The coziest restaurants and cafés in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid

Oud-Zuid is one of Amsterdam’s most beautiful and affluent neighborhoods and is part of the Zuid district. The neighborhood is located south of Vondelpark. You can recognize the neighborhood by its wide boulevards, historic buildings, fine restaurants, cozy cafés, unique boutiques, and famous museums. Living in Oud-Zuid is therefore a dream for many. The highlights of the neighborhood are: Vondelpark, P.C. Hooftstraat with all its luxury shops, the Olympic Stadium which is still in use, the Concertgebouw where concerts are regularly held, and of course the world-famous Rijksmuseum. Read this blog to discover the coziest restaurants and cafés in the Amsterdam Oud-Zuid neighborhood!

CAFÉ GARÇON

Two French friends opened the bistro Café Garçon on Johannes Verhulststraat in 2022. Café Garçon serves French classics as well as contemporary dishes and snacks with a French twist. Café Garçon aims to share its love of French cuisine and culture with the local community.  

You can come here for lunch, drinks, and dinner. For lunch, we offer omelets, open-faced toasts, baguettes, and brioches. For dinner, we serve classic French dishes such as French onion soup with Gruyère croutons, escargots in homemade herb butter, and moules frites. Contemporary dishes and snacks with a French twist include: pulled pork bitterballen with Dijon mustard and grilled green asparagus with a Parmesan crunch, hollandaise sauce, poached egg, and black truffle.

The menu and the interior complement each other perfectly. The interior has the feel of a French bistro, featuring antique tiles, distinctive lamps, and wooden furniture. 

JULES AND JULIETTE

Jules and Juliette are two restaurants that form a duo on Valeriusplein. Juliette serves breakfast and lunch, while Jules is the perfect spot to end the evening with dinner or drinks. The cuisine is Mediterranean, featuring a shared-dining concept.

At Juliette, you can choose from croissants, yogurt with granola and fresh fruit, or sourdough with mashed avocado or scrambled eggs and Parmesan for breakfast. For lunch, you can order a variety of sandwiches and salads, and for dinner, your options include entrecôte, sea bass fillet, bimi, and oven-roasted caramelized carrots. As the icing on the cake, Jules and Juliette bake the bread themselves in the production kitchen below the restaurant, even making the dough from scratch!

The interior design reflects a Southern European aesthetic. It features extensive use of wood, and the color palette includes beige, turquoise, and blue. Planning a party? Juliette is also available for private events.

SIMPLY FISH

Simply Fish is located on Koninginneweg in Oud-Zuid. True to its name, the restaurant specializes in fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. The fresh ingredients come from the Oosterschelde and are sustainably and line-caught whenever possible. The successful concept originated in the port of Goes, in Zeeland, and moved to Amsterdam a few years ago.

Simply Fish is open for lunch and dinner. The menu offers a wide variety of dishes, ranging from sushi, lobster, and mango to pasta vongole and sole. Simply Fish has also catered to meat lovers, so you can order steak tartare or Black Angus tournedos. In addition, there is an extensive wine list featuring wines from all over the world. Finally, there are delicious desserts to finish your meal, including madeleines prepared à la minute or a dame blanche.

As soon as you walk in, you’ll see the marble bar, and the high ceilings immediately catch your eye.

The interior is modern and has a warm, cozy feel. The tables are made of marble and the chairs are upholstered in velvet. A real eye-catcher is the tiled wall featuring a fish design.

CAFÉ SOUTH

Like Simply Fish, Café Zuid is located on Koninginneweg. As they describe it, the kitchen offers French bistro-style cuisine with a shared dining concept. The menu features international dishes and is seasonally inspired. They use fresh, local ingredients, with fresh vegetables and herbs, the finest cuts of meat, and the best breads sourced directly from local farms.

For lunch, you can choose from American pancakes, croissants, and generously filled sandwiches, such as smoked salmon and oyster mushroom. For dinner, there’s a variety of vegetarian, meat, and fish dishes. Vegetarian options include gnocchi with truffle cream sauce and Parmesan, while meat and fish dishes include a smash burger and sea bass. For drinks, you can order delicious bites, including nachos and shrimp croquettes.

Café Zuid is versatile; not only are you welcome for lunch, drinks, and dinner, but you can also rent a space for a party or meeting. You can even take a cocktail workshop there! The restaurant has a warm and cozy atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the tiled bar with large wicker lamps hanging above it.