Seek and find
VanOost Amsterdam: fine dining with international allure in Amsterdam East
The view of the stately building alone is stunning, and we haven't even mentioned the interior of the Pillows Hotel on Mauritskade. VanOost Amsterdam is part of it, and it takes things even further. Not only thanks to the stunning setting, but also thanks to the unique creations of chef Floris van Straalen.
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Ambience and interior at VanOost Amsterdam
Upon entering VanOost Amsterdam, you're welcomed into an aperitif room (yes, the building is enormous, and they've made good use of it). You'll also find an open kitchen with a marble bar where you can sit down for dinner. In one corner stands an impressive cheese cart with an impressive selection, and the decor has been meticulously thought out and no expense spared. The fifteen-meter-high ceilings make the restaurant even more impressive, if that's possible. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the staff is friendly and clearly enthusiastic about what they have to offer.
© VanOost, @vanoostrestaurant
© VanOost, @vanoostrestaurant
© VanOost, @vanoostrestaurant
Menu and dishes at VanOost
Chef Floris van Straalen previously worked at Envy and Felix Meritis. Now he's at the helm of his own VanOost restaurant, where flavors from around the world converge in his kitchen. Anyone who thinks the menu primarily features tastings from the other side of the world is mistaken: the amuse-bouche with Kesbeke's pickles (an Amsterdam icon) is perhaps the biggest hit. The poached oysters are also sourced locally, whenever possible.
Every course—from meat to fish and vegetarian, provided you specify in advance—is a feast for the eyes. The kitchen team works with the utmost precision, complete with tweezers, nitrogen, and ingredients so finely chopped you wouldn't have guessed it was possible.
Their lunch menu offers four to six courses, and dinner offers six to nine courses. A la carte is also an option, but if you're there, go for the chef's menu for the ultimate experience.
VanOost is perfect for an extensive dinner
At VanOost, you'll want to set aside a few hours for a special evening. There's a one-hour lunch option if you choose the four-course menu. The latter is perfect for a business meeting, while dinner is a delicious treat for loved ones and friends.
Tip: you can also find these (new) restaurants in East
© VanOost, @vanoostrestaurant
© VanOost, @vanoostrestaurant
LET'S GET SOCIAL
Follow @yourlbb on Instagram
MOOD 👀, I woke up really early today and was just scrolling through my photos of Bangkok 🌴.
Then I thought: how nice would it be if we shared our booked and wishlist destinations for inspiration?
Here's a safari in Malawi & Zimbabwe 🐆 in the books with a stopover in Nairobi.
I'm also going to Paris for a few nights by train with Manuel. So excited! I'm going to visit all the Parisian clichés and more with him ✌🏼.
Also on the wishlist: China (May holiday), midweek Athens & coast (summer), London (always a good idea), Amalfi & Rome (Manuel's dream for the autumn holiday) & Japan (Christmas holiday including skiing, tips welcome☺️).
My intention for 2026 is also to plan more fun days/nights away in the Netherlands.
And I would love to go to Japan solo, but well... first I have to get back to work 😅😉.
Speaking off: happy new week!!
I'd love to daydream about your travel plans.
????
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
I have a nice garden and a nice summer day 🖤
March = the month in which my favourite Sunday markets start up again in full swing.
So my Sunday plans are quickly made: stroll along stalls, discover new food trucks and go home with a bag full of organic products or a good vintage find.
What I love about it? Every market has its own vibe.
• @feelgoodmarket for creativity and live music in Eindhoven
• Vintage heaven at @ijhallen
• @sundaymarket with creative makers and food trucks
• Curated vintage & design gems at @cabinetamsterdam
• @fairpricedvintage for scoring vintage clothing at many locations in the Netherlands
Have fun!
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
Follow @yourlbb for the best markets, restaurants, travel guides, and more tips to make the most of your free time.
#sundaymarket #marketsinthenetherlands #vintagemarket #weekendtips #yourlittleblackbook
If you only go to one terrace in Amsterdam this weekend, make it @caferestaurant.meyer! What a great addition to the Amstelveld 😍.
Open from 10am, a very nice lunch menu, a wine list with a bottle of rosé for €20, but also olive ice cream with caviar (incredibly delicious!).
I'll be back soon to try the evening menu as well.
Tip: you can make a reservation on the terrace!
And did I mention there's a playground next door?
Have a nice weekend 😘
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
PS: Follow @yourlbb & @yourlbb.amsterdam for more Amsterdam tips and travel guides to destinations around the world.
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Best terrace in Amsterdam, best new terrace in Amsterdam, lunch in Amsterdam, family friendly Amsterdam
My fav spot for freddo cappuccino in Amsterdam that transports me back to Greece.
Add a slice of spanakopita and you have the best breakfast to enjoy along the Amstel river.
My motto for the coming spring is to take more walks, so expect a lot of recs for coffee and other drinks to go in this new series! ☀️
Where should I go next?
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟱, 𝟲, 𝟳 & 𝟴
The first weekend in Amsterdam that actually feels like spring? I can't wait to spend time on the terrace this weekend and just cycle around town and go to the market for some shopping in the sun :-) 🌞.
YES dears; I'm back from vacation and fully ready for Dutch spring, long lunches and spontaneous dates with my favorite city Amsterdam.
This weekend is packed with fun things to do! From an Italian market in West with @zicami_market, to the @tableware.amsterdam pop-up sale, treasure hunting at the @ijhallen and the @nocknock.art fair. There's something for every day!
And is it just me, or is the wave of new restaurant openings huge this year? In the full weekend guide I keep a weekly updated list of the new places to check out.
The following:
📍 @caferestaurant.meyer
📍 @bouillondamsterdam
📍 @weinlokalstern
📍 @voorwaarts
💬 Comment 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗗 and I'll send you the full Amsterdam Weekend Guide with 55 tips straight to your DMs.
Have fun making plans!
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
Follow @yourlbb for the best Amsterdam hotspots, new restaurants, weekend tips and travel inspiration in The Netherlands and beyond. Only Amsterdam tips? Then check out @yourlbb.amsterdam.
I love my mother-in-law and I love her mother-in-law ❄️
Note to self: always leave room in your suitcase for souvenirs. During my ski trip to Méribel, I popped into the local pharmacy just before leaving, and these are the beauty products I took home.
They've been tested extensively and are all more than YLBB-approved. Save them for your next trip to France (or your online beauty store).
Which souvenirs always make it back in your suitcase? I'm curious!
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
PS: Follow @yourlbb for tons of tips on how to make the most of your free time — from travel tips to travel guides and more.
𝗩𝗢𝗢𝗥𝗝𝗔𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗩𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗘 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘: 𝟯𝟬+ 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀
Spring break = sun, rain, hail, and everything in between. But don't stress: I've got a super comprehensive guide ready for you with 30+ tips for fun things to do together in Amsterdam and throughout the Netherlands.
From creative workshops to children's films that you will also like, indoor playgrounds and rainproof museums.
After years of testing hotspots with my own son, I know one thing: good planning and fun things to do together every day makes your holiday so much more enjoyable.
Via my link in bio you will find the direct links to the complete guides on 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞.𝗺𝗲 with all the details + many more tips to make every holiday a party.
Have fun!
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
Follow @yourlbb for tons of tips to make the most of your free time, from restaurants to travel guides, and regular updates on the best kid-friendly tips. And have you spotted @yourlbb.amsterdam yet? The dedicated account for my love of Amsterdam 🫶🏼.
The following: 𝗠𝗲́𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗹 ❄️
Looking for a stylish winter sports destination in France? Méribel is one of those places where everything is perfect: beautiful ski-in/ski-out hotels, excellent restaurants on and off the slopes, wonderful spas, and, if you're feeling energetic, après-ski.
I was there for a weekend without my little FAM, but I knew straight away: this is also perfect for the whole family thanks to the many green and blue slopes, so we will definitely go back!
Below are the Méribel tips you'll want to save 👇🏼
**Illegible**
⦁ @lecoucoumeribel 📷
⦁ @refugedelatraye
⦁ @lachaudannemeribel
⦁ @lekailameribel
𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚
⦁ @beefbar.meribel
⦁ @leblanchot.vt
⦁ @tipimeribel
⦁ @leclosbernard_
⦁ @maya_altitude
⦁ @le_monchu & their food truck
𝗢𝗙𝗙 𝗦𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚
⦁ @fifi.meribel
⦁ Biancaneve in @lecoucoumeribel
⦁ L'Ekrin* in @lekailameribel
⦁ @la_fromagerie_meribel
⦁ @brasseriele80
⦁ @liliebistrotmeribel
𝗔𝗣𝗥𝗘̀𝗦 𝗦𝗞𝗜
A long lunch at La Fruitière and then dancing on the tables at @foliedoucemeribel. Just because we can.
'𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗥' 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚
⦁ No trip to France is complete without a stop at the local Pharmacy for the best beauty brands.
⦁ And have you even been to France if you don't take home some cheese and charcuterie as souvenirs ;-).
𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗟𝗟 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘
⦁ Spa day @lecoucoumeribel (can also be booked outside the season for non-hotel guests!).
⦁ Nuxe Spa @lekailameribel
I am
⦁ Take a walk through the Lac de Tuéda nature reserve and have lunch at @la_buvette_de_tueda.
⦁ A must: book the First Track and be the first on the slopes at sunrise (incl. breakfast).
𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘
Taking the train to your ski holiday? I say go for it! Door-to-door via Paris (Eurostar + TGV + bus) to Méribel in just over 10 hours. I found it very relaxing!
And of course it would be even more fun to add a night in Paris to it next time.
Save these tips if you're a winter sports lover like me 🫶🏼.
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
PS: Follow @yourlbb for more travel guides packed with places you can truly trust.
#presstrip #invited by @meribel3vallees
𝗔𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟭𝟵, 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟭 & 𝟮𝟮
While I'm currently hopping from hotel to hotel and neighborhood to neighborhood in Bangkok (all in the name of “research” and new food hotspots for the new LITTLE BLACK BOOK 😉). Back home, Amsterdam is serving peak weekend vibes.
Think: Dim Sum Sunday in Noord, vibrant Chinese New Year celebrations across the city and a Vietnamese Tết feast at @yen.diningbar. Add market gems like the @le.temps.perdu.brocante pop-up in Oud-West and @themakermarket at De Hallen, and your weekend basically plans itself.
And yes, make time for ARTIS: there are now two elephant calves and they're too cute. 🐘🐘 Instant serotonin incoming, I promise!
💬 Comment 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗗 to get the full Weekend Guide with 71 things to do in Amsterdam in your DMs.
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
PS: Follow @yourlbb for the best food hotspots, travel inspiration and things to do in The Netherlands and beyond. And for all Amsterdam tips, don't forget @yourlbb.amsterdam.
Happy Lunar New Year from Bangkok!
🥹 yellow lion in the third frame 🫶🏼❤️
#liondance #lunarnewyear #centralworld #bangkok #chinesenewyear lion dance performance at central world bangkok for lunar new year 2026
My small tiny Thai wedding 🥰
Krabi 27-12-23 / Amsterdam 14-12-24
Still so glad we had a rather spontaneous elopement wedding in Thailand with just the three of us during the Christmas holidays instead of staying engaged forever ❤️. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Happy V-day 😘
𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 🧧
The new lunar year begins on February 17th, and in the Netherlands, Chinese New Year (as you might know it) is becoming increasingly celebrated.
From lion and dragon dances in The Hague and on @dezeedijk in Amsterdam to full-on Oriental dinners at @rongastrobar. Looking for something creative? Check out the weekend full of workshops and a fun photo booth at the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Check out all the tips for Lunar New Year in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague in this guide!
✖️✖️✖️
🖊️ @anne_de_buck
PS: I'll be in Bangkok for Lunar New Year! Want to follow my Thailand trip? Tune in via @yourlbb 🖤 And have you spotted @yourlbb.amsterdam yet, the dedicated account for my love of Amsterdam 🫶🏼?
#lunarnewyear2026 #chinesenewyear #yourlittleblackbook #chinatown
@nomansart @amstelhotel @hoitin1975 @wereldmuseum.amsterdam @cafewu.ams @anantarakrasnapolsky @wereldmuseum.rotterdam @rotterdamchinesenewyear
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