The Good Guide: Amsterdam

Eat + Drink

De Ceuvel

From the eco-friendly toilets to the regionally procured ingredients, De Ceuvel leaves no room for waste (or unfulfilled appetites). Pioneers in office-boat innovation conceived this sustainable initiative, transforming a formerly polluted harbor into a cleantech haven. The culinary offerings celebrate authentic vegan cuisine, presenting a vibrant assortment of breakfast and lunch delights meant for communal enjoyment. Beyond the delectable food and beverages, the premises showcase an array of sustainable technologies, such as a captivating aquaponics greenhouse, cutting-edge heat exchangers, and advanced facilities for processing kitchen and toilet waste.

De Kas

Occupying a spacious greenhouse, this elegant restaurant and urban farm serves light, modern and carefully prepared dishes that are made from sustainably grown vegetables produced either on site or in the chefs’ larger field in the Beemster polder.

Freud's

Restaurant Freud is a social business that provides people with light psychiatric and/or addiction problems training and purposeful employment. Situated in the up and coming Spaarndammerbuurt, the spacious and cleverly designed restaurant is an incredibly progressive business.

Dignita Hoftuin

Hidden behind Hermitage Amsterdam is Dignita Hoftuin, a quaint garden café and social initiative that serves all- day brunch and delicious cocktails while supporting the community. For good reason, Dignita's slogan is, ‘Eat well, do good’. Dignita is part of the Not For Sale social enterprise model, which works to provide certified training programs and support a vulnerable target group of individuals.

Mediamatic ETEN

Mediamatic ETEN not only boasts an aquaponic garden supplying a significant portion of herbs and vegetables for the restaurant, but their in-house research team also engages in food-related experiments championing seasonality and sustainability. The ever-evolving 100% plant-based menu features creatively incorporated fermented, dehydrated, and pickled ingredients. Stay tuned to the agenda for diverse workshops and events focusing on urban farming, foraging, and innovative approaches to food preservation.

Troost Brouwerij

With a cool industrial interior, Troost Brouwerij in the Westergasfabriek is an excellent space to kick back with some friends and some incredibly delicious, own- brewed, organic beer. But what’s really cool about Troost Brouwerij is their commitment to sustainable business practices, the use of organic ingredients, local suppliers, as well as a comprehensive approach to waste management, recycling, re-use of by-products and use of green energy.

Shop

Lena

Established in 2014, Lena, the Netherlands' inaugural clothing library, has evolved into a preferred choice for those with a sustainable mindset and a passion for fashion. Operating both as a physical store in Amsterdam and an online library, Lena offers a unique concept where shoppers can borrow clothes just like borrowing books. This innovative approach ensures a constant rotation of your wardrobe without adding to the environmentally harmful fast fashion industry. Lena is all about fostering a culture of sharing instead of perpetuating the cycle of buying new items!

Crafted Society

If you want to learn about the idea of ‘Luxury for Good’, there’s no better place to visit than Crafted Society’s small but perfectly formed store on the banks of the Prinsengracht canal. They carry everything from minimalist Italian leather sneakers to beautiful scarves all hand-made by artisans across Europe.

Experiences

I AM BIKE

Amsterdam is known as the world’s most bike-friendly city, and one of the most fun and eco-friendly ways to get around is to rent a bike to drive yourself around. I AM BIKE offers a unique bike rental service with self-guided group tours on four-wheel bikes – no cycling experience needed!

Fashion For Good Museum

The supercool Fashion for Good Experience is the world’s first interactive, technology-driven museum dedicated to sustainable and circular fashion innovation. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, this unique space combines storytelling and interactive learning with world- class programming, with the ultimate aim to make fashion a force for good.

Refuge Boat Tours

Instead of the usual Amsterdam canal cruise, why not sign up for one run by a team of immigrants – on boats which once carried refugees across the Mediterranean. The tours tell how immigrants have helped to shape the city, linking the often-overlooked story of the foreign settlers who laboured to build its lavish canal houses with the migrant stories of today.

Stay

Conscious Hotels

We love Conscious Hotels! This quirky hotel brand runs four ‘Eco-Sexy’ hotels in Amsterdam where every detail is thought through in terms of being both ethical and sustainable – from being 100% run by clean energy, to their furniture, to their food and drink. Here’s what they say: “Let’s start with making eco sexy. Interior design. Eco values. They’re both equally important to us. That’s why we are sustainable every step of the way. All the materials we use in our hotels are certified cradle-to-cradle, recycled or secondhand. FSC and PEFC certifications mean we only use wood from managed forests. Walk on our cradle-to-cradle carpet. Sleep in our cradle-to-cradle Royal Dutch Auping beds. Snuggle up to our Responsible Down Standard (RDS) pillows and quilts. And not only are the building and materials eco, all our daily operations are too. That’s why our staff wear organic, cotton sweaters that say, ‘’I am eco-sexy and I know it."