I\u2019ve been meaning to write a series of in-depth Amsterdam neighbourhood guides<\/a> for years, but then I realised there\u2019s only one neighbourhood I really know in that level of detail: my own. I live in Amsterdam Oost \u2013 known by international visitors at Amsterdam East \u2013 but within that fairly large stadsdeel<\/em> there\u2019s probably a square kilometre that I know better than any other. I think of it as being bordered by Oosterpark to the north, Transvaalkade to the south, the Amstel river to the west and Oostpoort to the east. What follows is a guide not to the fanciest restaurants or the most popular bars, but to my personal favourites: neighbourhood pizza joints, hidden gem restaurants and cosy wine bars that can count on my custom, plus the hotels that I book friends and family into when they come to visit.<\/p>\n I live in a typical Amsterdam apartment, which means there\u2019s not a whole lot of room for visitors. They usually book into one of my recommended hotels in the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n Nestled into a leafy square just off Wibautstraat,\u00a0Alba\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0extensive, covered terrace is perfect for warm evenings. There\u2019s a varied menu of natural, organic wines by the glass, which the servers will let you taste before you decide if you ask nicely. But for those who fancy themselves as sommeliers, there\u2019s an expansive list of wines by the bottle to select from. On the food front, Alba is hard to categorise. We tried a perfectly devilled egg, which felt classically French, but later ate an Asian fusion dish of fresh peas with tofu and crispy chilli oil, side by side with Italian ricotta gnocchi and courgette. And finished up with hanger steak with spiced sweet potato pur\u00e9e and chipotle dressing. It\u2019s been just as good (and varied) on every visit since.<\/p>\n Ricotta gnocchi with courgette at Alba<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Every six months, the aptly named restaurant Nomads<\/a> in Oostpoort takes you on a culinary journey through a different country, serving you four, five or six courses. The first night I visited, that journey was to Jordan. The Nomads Experience started with three mezze-style dishes: sweet \u2018n spicy muhammara<\/em> (red pepper and walnut paste); fragrant falafel with yoghurt dip; and smooth but simple hummus \u2013 all excellent, and all served with fluffy, warm, whole-wheat pitas. The subsequent courses included razor clams spiked with preserved lemons; lamb tartare with onions and capers; and soft, smoky aubergine with a coriander and basil dressing. The main courses of cauliflower and labneh<\/em> and grilled duck with beetroot were just as delightful, and the service was spectacular too. The experience has been equally marvellous when I\u2019ve been back for the Portuguese and Vietnamese editions on subsequent occasions.<\/p>\n Mezze at Nomads in Oostpoort<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Not far from Nomads, restaurant Roef<\/a> has been delivering accomplished cooking since day one. The menu is made up of small bites, medium-sized \u00e0 la carte dishes, and large sharing plates (or you can opt for the chef\u2019s menu) \u2013 allowing you to try a bit of everything. The \u201cBites\u201d all offered a pop of small but perfectly formed flavour: Asian oysters were umami-sweet with miso and spring onion, kaassouffl\u00e9<\/em> was laced with jalapeno and truffle, and steak tartare on slices of brioche was accented with sesame and bottarga. Next, we tried an elegant presentation of red gurnard with yellow beetroot discs and buttermilk sauce studded with jalapeno and lime gel (perhaps my favourite dish of the evening). The brandade<\/em> was reminiscent of a Portuguese cod croquette, but served with Dutch witlof<\/em> and a punchy salsa verde<\/em>. While an earthy, autumnal salad of red beetroot, blackberries, hazelnuts and goat yoghurt brought a welcome hit of veggies. Lastly, we shared the \u201cTomapork\u201d main: essentially a hefty pork chop with a savoury red onion and mustard seed chutney, plus chips and Brussels sprouts.<\/p>\n Pretty as a picture: Roef\u2019s red gurnard & yellow beetroot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I was eating out with my parents, and Mr Foodie Senior (aka my dad) was effusive in his praise for the contrasting flavours of the small dishes, plus their juxtaposition with the hearty meat \u2018n chips main. And if he\u2019s happy, I\u2019m happy!<\/p>\n Krugerplein is an underrated square in Oost, but it\u2019s one I pass through frequently \u2013 spotting the old men playing boules in the dappled shade. It\u2019s also home to Omri<\/a>: a Mediterranean bistro with a generous sunny terrace that transports you straight to southern Europe. I loved Omri\u2019s hand-rolled vine leaves with labneh, gently yielding fish cakes, nutty roasted spitskool<\/em> and smoky contrefilet<\/em> \u2013 not to mention the spritzy southern cocktails. Their wine list is short but well-curated, with high-quality yet affordable wines from Valencia, Sicily and the South of France (although their wine temperature control could do with some work). Omri isn\u2019t flashy or overrun with influencers; it\u2019s just getting on with the business of looking after its local guests with Mediterranean flavours and southern hospitality.<\/p>\n Troef<\/a> has quickly become one of Amsterdam\u2019s most sought-after dining spots, often fully booked despite its tucked-away location off the River Amstel. What makes Troef special is not only its warm and inviting atmosphere \u2013 a mix of ski chalet charm, French bistro elegance and Dutch caf\u00e9 cosiness \u2013 but also its wine cellar. With glass walls on all sides giving guests a voyeuristic view of a truly impressive collection of bottles, Troef\u2019s wine cellar is a genuine draw for people like me. Meanwhile, the food is creative yet casual, with signature dishes like Giethoorn eel with crispy potatoes and horseradish foam, complemented by a glass of German Pinot Blanc. Or lobster with an antiboise<\/em> of baby artichokes, cherry tomatoes, creamy bisque and zesty orange, alongside a crisp, steely Chablis. A lovely spot to take your parents, a date or someone special.<\/p>\n Giethoorn eel: one of Troef\u2019s best-loved dishes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On perhaps my favourite square, Beukenplein, you\u2019ll find\u00a0Clos<\/a> \u2013 a convivial wine bar with a cosy interior and a covered, heated terrace outside (I believe they even provide blankets in winter). The wines by the glass are arranged to make it easy to select one you\u2019re bound to like, and the staff are extremely helpful with recommendations \u2013 including off-menu suggestions. There are plenty of top-notch snacks to nibble while you tipple: think good-quality charcuterie and cheeses, lotus root tempura, porchetta-style veal with fennel and tarragon \u2013 and some more substantial main dishes as well. I enjoyed the buttery Roussillon Chardonnay and crunchy Cab Franc that we drank at Clos recently, but the wines have been fantastic on every other occasion I\u2019ve visited as well.<\/p>\n Expert wine recommendations and high-end hapjes at Clos<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Down an unassuming side street near Amstel station you\u2019ll find Le Due Sicili\u00eb<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a Sicilian restaurant with all the warmth and sunshine in their food and service that you\u2019d expect from Italy\u2019s southernmost island. On various visits over the years, I\u2019ve tried their\u00a0pulpo\u00a0<\/em>(octopus), parmigiana di melanzane <\/em>(cheesy baked aubergines), ziti<\/em>\u00a0pasta with a rich and meaty tomato-based sauce, tagliatelle with prawns and pistachio (a typically Sicilian combination) and many more delicious dishes. Everything has been spectacular, especially when washed down with a well-rounded glass of Nero d\u2019Avola.<\/p>\n The mouthwatering pulpo at Le Due Sicilie<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Pazzi Oost<\/a> is a casual neighbourhood pizzeria that I frequently end up in with my group of girlfriends after a swim in the Amstel in summer or a brisk dog walk in winter. Located on Steve Bikoplein, it has a wood-fired brick oven (which makes it very cosy in winter) \u2013 turning out pizza classics like the\u00a0capricciosa<\/em>\u00a0(with prosciutto, artichokes and mushrooms), the\u00a0tartufo<\/em>\u00a0(with truffle sauce, fontina cheese and ham) and the salsiccia<\/em> (with fennel sausage, rocket and parmesan). I\u2019ve also never been disappointed by their daily changing\u00a0pizza van de dag<\/em>, mixed antipasti or\u00a0sgroppino<\/em>.\u00a0And the service is always lovely and welcoming (including to my little Yorkie).<\/p>\n Capricciosa pizza at Pazzi Oost<\/p>\n<\/div>\n One of the few truly British restaurants in Amsterdam,\u00a0The Cottage<\/a> is a lovely spot for breakfast, afternoon tea or Sunday roast \u2013 just on the edge of Watergraafsmeer. I generally order one of the egg-based dishes: scrambled eggs with hot-smoked salmon, horseradish and watercress, perhaps. Or Bombay eggs with Indian spices, coriander and pickled red onion. But The Cottage also serves a Full English for those with a hearty appetite in the morning. If you\u2019re not too full, be sure to order their scones with proper English clotted cream and homemade jam for dessert. A taste of my childhood.<\/p>\n Proper lamb pie at The Cottage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n With its sunny terrace on the Amstel river, The Greek Embassy<\/a> is always busy (especially in summer). But you\u2019re not just here to catch rays. Their taram\u00e1salata<\/em> is smoky-meets-creamy, savoury and delicious with lightly toasted pita. Their courgette fritters are light, fluffy and delightful with the accompanying fresh tzatziki. And their mixed grill is a meaty, succulent combo of beef patties, lamb chops and more. The Greek Embassy also serves good coffees and Greek wines, which you don\u2019t come across too often in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n Greek gezelligheid at The Greek Embassy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019ve been meaning to write a series of in-depth Amsterdam neighbourhood guides for years, but then I realised there\u2019s only one neighbourhood I really know in that level of detail: my own. I live in Amsterdam Oost \u2013 known by international visitors at Amsterdam East \u2013 but within that fairly large stadsdeel there\u2019s probably a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7076594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11765],"tags":[12628,5971,10009,18944,4761],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7076593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amsterdam","tag-amsterdam","tag-east","tag-eat","tag-oost","tag-stay"],"yoast_head":"\nWhere to stay in Amsterdam Oost<\/h2>\n
Budget-friendly hotels in Oost<\/h3>\n
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Splash-out hotels in Oost<\/h3>\n
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Where to eat in Amsterdam Oost<\/h2>\n
Alba<\/h3>\n
![\"Ricotta](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Ricotta-gnocchi-with-courgette-at-Alba.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNomads<\/h3>\n
![\"Nomads](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Nomads-where-to-eat-in-Amsterdam-east.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRoef<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Roef-restaurant-Watergraafsmeer-1024x628.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOmri<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Omri-restaurant-Amsterdam-668x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTroef<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Troef-restaurant-Amsterdam-656x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\nClos<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Clos-Amsterdam-wine-bar-752x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLe Due Sicili\u00eb<\/h3>\n
![\"Le](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Le-Due-Sicilie-Italian-food-in-Amsterdam.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPazzi Oost<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Pazzi-Oost-pizza-in-Amsterdam-664x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Cottage<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/The-Cottage-English-restaurant-Amsterdam.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Greek Embassy<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Greek-Embassy-1024x656.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLooking for tips elsewhere in Amsterdam? Read my broader neighbourhood guide<\/a> or find all my culinary recommendations in my Amsterdam Restaurant & Wine Guides<\/a>.<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"