Eating

Amsterdam Travel Tips from Ingrid Hofstra, Dutch Food Photographer & Journalist

Conversations with Locals

Ingrid Hofstra grew up mingling with nature in the sleepy region of Frisia in The Netherlands, before moving to a small town nearby Amsterdam. The Dutch food photographer and journalist tells us about the beauty of Begijnhof, a hip hangout where you can chill by the beach, and what is the Dutch equivalent of a bratwurst.

Photo: Let’s Talk Evergreen 

What’s Dutch culture to you? 

Dutch culture is diverse, down to earth, and alive. 

What do you feel defines Dutch cuisine?

I think Dutch cuisine is defined by the rich agriculture we have, which means we eat lots of potatoes, dairy, and vegetables. Because of the influx of immigrants we also have grown to love Moroccan food, Indonesian food, and Turkish food. 

Photo: Let’s Talk Evergreen

What is the one local dish you feel travellers can’t leave Amsterdam without trying? 

People should never leave Amsterdam without having tried a frikandel speciaal. This is a sausage, a very unhealthy snack, but so good. The Germans have bratwurst. We have frikandel special. 

Where do you love to eat in Amsterdam?

My favourite places in Amsterdam to eat are Vuurtoreneiland, Scandinavian Embassy, and Happyhappyjoyjoy. 

Scandinavian Embassy. Photo: Let’s Talk Evergreen

Photo: Let’s Talk Evergreen

Name one best kept secret of Amsterdam

The best kept secret of Amsterdam to me is a visit to the Begijnhof. Here, you can find some of the oldest houses in the city, and you can enjoy the sunshine while sitting in the grass without all the tourists around you. Also, if you feel lost in the city, take the ferry to Noord, a newer area of Amsterdam with lots of hip places like Pllek. 

What would you recommend travellers do to experience Amsterdam as a local? 

I would enjoy Amsterdam for 3 days max, then take the train and go to Utrecht or Rotterdam, or perhaps small towns in the north where I am from. Rent a bike and enjoy our countryside. Amsterdam is not The Netherlands; people sometimes tend to forget. 

Utrecht. Photo: Let’s Talk Evergreen

Where can we go to see your favourite view of The Netherlands?

My favorite view… Man that is a tough one! We don’t have mountains or extreme nature, though I love spending time on our islands such as Vlieland, seeing the sun set on the beach there.

Where in the world is your favourite destination when it comes to food?

Perhaps New York – it’s all there. Whatever you are looking for, they have it. I will never forget some of the food I had there, for instance the cereal milk soft serve at Milk Bar. Amazing!

WHERE TO EAT IN AMSTERDAM


Vuurtoreneiland
Where: Vuurtoreneiland, Durgerdam, Netherlands
For: Dining on an island

Scandinavian Embassy
Where: Sarphatipark 34, 1072 PB Amsterdam, Netherlands
For: Coffee and brunch

Happyhappyjoyjoy
Where: Bilderdijkstraat 158HS, 1053 LC Amsterdam, Netherlands
For: Asian cuisine

WHERE TO GO IN AMSTERDAM


Begijnhof
Where: Gedempte Begijnensloot, 1012 RM Amsterdam, The Netherlands
For: Some of Amsterdam’s oldest houses

Pllek
Where: TT Neveritaweg 59, 1033 WB Amsterdam, Netherlands
For: Hip hangouts

Emilia-Romagna Travel Tips from Gianluca Fazio, Italian Traveller of TheRerumNatura

Conversations with Locals

Gianluca Fazio is a native of the city of Rimini in Emilia-Romagna and the creator of TheRerumNatura, a collection of breathtaking Italian street photography. Gianluca talks piadina romagnola, the window you need to visit in Bologna, and why Emilia-Romagna is one of the best foodie regions of Italy. 

Photo: TheRerumNatura

What’s Italian culture? 

Italian culture is a very complex and sometimes contradictory mix of traditions coming from different worlds. Italy has millenary influences coming from the Ancient Greece, the Normans, the Spanish, the Romans, the Arabs, the Etrurians, and the Barbarians.
What we call the Italian culture comes from all these ancestors.

You can visit cities close to each other and discover completely different ways of speaking, dialects, architectures, hospitality, and food traditions. 

To me, the Italian culture is the synthesis of the peculiar history of this country and the fascinating way people reacted to all these changes towards time.

What do you feel defines the food in the Emilia-Romagna region?

Emilia-Romagna has one of the best cuisines in Italy – it’s characterised by tasty dishes, with stuffed pasta like tortellini and cappelletti and it’s the region which gave birth to lasagne. Many products famous all over the world like parma ham, parmigiano reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar of Modena and Mortadella of Bologna come from Emilia-Romagna. And, of course, the piadina romagnola, a typical street food from Romagna, the southern part of the region, needs to have a special mention! First, because it’s great, then, because it comes from my hometown, Rimini. 

All this dishes have something in common – the importance of being tasty, with the perfect balance between gentle and strong taste. 

San Marino. Photo: TheRerumNatura

What is the one local dish you feel travellers can’t leave Emilia-Romagna without trying? 

I suggest that travellers try the different ways piadina romagnola is made by just travelling a few kilometres! 

Try a piadina romagnola in Riccione, the entertainment center of Italy, and it will be different from the piadina pomagnola in Rimini, the most advanced beach town in Italy. Then go to Ravenna, the former capital city of the Western Roman Empire, and it’s different again. 

I met many people and everybody has a different opinion about which one is the best!
Can you guess which one mine is? 

Would that be the one from your hometown of Rimini?

Yes, my favourite version of the piadina is the one from Rimini! But I have to tell you a little secret, if you go to Riccione, just in front of the train station, there’s a little kiosk which makes a delicious piadina with a secret recipe that only the family knows. You should try it! 

Where do you love to eat in the region?

My favourite eating places are in the hinterlands of Romagna, near the borders with Marche and Tuscany. Eating there is an unforgettable experience because of the great tastes and the incredible value for money. 

You can eat delicious appetizers, homemade pastas, local meats and drink typical wines (Sangiovese di Romagna) for about 20€. 

But you can eat very well all over the region. Just try some trattoria in the city centre of Bologna and you’ll love it. 

What about your favourite restaurants?

My favorite restaurants are Casina del Bosco in Rimini where you can eat the best homemade piadina, and Osteria Tabard Inn in Villa Verucchio, where you can eat the best homemade pastas, meats, delicious sweets and drink some great wine.

Photo: TheRerumNatura

Name one best kept secret of Emilia-Romagna

One best kept secret of Emilia-Romagna is a window in the centre of Bologna which gives a stunning view on a canal and makes you feel like you’re in Venice. When you go to Bologna, don’t forget to visit the “Window of Via Piella”.

What would you recommend travellers do to experience Emilia-Romagna as a local? 

The best way to experience Emilia-Romagna is living it with the spirit of locals. People from Emilia-Romagna are very friendly and open-minded. They like having fun, staying up until late, eating and drinking all the time with a smile on their faces. They also think that hospitality is a matter of honour, so they’ll treat you with great respect and confidence. Living like this is the best way to experience Emilia-Romagna. 

Piazza Della Libertà. Photo: TheRerumNatura

Photo: TheRerumNatura

Where can we go to see your favourite part of Italy?

It’s very hard to say which is my favourite part of Italy, because every region has its own particularities and everything differs a lot from one place to the other. You can go from the Alps with landscapes that make you feel like you’re almost in Germany to the south of Sicily that makes you feel like you’re almost in Africa. 

I have a special affection for the east coast, from Venice to Rimini, my hometown, to the wonderful beauties of Puglia, passing through the stunning Marche and Abruzzo coasts.
But I also love the green heart of Italy, Umbria, which is special to me because you can feel that locals love their amazing towns and take a special care of their places for travellers. Also, the food is just great!

 

WHERE TO EAT IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA


Casina del Bosco
Area: Rimini
Where: Viale Antonio Beccadelli, 15, 47921 Rimini RN, Italy
For: Homemade piadinas

Osteria Tabard Inn
Area: Villa Verucchio
Where: Via del Vecchio Ghetto, 4, 47826 Villa Verucchio RN, Italy
For: Homemade Italian food

WHERE TO GO IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA


Finestrella di Via Piella
Area: Bologna
Where: Via Piella, 5-9, 40126 Bologna, Italy
For: A view of Venice in Bologna

The Eating Guide to Athens, Greece

Greece

Athens may be known as a city of ancient ruins, but a new wave of restaurants is bringing a modern take to traditional Greek fare. This is a city where most of its people head out of their house for food – dining out is an everyday affair. We stumbled into a few good eats amidst the chaotic streets. 

Look forward to: Greek fusion food 

360 Athens Cocktail Bar 

Where: Ifestou 2, Athina 105 55, Greece
What: Chicken rump and steak with halloumi 
For: A view of the Acropolis 

360 Athens Cocktail Bar joins the list of restaurants in Athens with a view of the Acropolis. The restaurant has both an indoor and outdoor area, but book in advance for a seat on the rooftop, where the best views from the restaurant are found. The food menu is a little Greek, a little European and a little American – so there’s something for everyone. Take your pick of cocktails from the drinks menu, each bearing a whimsical name such as Sweet Melony and The Perfect Lady. 

Karamanlidika 

Where: Sokratous 1, Athina 10552, Greece
What: Sudjuk sausages with eggs
For: Cured meats and cheeses

Meander past butcher shops in the alleys to Karamanlidika, where cured meats and cheeses are the stuff people talk about. Don’t be mistaken by its deli-esque storefront. Look for the waiter and you’ll get a seat in the back alley where the locals are found having cured meats with a glass of wine. Go straight for the specialties – fried sachanaki cheese, pastirma and sudjuk sausages. Some of these are served with a sunny side up egg in a pan.

Fabrica tou Efrosinou

Where: Anastasiou Zinni 34, Athina 117 41, Greece
What: Casual joint
For: Bifteki

Things are kept casual at Fabrica tou Efrosinou. Just waltz into the café in the late morning, when lunch is not yet being served, and the chef might whip up an omelette with feta cheese. Bifteki (Greek burger), fries and veal chops are crowd favourites. 

Skoumbri 

Where: Drakou 14, Athina 117 42, Greece
What: Grilled octopus
For: Seafood

People head to Skoumbri for a seafood restaurant in Athens, where they serve a good range of seafood. Look for the trademark mackerel sign along the bustling Drakou street in Koukaki. The white and turquoise interiors is a fresh reminder of dining in the Greek islands. Seafood such as sardines, shrimps and octopus are served as mains, and you get the choice of having it grilled or fried.