Vegan Food in Amsterdam
Terra-Zen
I just visited Terra Zen again in Dec 2024 and had my favourite item on their menu, the famed Crispy Roti Wrap. The ‘crispy’ is fried home pressed tofu. It was superb, the nuggets were slightly crispy on the outside, the veggies, cooked to perfection, and bursts of flavor throughout. Izaba was as friendly and welcoming as he always is and I caught up on the UK news that was playing on the tv in the corner. It really felt like stepping into his living room and having a meal in his home.
The TerraZen Centre is a friendly haven right in the center of Amsterdam but tucked down a quiet alley. I lunched there with a friend and we were very warmly greeted by Izaba, it is a family run place and been there for about 2.5 years now. The light reggae music in the background set the tone for a nice chill-out and lunch. They combine organic Japanese and Caribbean ingredients, creating their own fusion style.
The seaweed & tofu salad was delicious, the tofu is the soft Japanese kind and the seaweed light and not too fishy flavored.
The veggie curry with roti was very delicate and perfectly spiced so to add a zing but not dominate the veggies too much.
Terra Zen is open daily from 10am to 10pm and can be found at: Sint Jacobsstraat 19
Maoz Falafel
NEWS: In 2018, all off the Maoz Amsterdam branches went from being vegetarian to being vegan.
The first Maoz opened in Amsterdam in 1991 which is the year I arrived here. I was about 21 years old then and broke much of the time. I remember it well and very fondly from those days of scraping by. Maoz was near the Rembrandtsplein then and the system then was the same as it is now, explained below. Basically, eat as much healthy stuff as you like for then 5 guilders, now, just under 6 euros. A bunch of us would stand in the street in front of their counter window and fill our bellies with their excellent falafel and salad.
This is still the best value, healthiest meal in town without a doubt.
This is how it works… 5.95 buys you 5 falafel balls in pita bread. Eat the falafels balls to make space in the pita and then fill it up with fresh salad and sauces from their self-service salad bar. Then eat the salad – and refill with salad as many times as you like. If they don’t have little forks on the counter ask for one so you can eat the salad without eating the pita bread. When you have eventually had enough, eat the rest of the pita!
They have 4 branches in Amsterdam now scattered evenly over the town.
Other places around town
The Golden Temple is vegetarian with lots of vegan options and found at Utrechtsestraat 126 and is open for lunch and dinner. The cuisine is North Indian and whilst it is a vegetarian restaurant there are very many vegan options.
