New in Town (September 2026)

BARS & CAFÉS

Editor's Pick: Arte Vanilia

Good news for those with a sweet tooth: at the end of the Kinkerstraat you’ll find Arte Vanilia, an Italian pasticceria and ice-cream parlour run by Simone Terontoli and Giulia De Iorio. The world of ice cream isn’t entirely new to Giulia: she previously gained experience at Massimo Gelato in De Pijp and at Miuz on the Overtoom. Simone used to make cocktails and draws on that experience when coming up with new ice-cream flavours. Such as Zabaglione, inspired by the Italian dessert of the same name made with Marsala wine. Naturally, I sampled that one first: lovely and fresh, slightly creamy and with a subtle boozy undertone. Then it was time to try the dolci. That’s the downside of my job: having to work my way through a whole range of Italian sweet treats. The tiramisu, biscotti and zuppa are my favourites. And soon perhaps the panettone too, which Giulia will make and sell herself. So I’ll have to come back for that. But first, it’s time to recover from this round.

Arte Vanilia | open Monday 15:30 - 22:00, Tuesday-Sunday 14:00 - 22:00 | price range €-€€ | Kinkerstraat 368H

Thai Mango Moon

For mango lovers

NK Thai Noodles has recently gained a sister venue: Thai Mango Moon, Amsterdam’s first Thai dessert café. While NK focuses on savoury noodle dishes, sweet snacks take centre stage here, with the star of the show being mangoes. These aren’t sourced from just any wholesaler around the corner, either, but brought in directly from Thailand. That makes them extra sweet and refreshing. The big crowd-pleaser here is mango sticky rice: soft sticky rice with creamy coconut and mango. Those wanting to try something different can go for coconut pudding or mango cake. And of course, you can wash it down with a Thai milk tea: a sweet, creamy iced tea that’s a favourite in Thailand.

Thai Mango Moon | open Monday–Saturday 12:00–21:00 | price range €–€€ | Weteringschans 187DH

Bar Francois

In a cosy corner premises on Douwes Dekkerstraat, Bar Francois has recently opened: a welcoming wine bar with a French feel. Here, you can imagine yourself in Paris for a while. Order a natural wine, grab something tasty to nibble on (the frittata with cheese and olives is superb here) and enjoy a good chat with your friends. A lovely place to start or end the evening.

Bar Francois | open Wednesday-Saturday 16:00 - 01:00 | price range €-€€ | Douwes Dekkerstraat 22H

Bakeries

Saint Madeleine

Have three guesses what you eat at Sainte Madeleine. That’s right: madeleines. On Elandsgracht, these French cakes come fresh from the oven all day, baked according to grandma’s recipe. Alongside the classic vanilla version, there are also madeleines with chocolate, lemon, orange and strawberry, plus a new special every month. Eat them warm here with a specialty coffee, or save them for your guilty pleasure series. Très bien, right?

Sainte Madeleine | open Monday–Friday, 8:00–18:00 | price range €–€€ | Elandsgracht 4H

RESTAURANTS

Satkara

What do you get when three friends translate their love of Indian and Nepalese cuisine into fine dining? The answer is Satkara. This new restaurant on Reguliersdwarsstraat gives familiar dishes from both cuisines a refined twist. A good example is Nepalese momo, a kind of steamed dough dumpling with various fillings, and palak paneer, a spicy spinach curry with Indian cheese. As a vegetarian, I naturally had to try the latter. And, honestly, it didn’t disappoint. As well as à la carte, at Satkara you can also opt for a tasting menu. A good alternative for anyone who invariably regrets their own order as soon as someone else’s food arrives.

Satkara | open Tuesday-Sunday, 17:00 - 23:00 | price range €-€€ | Reguliersdwarsstraat 88

Nara Nara

Nara Nara recently opened on Dapperplein. It is the restaurant of chef Saïd, who previously worked in the kitchen at Mana Mana in De Pijp and West. Saïd spent his childhood on a farm in Egypt, where he learned to harvest herbs and vegetables. He brings that experience to his dishes, which make extensive use of fresh, plant-based ingredients. Be sure to try the shakshuka, falafel and baba ganoush here, as you won’t want to miss classics like these.

Fun fact: Nara Nara refers to the word nar, the Egyptian word for fire. People have always gathered around the fire for warmth, stories and food. That idea forms the basis of this restaurant: coming together, sharing and enjoying.

Nara Nara | open Wednesday–Friday, 17:30–23:00, Saturday 12:00–00:00 | price range €–€€ | Dapperplein 25

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