Brasserie Harkema, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Netherlands 1012 KD
Tel: 31 20 428 2222
www.brasserieharkema.nl
Concierge.com's insider take:
One of the few reliable restaurants near Dam Square, the perennially popular Brasserie Harkema draws a buzzing mix of young locals, professionals, tourists, and everyone in between. Part of the attraction is the convivial party mood driven by the warehouse-size dining room itself, which is brightened by jewel-colored stripes of paint and cubical wine racks positioned above the open, tiled kitchen. The cheerful waiters poured into tight white T-shirts are a draw, too. However, it's the easygoing but confident menu—a primer in contemporary bistro dishes, such as chunky peasant paté, grilled tuna with wasabi mayonnaise, a very Dutch stewed veal on pommes au gratin, and coconut parfait—that keeps the massive space filled.—Raphael Kadushin
Open daily 11 am to 11 pm.