VeganOut in Amsterdam: De Bolhoed

If October was uninspiring, then November and the start of December were down right tragic. The Nice-Cannes marathon that I had such high hopes for ended up being a flop (with 90kmh winds being one of many problems that I didn’t manage to overcome to break the four-hour mark) and I was laid off (which I’m told might be the best thing that ever happened, but the jury is still out). I’m still contemplating whether or not I should keep running marathons, but there was one positive moment of the month — going home to the US for Thanksgiving!

On our flight over we had a very long layover in Amsterdam and were planning to go into the city for lunch. I bargained with Alexei to try a vegan place, and we were not disappointed! If you end up in Amsterdam on a layover or vacation, you have to go to De Bolhoed (it means a “Bowler’s Hat” since the restaurant used to be a hat shop)!

When we walked in at exactly noon we were a little put off by the service as no one even greeted us at first. They warmed up though, even trying to find us a some chicory because we couldn’t remember what it was. I had heard great things about De Bolhoed’s vegan croissant, so I ordered that and Alexei took the quiche (non-vegan, but vegetarian).

Chicory soup and strange decor, but that’s ok by me.

The croissant was really more like a giant vegan hot pocket from heaven and everything that surrounded it was like a vegan feast of gods. I’m not exaggerating and I was so glad that I seemed to still have the metabolism of a racehorse post-marathon, because it was a lot of food. Alexei’s quiche was apparently equally delicious, with the right mix of cheese and vegetables and covered in poppy seeds. We both had the same sides so it was fun to discuss each one and guess everything that was in it together… like a scavenger hunt with your mouth!

vegan croissant from heaven

Alexei’s quiche covered in poppy seeds

The interior decoration could be improved, as it is kind of mixed and strange, but overall the place seemed clean and tidy, so I couldn’t really complain about the eclectic vibe going on. I can only imagine the restaurant is equally enjoyable in the summer as it sits just next to a canal near the central area, filled with cute design shops with overpriced goodies.