.
☾ Pulitzer Amsterdam: on the canals at the border of the Nine Streets and the Jordaan.
☾ L’Europe: this hotel has the best spa with a view in Amsterdam.
☾ Conservatorium Hotel: located in one of the most beautiful buildings in town.
☾ W Amsterdam: with great restaurants and a rooftop bar with swimming pool.
Let’s get social
I really hope you enjoy your time in Amsterdam! On my Instagram account @yourlbb you can find more recommendations and new hotspots in town.
Follow @yourlbb on Instagram
| PS: Traveling to Amsterdam with kids? My other website Travelkids.co & @travelkids.co is dedicated to family friendly travel. Check it out here >>
