park has one of the best terraces in amsterdam by a long stroke!
The opening of the beautiful restaurant PARK at Hotel Arena next to the pretty Oosterpark was one of the things we looked most forward to next year. I live on a mere five minute walk from the Oosterpark and there’s nothing I love more than to walk around in the park on a Saturday or Sunday morning. And preferably have a coffee or a nice brunch after at PARK. Now that the rebuilding of Hotel Arena is almost done, the restaurant also got a new concept. The team of Chefs now cook a plant-based menu with local ingredients. And the ‘local’ part is taken very literally at PARK Café Restaurant! Because they planted a vegetable and herbs garden in the garden of Hotel Arena, where they harvest a part of the dishes from.
this is what you can expect at the new park Café Restaurant
The beautiful (and very Instagram proof) interior hasn’t changed a thing. And gladly so! My favourite spots in the restaurant are the marble tables in front of the window and of course the lovely terrace. It makes me feel like I’m not in Amsterdam, but in a metropole and sometimes my mind wanders and I pretend like I’m in Central Park, New York.
Like I’ve mentioned before you’ll find lots of dishes on the new menu where vegetable play a large part. So if you like to eat vegetarian then this is a great hotspot to visit. Even with your friends who do like to eat fish or meat, because the menu of PARK Café Restaurant has a nice mix of dishes so it’s everyone’s cup of tea. And the best part is: all dishes can be ordered the whole day through. From breakfast to dinner!
Besides the regular menu PARK also has an extensive snack menu. What I personally love about that are the white and red sangrias that you can order. So fresh! And if you’re with your friends you can also order them per pitcher. Perfect for Friday afternoon drinks or a more elaborate occasion with friends in the weekend is you ask me!
Sangria cocktails
Of course I went to PARK recently to extendedly test the menu for you so check out the photos below to see which dishes we recommend. Have fun!
Kataifi gambas + Cherry tomatoes & pistache lollys
Cherry tomatoes & pistache lollys
Fennel salad
Tartine with salmon + carrots harvested from their own garden
Tartine with salmon
PARK cheesecake with raspberries, yogurt sorbet & lemon thyme
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 >>
